Athens bus tour
Our summer itinerary suggests getting the Athens sightseeing bus number 400 from Monastiraki terminating at the Archaeological Museum.
Across the square from Monastiraki metro is the corner of Ermou and Athinas Streets. A few yards down Ermou Street, outside the Intersport shop, is the bus stop for the 400 bus, due here at 18 minutes past each hour.
Alternatively, if you’ve left Monastiraki behind and made it as far as the Temple of Olympian Zeus, you’ll find it more convenient to pick up the bus at Plaka (stop 15) or Syntagma Square. Stop number 9 is on the side of the square in Othonas Street and stop number 18 is outside the parliament building on Amalias Street.
In the winter, when you’ll need to visit the Archaeological Museum earlier, we suggest getting the 400 from there after your visit. There is a departure every hour on the hour. In the winter, the last service departs at 4pm. The stop is in Vas Irakliou Street, the street next to the museum, on your left as you stand facing the museum.
There is a bus every 60 minutes from November to April and every 30 minutes from May to October.
The ticket, which costs 5 euros, is valid for 24 hours and is also valid on all means of public transportation within Athens. You can get on and off as many times as you like, but due to the limited frequency of the service it’s probably better to do one complete tour and then use the ticket on the metro for subsequent travel. The bus tour is a nice way to get a feel for the layout and atmosphere of central Athens, but there are few real sights to see apart from the stretches between stops 5 – 7 and 15 – 17. Recorded announcements in Greek and English announce upcoming stops and give information about the surrounding area.
As the bus is an ordinary single-decker, it’s quite difficult to get a good view. Try to get seats on the right, both because the bus drives on the right and because the view on the left side is obscured by the driver’s cab. Look out on the left side for the Olympic Stadium (stop 14) and the Temple of Olympian Zeus, on the left as we go down (stop 15) and then on the right as we return (stop 17).
Welcome on Board the new Athens Sightseeing public bus, Line 400, to the highlights of the City of Athens, a city rich in history and culture with contrasts between ancient and modern, that awaits for you.
SERVICES
| PERIOD |
TIME TABLE |
FREQUENCY |
| JUNE - SEPTEMBER |
07:30 - 21:00 |
30’ |
| OCTOBER & MAY |
09:00 - 18:00 |
30’ |
| NOVEMBER - APRIL |
10:00 - 16:00 |
60’ |
Line starting from and terminating to Athens Archaeological Museum (at Vas. Irakleiou street).
The duration of the round-trip is about 80 - 90 minutes.
At every bus stop of this line you may find the exact bus schedules.
YOUR TICKET
The ticket costs 5 Euro and can be purchased ONLY on the vehicle.
It is valid for 24 hours and provides for unlimited travel by the Athens Sightseeing Public Bus Line and all other Public Transport Modes (except the Airport and Saronida express bus lines and the Metro and Suburban Railway lines from Doukissis Plakentias Station to the Airport).
Any other public transport ticket is not accepted on this line.
Tickets should be validated on the first ride and be kept and shown to the bus attendant every time you board on the bus or to the inspector on the other means of public transport.
THE BUS STOPS
- NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
- OMONIA
- PSYRRI
- KERAMEIKOS
- THISSIO
- MONASTIRAKI
- MARKET (VARVAKEIOS AGORA)
- KLAFTHMONOS SQUARE
- SYNTAGMA
- BENAKI MUSEUM
- NATIONAL GALLERY (ETHNIKI PINAKOTHIKI)
- AMPELOKIPI
- NATIONAL GALLERY (ETHNIKI PINAKOTHIKI)
- PANATHINAIKON STADIUM
- PLAKA
- AKROPOLI
- OLYMPIC ZEUS TEMPLE (NAOS OLYMPIOY DIOS)
- GREEK PARLIAMENT (VOULI TON ELLINON)
- UNIVERSITY (PANEPISTIMIO)
- OMONIA