Big Bus Athens Hop-On Hop-Off with optional Piraeus & Riviera
Athens, Greece
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
See the best of Athens—and make the most of three possible routes, as well as three available pass durations—on a flexible, hop-on hop-off bus tour. Settle onto the comfortable bus, listen to the audio commentary available in 14 languages, and admire Athens’ historical highlights, from the Acropolis to the Ancient Agora. Then, travel across two additional routes, to the Athenian Riviera and Piraeus, for maximal sightseeing.
- Choose between 48-hour and 72-hour passes to fit your schedule
- Learn insider facts and stories from the audio commentary
- Free Wi-Fi is available en route to help keep you connected
- Have the freedom and flexibility to travel on three different routes
What's Included
- 48 or 72-Hour Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Ticket
- Explore 3 Incredible Routes: Athens, Piraeus, and the Riviera
- Audio commentary in a choice of 14 languages
- Free Wi-Fi on board
- Headphones
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Operating hours
Select your preferred tour option to see hours.
Departure Point
- You may start this tour at any of the stops listed.
Itinerary
Athens Line - Red Route
15 Stops
17 Points of Interest
Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes
Operating Schedule: Buses depart every 20 mins. The first bus departs from Stop 1: Syntagma Square - 1 Ermou St. (in front of the Nike Store) at 8:30 AM and the last bus departs at 6:00 PM. The full tour route lasts approx. 1 hour, 50 minutes. For the most up-to-date bus stop locations and departure timings, we recommend visiting the Big Bus website or downloading the Big Bus app. To access live bus tracking on the day of your travel, please download the Big Bus app in advance of your arrival.
1
Parthenon
2
Temple of Olympian Zeus
3
Hellenic Parliament
4
Benaki Museum
5
Panathenaic Stadium
6
Vallianeio Megaron
7
National Archaeological Museum
8
Omonoia, Athens
9
Platia Karaiskaki
10
Monastiraki Square
11
Kotzia Square
12
National Historical Museum - Old Parliament House
13
Syntagma Square
14
Acropolis
15
Acropolis Museum
Points of interest passed by on this route
Acropolis
Acropolis Museum
Syntagma
Monastiraki Square
Temple of Aries
National Theatre of Greece
Panathenaic Stadium
Benaki Museum
Agios Eleftherios
Ancient Agora of Athens
Parthenon
Hellenic Parliament
National Archaeological Museum
Omonia Square
Karaiskaki Square
Kotzia Square
National History Museum (Old Parliament)
Piraeus Line - Purple Route
13 Stops
6 Points of Interest
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes
Operating Schedule: The Piraeus Line is available with selected 48- and 72-hour tickets. Please check your confirmation for details. Buses depart every 40 mins. The first bus departs from Stop 2: Plaka & South Entrance Acropolis at 9:40 AM and the last bus departs at 5:00 PM. The full tour route lasts approx. 1 hour, 20 minutes. For the most up-to-date bus stop locations and departure timings, we recommend visiting the Big Bus website or downloading the Big Bus app. To access live bus tracking on the day of your travel, please download the Big Bus app in advance of your arrival.
1
Acropolis
2
Pantios
3
Stavros Niarchos Park
4
Dimotiko Theatro
5
Cruise Terminal A – Miaoulis
6
Cruise Terminal B - Piraeus
7
Pasalimani
8
Limin Mounikhias
9
Athens Marriott Hotel
10
InterContinental Athenaeum Athens by IHG
11
Temple of Olympian Zeus
12
Hellenic Parliament
13
Syntagma Square
Points of interest passed by on this route
Acropolis
Temple of Aries
National Theatre of Greece
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre
Municipal Theatre of Piraeus
Mythos MIkrolimano
Riviera Line - Green Route
22 Stops
11 Points of Interest
Duration: 2 hours
Operating Schedule: The Riviera Line is available with selected 48- and 72-hour tickets. Please check your confirmation for details. Buses depart every 60 mins. The first bus departs from Stop 2: Plaka & South Entrance Acropolis at 9:00 AM and the last bus departs at 5:00 PM. The full tour route lasts approx. 2 hours. For the most up-to-date bus stop locations and departure timings, we recommend visiting the Big Bus website or downloading the Big Bus app. To access live bus tracking on the day of your travel, please download the Big Bus app in advance of your arrival.
