Getting Around AthensOct 30, 2026 · 5 min read

Taxi Strike in Athens: How to Reach the Airport or Port Anyway

Taxi drivers in Athens strike from time to time. If a strike falls on your travel day, you need a plan the evening before. One option is a pre-booked private car to the airport or port. If you book one, confirm with the company when a strike is announced.

This guide stays useful for any strike. It lists your other options and shows where to check the current situation. It does not list strike dates, because they change.

How to check if a strike affects you

The Athens taxi drivers’ union, known as SATA, has announced past stoppages this way (Parapolitika). Search for “Athens taxi strike” plus your travel date and read the most recent report.

Check public transport too. General strikes can shorten or stop metro, tram and bus services, and a report in eKathimerini shows how those services can run on a modified schedule. For live notices, use the OASA website for buses and the Athens International Airport page for the airport links.

Your options to the airport

Option	From	Check before you leave
Metro Line 3	City center, Piraeus	Airport transport page
Suburban railway	Piraeus, Larissis Station	Airport transport page
X95 express bus	Syntagma	OASA website
X96 express bus	Piraeus	OASA website
Pre-booked private car	The address you enter	The company you booked with

Lines and stops from Athens International Airport and OASA express lines, checked October 2026. This table lists the options that exist and does not say what runs during a strike, so check the operator’s announcements for your date.

From central Athens, our guide to the Athens airport and city center covers each public option, with stops and ticket details.

If you start from a port

If you have a ferry or a cruise, Piraeus is on metro Line 3 and the X96 bus runs between the port and the airport. Our guide to Piraeus port to Athens airport has the journey times. The airport estimates about 60 minutes by metro, 65 by suburban railway and 90 on the X96 bus between Piraeus and the airport (Athens International Airport). On a strike day, check the operator’s announcements and allow extra time.

For Rafina or Lavrio, the airport lists regional KTEL buses, and it warns that the Lavrio connection has sparse routes and runs only during day hours. Plan a booked car if your ferry leaves early or late.

Black Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan of Unique Transfers & Tours outside an airport terminal — A pre-booked car meets you at the time you set.

Why apps do not solve it

In Athens, the app connects you with licensed taxi drivers, so when those drivers stop work, the app has fewer cars to offer. Our guide to Uber in Athens explains how this works. Bolt and Freenow also run in Athens, so check them, but do not count on them for a flight.

If you have a booked car

Unique Transfers & Tours is a licensed, insured chauffeur company and a member of the Greek National Tourism Organisation, as our about page explains. When a strike is announced, confirm your booking with us.

In our booking form you choose the vehicle and the pickup time, and you see the price before you pay. If you need a car at short notice, call us on (+30) 21 0921 3888 or send us a message.

A plan for a strike day

The evening before, read the latest report and note the start and end times.
Check whether the metro and buses are also affected.
Leave earlier than usual. The airport already asks passengers to arrive at least 2.5 hours before departure, and it warns that late arrival at the gate may mean denied boarding (Athens International Airport).
Keep a printed or saved copy of your booking and your ticket.
If you land during a strike, follow the signs to the metro or the bus stops, or message your driver.

If you are stuck, ask your hotel early whether it can help you find a car.

If your flight or ferry is also affected

Check with your airline or ferry company before you leave your hotel. Ask your insurer what your policy says about strikes, because policies differ.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the taxi strike happening?

The reason changes each time. Read the latest press report for the current reason. The Athens union, SATA, has announced past stoppages through the press.

Is it safe to visit Athens, Greece now?

This guide covers transport only. For a current view of safety, read your own government’s travel advice for Greece before you go.

Is there a taxi strike today?

We do not list dates here, because they change quickly. Search for Athens taxi strike with today’s date in the news, and read the most recent report.

Does public transport run during a strike in Athens?

It depends on the strike. eKathimerini has reported public transport running on a limited schedule during a past strike. Check the OASA website and the airport transport page for your date.

What time does a taxi strike in Athens start and end?

Each strike has its own times. Search for the latest press report on your travel date, and read the start and end times there.

Is there a ferry strike in Greece today?

Check with your ferry company on the day, and ask whether your sailing is affected. A taxi strike notice will not tell you this.

Is there a general strike in Greece tomorrow?

Search the news for the date you travel, and check the OASA and airport websites. We do not list dates here, because they change.