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Accessible Transportation in Athens

Overview

All metro stations have elevators. Many of them like this one come straight out of the ground in a plaza or on a sidewalk.

Accessible transportation in Athens is as good or better than any major city in Europe. While there are many other cities with accessible buses, Athens is the only city I have visited in Europe where ALL of the subway stations have elevators. Consequently,wheelchair users and people with other disabilities have multiple options for accessible transportation in Athens.The metro elevators are big enough for wheelchairs.

Getting around Athens can be challenging for people with mobility issues because the presence of numerous hills and many cobblestone areas.

There are also elevators and stairs to get down to the metro.

While there are wheelchair ramps at most, but not all, sidewalk street intersections, many of these ramps have been poorly maintained and have broken concrete. Many of them are steeper than those found in the USA and UK.

I would recommend getting a useful map before you leave for Athens. These Pop-Out maps are the best ones for navigating European cities. This one actually contain several maps including one that shows the Athens subway system:When you get down to the ticket level, you can buy tickets from the ticket machines along the wall.

Accessible Buses in Athens

Although I have read that all of the buses are accessible in Athens, I didn’t actually use them when I was there. The subway system was so easy to navigate and use that using the buses are not essential. If you need to plan your trip by bus, you can find the bus map here: www.oasa.gr

Subway/MetroBefore you get to the metro platform, you will need to insert and retrieve your ticket from one of these machines.

The subway system in Athens is fully accessible. There are elevators at each of the stations. Sometimes they are positioned on the sidewalk; sometimes they are in the middle of a plaza, and sometimes they are in a nearby building. Typically there is an elevator to lead you down to the ticket booth and a separate elevator to get down to the platform.The gap between the platform and the train is small and flat.

Different elevators lead to different subway tracks. The subway direction is identified by the final stop, so you will need to look for signs that list the subway number and the correct direction. Escalators are also found throughout the subway stations.

Subway map: www.amel.gr

Accessible Trams

There are some modern trams in Athens but they do not run through the main tourist sections of the city. I am unsure of their accessibility.

Accessible Taxis in Athens

You will have no problems waving down a normal taxi in Athens. If you need an accessible taxi, you can find them here: www.specialtaxi.com. You should definitely use a taxi to get youto the entrance of the Acropolis due to the uphill cobblestone path leading to it.

Flat street with 5 star smoothness north of the Acropolis. Look for the signs at the platform level to find the elevator to exit the station.
Picture of one of the flat streets with 4 star smooth cobblestones in the area north of the Acropolis. Crossing the street near the Temple of Olympian Zeus required going around a big curb! The taxis shown in this pic are typical of the normal (non-accessible) taxis.
A few streets within a couple hundred meters north of the Acropolis are steep and have steps.
Many of the shops have a step or two to enter them.  

 

Read more:

Athens Accessible Travel – main page
   Pros and Cons of Athens Disabled Access
   8 Wheelchair Accessible Travel Tips for Athens Greece
   8 Keys to Success for Athens Disabled Travel
   Acropolis Handicapped Access Review
   Handicapped Access at the Athens National Archaeological Museum
   Ancient Agora Wheelchair Access
   New Acropolis Museum Wheelchair Access
   Wheelchair Access at the Temple of Olympian Zeus
   Disabled Access at Benaki Museum of Greek History and Culture
   Museum of Cycladic Art Wheelchair Accessibility
   Wheelchair Access Byzantine and Christian Museum
   Piraeus (Athens) Port Disabled Access Review
   Athens Trip Planning by Sage Traveling – Travel with Ease!
Athens Walking and Driving Tours in Athens
   Highlights of Athens Accessible Cruise Excursion
   Half Day Athens Accessible Driving Tour
   Athens Accessible Shore Excursion to Temple of Poseidon
   Athens City and Acropolis Accessible Group Walking Tour
   Accessible Athens Acropolis Private Guided Tour
   Byzantine Athens Handicapped Accessible Tour
   Greek Cuisine Accessible Athens Guided Tour
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   Civitavecchia (Rome) Accessible Cruise Excursions
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   Venice Accessible Cruise Excursions
Accessible Cruising with Sage Traveling – Receive our Athens Accessibility Guide & Athens accessible hotel recommendations for free!

 

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