THE NAXOS GUIDE TO THE NEW ATHENS AIRPORT (Eleftherios Venizelos): 

Facilities and Travel to and from Athens and Piraeus

Athens  Buses  Escaping  Food  Quiet Place  Shopping  Taxis

A vast improvement over the two old ones but not so handy for Athens and Piraeus.  Hopefully, one day, the metro will go out to it.

FOOD

There are several outlets.

Kafeneon

To the right of customs, landwards side.  Rather smoky and basic.  Alright for a quick coffee.

Gregory's

On entering the building go up the escalator just passed the kafeneon as though to departures,then to the hall behind the check-in desks, Gregory's is in the centre of the hall.  You can get all manner of snacks and drinks here but - beware - this establishment still operates the strange system prevalent in the old airports.  You make up your mind what you want, go and pay for it, get a ticket and then go and hand this in at the appropriate place to get your desire.  For croissants and things like that, Gregory's is a deal cheaper than - 

Food Village/Greek Gourmet

This has a more comfortable and less crowded seating area than the above and has a far greater variety of food, doing actual meals.  For example:

Olive Tree

Go upstairs (Level 2) via the escalator just by the Food Village.  A proper, comfortable restaurant with windows overlooking the runways.  We can't comment on the food though the menu reads well.  We had a good bottle of wine but so it should be at €15.  Expensive but an oasis - even more so, I should think, in the peak months.

MacDonalds

Opposite the Olive Tree.

SHOPPING

Enough to keep most people happy.  All the usual suspects such as Tierack and The Bodyshop.  Metropolis for CDs, Presspoint for papers, magazines, books, Olympic Store for clothes.  Some label shops as well.

OTHER

A quietish area can be found downstairs (Level 0, as you look towards the entrance, on the right) if you have a long wait and want to doze.

ESCAPING

Trains

There is now an excellent train service to and from the airport.  Roughly an hour into Athens

Buses

Out front buses leave for Piraeus 2/3/4 times an hour and takes just an hour for a fare of about €3.  A magnificent, new motorway takes you away from the airport but, after a couple of kilometres, this becomes single lane either way!  The berth for the boat to Naxos changes from year to year.  Until 2002, for about 5 years, it has been just to the right of where the bus stops (looking towards the front of the bus) but in this year it had moved back to its original position - opposite the Metro station - where it still was in 2005.  Opposite the bus stop is a large café; walk round the front (seaward size) of this to a wide expanse of dockyard; walk across this, keeping the berthed ships on your left; turn left and the second or third boat should be that going to Naxos.  Take care walking here as lorries come thundering along with, seemingly, no laneing.  The boats have their destinations and leaving times (a clock) above the stern  These are often in Greek lettering so at least learn the spelling of your destination.  The journey takes 6 to 8 hours.

The only destinations we are interested in are Syntagma (the central square of Athens) and Piraeus.  You'll find the bus station at Kifisos useful for other destinations in Greece and Ethniki Amyna is the nearest tube station to the airport - surely better to sit on the bus to Athens than struggle with baggage onto another form of transport.  An exact timetable can be found on the bus stops.  At the airport, buy your ticket from the man at the kiosk, about €3.  This ticket allows one journey to/from the airport but includes unlimited travel on bus, metro, trolley bus in Athens for 24 hours.  Validate your ticket by sticking it in the machine once on ordinary transport then, again, on the airport bus.  Web site for buses = www.oasa.gr 

Athens

A viable alternative, if you have time, is to take a bus into Athens, have a meal in the Plaka (We highly recommend The Eden, a vegetarian and organic restaurant, where we have had the best meal in any type of restaurant, ever.  However, this was due to a serendipitous choice of dishes - it's always good but only once has it been so good) and then get the tube down to Piraeus from Monisteraki.  As above, in 2005, at Piraeus, you just leave the front of the station, cross the road (the most difficult part of all the journey), look for a gate in the railings on the other side of the road and the boat for Naxos will be in front of you.  If not, they've moved it back to the other berth!  Walk to the left and you'll find, in the block housing the café, as above, several ticket offices.  Buy your ticket at the appropriate one and they'll direct you to the boat.  English is almost universal and, a change over the years, the staff are helpful and friendly.  I've even known the women to smile!  And anyone, who has known women in an official position in past years, will know how impossibly rare that was!  Tickets are checked, now, before boarding the ferry.

For a good guide to Athens try www.athensguide.com

Taxis

Across the road from the buses.  You can check with Information in the airport for a guide price for taxis.  Remember, there can be a surcharge for nighttime (usually midnight to 6 am) journeys and extras for the number of people carried and the pieces of luggage.  The driver will usually give you a price and stick to it; taxis are quite stringently regulated.  Most drivers, also, speak some English.  Beware if you look up the Athens airport site (www.aia.gr/EN/default.shtm).  The €2s quoted under "to and from airport" is an extra NOT the full price.