1
Acropolis
2
Pantios
3
Stavros Niarchos Park
4
Μαρίνα Φλοίσβου
5
Alimos Marina
6
Agios Kosmas Marina
7
3rd Glyfada Marina
8
Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso
9
Kavura Point
10
Astir Beach
11
Lake Vouliagmeni
12
Voula Park
13
Glyfada Center
14
Glyfada
15
Leof. Poseidonos 5
16
Phaleron War Cemetery - Athens Memorial
17
Edem
18
Athens Marriott Hotel
19
InterContinental Athenaeum Athens by IHG
20
Temple of Olympian Zeus
21
Hellenic Parliament
22
Syntagma Square
Points of interest passed by on this route
South Slope of the Acropolis of Athens
Temple of Aries
National Theatre of Greece
Flisvos Marina
Alimos
Kosmas
Glyfada
Kavouri Beach
Lake Vouliagmeni
Voula Beach
Phaleron War Cemetery
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Wheelchair accessible
- May be operated by a multi-lingual audio guide
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.0
based on 717 reviews
Dan_D, Jul 2026
Easy to use. A little confusion due to a weekend concert closing roads to a stop near us.
Wish they had longer hours. Stop pickup at 4:00.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi, Dan!
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're delighted to hear that you found the tour easy to use and that you enjoyed your overall experience.
We're sorry to hear that the weekend concert and the resulting road closures caused some confusion near one of our stops. We also appreciate your comments regarding our operating hours and understand that later service would provide greater flexibility for exploring the city.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated and will be shared with the relevant team as we continue to review and improve our service. We hope to welcome you on board again in the future! Andreea@BigBusTours!
Christina_F, Jun 2026
Wonderful way to see the high points of Athens with little time. Highly recommend easy to navigate and hits all the high points. If you arrive with luggage and can't check into your hotel or Airbnb use syntagma lockers to store it and you can pick up the bus right from there.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your feedback!
We’re delighted to hear you found the tour a great way to experience Athens in a short time. It’s great to know you found it easy to navigate and that it covered the key highlights. We also appreciate your helpful tip for future visitors.
We hope to welcome you on board again soon.
Andrei@BigBusTours
Frankie_N, Jun 2026
Easy on off. Driver very nice and helpful. I recommend this to anyone on a time crunch.
3 different busses covering various areas of the city
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your kind feedback! We’re glad you found the service convenient and enjoyed the flexibility to explore the city, especially when short on time. Great to hear our drivers made a positive impression too!
Raul@BigBusTours
Mickey_P, Jun 2026
A great way to get the ‘lay of the land’ — but probably time for some updates! Old technology, audio a bit garbled at times. Interface options with smart phones etc. could help this be amazing once again!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your helpful feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the overall experience and found it a great way to explore the area. We truly appreciate your suggestions regarding the audio and technology—these insights are invaluable as we work on improving and modernizing our tours.
Raul@BigBusTours
Susan_k, Jun 2026
Make sure you know which route you are buying. We thought we bought multiple routes, but they only gave us the Athens City Route.
Athens traffic is horrible. I recommend getting off before the acropolis and walking across the street to catch the bus at the temple of Zeus to avoid the traffic delay. The turnaround at the acropolis has great views but it takes 10–15 minutes to get up the hill due to traffic.
We’ve taken hop on hop off buses in other cities. This one wasn’t worth it.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Susan. Thank you for your review. We're sorry that the wait times impacted your trip. As we tend to operate in big cities, occasionally traffic can let us down. We recommend using the Live Tracking feature on our app to help plan your route on the day. We hope to see you on a Big Bus Tour again soon! Ana from Big Bus Tours.
Melita_M, Jun 2026
This is the easy way to get around Athens, especially if it is your first time. Easy bus access right next to our hotel. Really enjoyed it 😊
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for your kind feedback!
We’re delighted to hear that you found our service an easy and convenient way to get around Athens, especially for a first-time visit. It’s great to know that the accessibility of the bus stops near your hotel made your experience even more enjoyable.
We’re especially pleased that you had a relaxing and enjoyable time exploring the city with us. Your smile says it all 😊
Thank you again for sharing your experience, and we hope to welcome you on board again in the future!
Flavius@BigBusTours
Michelle_T, May 2026
Excellent for a hop off/hop on bus. Best earbuds (which we've kept!) provided for the recorded tour. We took the Red Line (Athens only) which went through most of the tourist areas - Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, Temple of Zeus, most of the main city squares - but not the Agora area. You do need to pay attention to the stops as the driver won't wait long to start up again. The Big Bus website is fantastic as it shows pictures of exactly where you need to be to get a ride.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your detailed feedback! 😊
We’re glad you enjoyed the tour, especially the earbuds and coverage of Athens’ key sights.
We appreciate your helpful tips about the stops and are happy to hear you found the website easy to use. We’ll also take note of your comments about the route coverage.
We hope to welcome you on board again soon!
Raul@BigBusTours
Levon_A, May 2026
Great tour and buses coming every 20 minutes. Bus drivers very friendly and helpful. Price are great
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the frequent service, friendly drivers, and great value. It’s wonderful to know the tour met your expectations!
Florin @ BigBusTours
Kristen_D, May 2026
A relatively cheap way to get around Athens and see the sights. Unfortunately we learned basically nothing as there was next to no audio.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad to hear you found the tour a cost‑effective way to explore Athens and see the main sights.
We’re very sorry to learn that the audio commentary was not working properly, as this is an important part of the experience and helps bring the city to life. Your comments have been shared with our team so we can improve the reliability of our audio systems.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Ciprian @ Big Bus Tours
Hans_K, May 2026
Nothing much to see except for the most amount of vandalised graffiti of any city in the world. The main route took 3 hours even when you did not get off due to traffic.Better to take a taxi to an attraction rather than doing this.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your feedback.
We’re sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations and that traffic impacted your journey. We appreciate you sharing your perspective, as it helps us identify areas where we can improve.
Florin @ Big Bus Tours
Kelli_G, May 2026
This activity was perfect for our family of 4 that only had 2 days in Athens. It was the best way to see many sites in a short amount of time.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback!
We’re delighted to hear that the tour was a great fit for your family and helped you see so many highlights in a short time. We hope you had a fantastic stay in Athens.
Florin @ Big Bus Tours
Jorgen_e, May 2026
Never activated the tickets in the app and the bus didn’t show up for more than 50 minutes so we couldn’t go on the bus
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We’re very sorry to hear that you experienced difficulties with activating your tickets and that the bus did not arrive within an expected timeframe. We understand how frustrating this must have been, especially when it impacted your plans.
Your comments have been shared with our team as we continue working to improve both the reliability of our service and the clarity of our app experience. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know.
Ciprian @ Big Bus Tours
steve_c, May 2026
This is a great way to get an overview of Athens and ‘collect your bearings’ in a short amount of time while seeing the highlights and other interesting parts of the city.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback! We’re delighted to hear the tour helped you get a great overview of Athens and find your bearings in a short amount of time. It’s wonderful to know you enjoyed seeing the highlights and discovering different parts of the city. We’re glad Big Bus Tours could be part of your visit and hope to welcome you on board again soon!
Ciprian @ Big Bus Tours
Paul_C, May 2026
They charged us an extra €5 per person to go from the main city center to the cruise port, but then only had buses going there every hour and a half so we had to take a taxi back to the port in order to get their own time. Bus stops were confusing as they would loop around to a stop you were just at.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about the inconvenience caused by the port connection schedule and any confusion around the routing and stops. We understand how important timing and clarity are when coordinating with cruise departures, and we regret that this impacted your plans. Your comments have been shared with our team as we continue to review schedules and stop information to improve the overall experience. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
Ciprian @ Big Bus Tours
Valerie_L, Apr 2026
Excellent price , easy to see all the sites including the coast and the marinas. We took the 2 days and this was sufficient.
Response from Host, May 2026
Here’s a concise, friendly response you can use:
> Thank you for your great feedback! We’re glad you found the price excellent and enjoyed seeing all the major sites, including the coast and marinas. It’s great to hear the 2‑day option was just right for you.
Ioan-Razvan@BigBusTours
Christopher_F, Apr 2026
Nice experience on the Bus but i wish the people selling you tickets would be a little nicer. Gentleman infront of A for Athens hotel was rude and just short tempered, he probly has rhe wrong job for his attitude.
Response from Host, May 2026
Here’s a polite and professional response you can use:
> Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re glad you enjoyed the bus tour, but we’re very sorry to hear about your interaction with the ticket seller. That’s not the level of service we aim to provide, and we appreciate you bringing this to our attention so we can address it internally.
Ioan-Razvan@BigBusTours
Andrew_T, Apr 2026
Easy to use and quite frequent, except for Riviera route which was every hour (every two in off peak season)
Could do with announcing stops over the earphones although app is quite good.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for the feedback! We’re glad you found the service easy to use and frequent overall. We appreciate your notes about the Riviera route and stop announcements and will share them with our team—happy to hear the app was helpful.
Ioan-Razvan@BigBusTours
MarilynP, Mar 2026
I'm thoroughly happy with Big Bus Hop on-hop off's exceptional service! It was fantastic to explore the city with their convenient tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi MarilynP. We are truly grateful for your amazing review. It is fantastic to know that you had a wonderful time on the tour with us. We hope to see you again soon! Best wishes, Razvan from Big Bus Tours.
Julianna_R, Mar 2026
It was a good way to get around Athens and see what the city has to offer, especially if you haven't rented a car.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hello Julianna! We appreciate your feedback. It's wonderful to know that our tours provided a great way to explore Athens. Looking forward to seeing you again soon! Best, Ana from Big Bus Tours.
Michael_C, Mar 2026
We booked this well in advance of our trip. Later we were informed that the line was closed due to a race being run. They knew well in advance that there was a race and should have informed us and let us decide if we wanted to continue booking.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Michael_C,
Thank you for your feedback! We apologize that you were not informed by the closures, as we understand this created an inconvenience. please do not hesitate to contact us via our webform on the website or live chat, so we can offer you a solution. Our dedicated team is available 24/7 for you! We really hope that you will consider giving us another try in the future! Best wishes. Cristian T, Big Bus Tours
Ron_K, Mar 2026
Although we had a couple hickups with the actual tour and tour routes, we are very grateful to agent Stepan. We lost an iPhone battery pack.
Stepan put our a group message to his team. He notified me that the battery pack was recovered and made arrangements for us to pick it up later that day.
Many thanks to Stepan!
MUITO OBRIGADO!!!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Ron_K,
Thank you for your feedback! We are happy to know that our colleague was able to help you finding the lost battery pack! We make sure that our staff gets constant training to make sure you have the best time! We would love for you to join us again sometime! Best wishes. Cristian T, Big Bus Tours
Marion_J, Feb 2026
It’s hard to follow along as the descriptions are not always aligned with where the bus is. Also left stranded at one point as the bus didn’t even stop
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Marion_J. We are disappointed to hear that your experience was not positive and that our commentary did not meet your expectations. Please get in touch with us directly via email or live chat so that we can gather more information about your recent visit and offer our assistance. We hope to have the opportunity to enhance your experience. Sincerely, Razvan from Big Bus Tours
Philip_S, Feb 2026
Three routes to the port (4 per day every 80 mins), down the coast (3 per day every 2 hours) and around the city. The city route is frequent (every 20 mins) and gets you to the sites. The other two less frequent but worth a journey to have a look if you have a 2 day+ ticket but maybe worth getting off at Piraeous and Lake Vouligameni (you have to pay). These buses are always helpful to get you around a new city. Athens centre is very walkable.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Philip! Thank your for the review! We are glad to hear you enjoyed our Big Bus Athens Hop-On Hop-Off with optional Piraeus & Riviera. We hope to see you again , maybe in another city. Best regards, Robert M
Ann_W, Jan 2026
Very well organised and plenty of staff around at main stops to help when required. Good value as our ticket allowed us two days of unlimited travel on all three lines.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hi Ann_W, thank you for the amazing review. We proud ourselves having an organised service and a helpful team. We are really happy that you enjoyed the Big Bus Tours experience and we look forward to have you on board again one day soon! Best, Denisa from Big Bus Tours
Chayanika_D, Dec 2025
Great way to see the city, audio was very informative and we got to explore areas that we didn’t know before.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hi, Chayan! Thank you for your feedback! We are thrilled to hear that our buses are a great way to see the city. We hope to have you back soon on our buses! Have a great day! Alexandru from Big Bus Tours
Emma_R, Nov 2025
Rain or shine and every 20 mins they come through. Even when the others never came. Comfortable and happy bus
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Emma_R. We wish to thank you for your feedback. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour, and that it was punctual and comfortable. We hope to have you back soon. Best, Vlad from Big Bus Tours.
joestinson, Oct 2025
Rode the bus on 2 separate days. The bus was clean, the bus loop made about 15 stops. So it was easy to identify locations we wanted to visit for future stops. My only issue was the quality of the headphone connections. This sometimes made it difficult to hear and understand the pre-recorded info about the individual stops.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi joestinson,
We appreciate your feedback! It really helps us to improve our services. We're grateful to know that you enjoyed our service however we apologise for the audio issues we encountered. We are doing our best to resolve this issue as soon as possible! We would love for you to join us again sometime! Best wishes. Cristian T, Big Bus Tours
Debi_H, Oct 2025
Very confusing. Easy to get on and get off but hard to understand route. The information was lacking in that we weren’t sure where was the best place for us to get on to start. We thought one pass would allow us to change route to get beck closer to hotel. Took one time to figure it out. Visit website for a better understanding.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Debi_H, Thank you for your review! We're glad you found the hop-on, hop-off experience easy and helpful for exploring Athens. We’re sorry to hear the route was a bit confusing at first — we always recommend checking our official website for detailed maps and starting point info to make things smoother. Your feedback is appreciated and helps us improve! Cheers and safe travels, Gabriel - Big Bus Tours
Joe_D, Oct 2025
Although the ride itself was okay, standing on line for late running busses was a big pain. When I was engaging with ride specialist they kept saying it would arrive in ten minutes. 30 minutes later the bus came. The waiting was made worse by none truthful responses.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Joe_D, Thank you for your review! We're glad to hear you enjoyed the ride overall, though we're truly sorry for the delay and any confusion caused. Our bus arrival times are estimated and can be affected by traffic conditions, especially in a busy city like Athens. We always aim to maintain the advertised frequency and appreciate your patience and understanding. Cheers and thank you again for your feedback! Gabriel - Big Bus Tours
Pam_G, Oct 2025
Great way to see Athens. Easy to navigate. The stops were clearly marked and they had guides at most of the stops.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Pam_G! Thanks so much for your kind words! We're happy to hear you found the tour easy to navigate and that the clearly marked stops and helpful guides made exploring Athens even smoother. Cheers and hope to see you again! Gabriel - Big Bus Tours
From $25.16
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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