Big Bus Athens Hop-On Hop-Off with optional Piraeus & Riviera

Athens, Greece

High interest

Booked 4 times today.

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.0

· Lindsay_L ·

Oct 2025

Well organized. On time and always had a rep at the major stops. The automated tour guides were very good and we liked the idea of have both a male and female talking.

· 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.

Explore our promoted experiences

Special Offer

Athens, Greece

Mercedes Private Tour to Ancient Olympia

from

$315

$350

Price varies by group size

Likely to Sell Out

Athens, Greece

Athens Viewpoints Private Treasure Hunt

from $74

Athens Combo: Hop-on Hop-off Bus & Cape Sounion Sunset Tour

Athens, Greece

4.0

(92)

Athens Combo: Hop-on Hop-off Bus & Cape Sounion Sunset Tour

from $53

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

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.

Parthenon

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Hellenic Parliament

Benaki Museum

Panathenaic Stadium

Vallianeio Megaron

National Archaeological Museum

Omonoia, Athens

Platia Karaiskaki

Monastiraki Square

Kotzia Square

National Historical Museum - Old Parliament House

Syntagma Square

Acropolis

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.

Acropolis

Pantios

Stavros Niarchos Park

Dimotiko Theatro

Cruise Terminal A – Miaoulis

Cruise Terminal B - Piraeus

Pasalimani

Limin Mounikhias

Athens Marriott Hotel

InterContinental Athenaeum Athens by IHG

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Hellenic Parliament

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.

Acropolis

Pantios

Stavros Niarchos Park

Μαρίνα Φλοίσβου

Alimos Marina

Agios Kosmas Marina

3rd Glyfada Marina

Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso

Kavura Point

Astir Beach

Lake Vouliagmeni

Voula Park

Glyfada Center

Glyfada

Leof. Poseidonos 5

Phaleron War Cemetery - Athens Memorial

Edem

Athens Marriott Hotel

InterContinental Athenaeum Athens by IHG

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Hellenic Parliament

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

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.0

based on 660 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Good Mode of Transportation

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.

Not worth the chance!

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

Although we had a couple...

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

Commentary not in synch

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

Greek Oddysey

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

Very well organised and...

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

Great way to see the...

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

Mom and her boys

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.

Good tour loop to learn about the city of Athens. Used the bus loop to get insight into other sites to visit

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

Learning experience for BigBus tour

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

Be honest about delays.

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

Great way to see Athens

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

Always a highlight of our trips!

Julie_O, Oct 2025

We seek out the Big Bus Tours on every trip we go on - its a great way to get around the town, on time, and a great way to learn about the history of the sites in small interesting soundbites :) Highly recommend to anyone going to a city that has a Big Bus Tour.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hi Julie_O, Thank you for your feedback! We appreciate you being such a loyal guest, and are happy to hear that you enjoy our services so much! We are committed to continuous training for our team to guarantee you receive exceptional service. We can't wait to have you back on one of our buses soon! Best wishes. Cristian T, Big Bus Tours

HoppyHappy

Lindsay_L, Oct 2025

Well organized. On time and always had a rep at the major stops. The automated tour guides were very good and we liked the idea of have both a male and female talking.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hi Lindsay_L, We really appreciate your feedback! We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed our commentary and that the service made you feel happy! We focus on continuous training for our team to guarantee you receive excellent service. We can’t wait to welcome you back soon! Best regards, Cristian T, Big Bus Tours

Chaotic On Off bus ecperience

Maxine_F, Oct 2025

It was a chaotic experience. We waited a while at our first stop to board the bus there were 6 people and only 4 seats left. We went a couple of stops and were told we had to get off the bus as it was needed on another route. We were told another bus would be there quickly but it took a long time. Then we seemed to loop around while a bus driver got off for a break another got on and we circled back to switch drivers again.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hi Maxine_F, Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us! We are so sorry for the long wait, as we understand this might have created inconveniences! The frequency of our buses may be affected by traffic conditions, leading to possible delays. Additionally, buses may reach full capacity during peak seasons, and seat availability cannot be guaranteed. In situations like these, we recommend taking advantage of the Ticket Flexibility feature which allows you to change the date of your booking anytime. You just have to contact us via live chat, as we are available 24/7 for you! We really hope that you will give us another chance in the future. Best wishes. Cristian T, Big Bus Tours

The excursion that never happened

James_G, Sep 2025

Bus never showed up to cruise port after an hour wait. We ended up hiring another bus after watching 5 of their buses come pick up cruise passengers

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hello James, thank you for sharing your feedback. We apologize that the wait times affected your experience; since we often operate in large cities, traffic can sometimes be a challenge. We suggest utilizing the Live Tracking feature on our app to assist in planning your route for the day. We look forward to welcoming you back on a Big Bus Tour soon! Best, Alice @ Big Bus

Disappoint bus tour

Jpiperk, Sep 2025

We booked this tour to get information about the area. Speakers either didn’t work, or when they did, almost no information at all.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hello Jpiperk, thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the audio system malfunction on one of our buses, and we completely understand how this could affect your tour experience. We are actively working to enhance our technology across our global fleet, and we would be thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome you aboard again and explore a new city together in the near future! Best regards, Alice from Big Bus Tours

Big Bus Athens

Kim_E, Sep 2025

Bus shows all the important sights so that is good. It has three routes that go all over the place, the even the Riviera of Athens so bring a bathing suit. That is a full hour there so plan accordingly. It was a great way to see the city and well worth the $29.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hello Kim, we are grateful for your fantastic review and thrilled to know that you enjoyed all the routes. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Thank you, Alice w/Big Bus Tours

Too Much sitting in traffic

John_D, Sep 2025

Horrible experience. Traffic was awful and the stops were very disorganized. We spent 90% of our time sitting in bumper to bumper traffic in the city and hardly had any time to explore before we had to go back to the ship. We would have been much better off with a smaller group tour.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hello John, thank you for sharing your feedback. We apologize that the wait times affected your experience; since we often operate in large cities, traffic can sometimes be a challenge. We suggest utilizing the Live Tracking feature on our app to assist in planning your route for the day. We look forward to welcoming you back on a Big Bus Tour soon! Best, Alice @ Big Bus

Try another option

Diane_B, Sep 2025

Most head sets did not work and the commentary did not cover quite a few of the ruins that we on the route.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hello Diane, thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the audio system malfunction on one of our buses, and we completely understand how this could affect your tour experience. We are actively working to enhance our technology across our global fleet, and we would be thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome you aboard again and explore a new city together in the near future! Best regards, Alice from Big Bus Tours

Hop on hop off was a good...

JENNIFER_P, Sep 2025

Hop on hop off was a good experience for us. Got off at a specific location, did what we wanted then took the remaining tour route on the bus.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi JENNIFER! We appreciate your review. We are happy to hear that you had a good experience with our hop on hop off tours. We hope to see you soon! Ana from Big Bus.

Would not recommend

Josephine_C, Sep 2025

Doesn’t have Mandarin as a language even though the descriptions say it does. Some buses are so old the guides don’t work. This line only takes you around Athens, you have to pay 5 Euro extra a person to get all 3 lines. Some buses have no roofs and can be hot in the summer. Opt for the red city bus and pay the premium instead of this one.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Josephine_C, we are sorry to hear about your experience and issues with the language and audio commentary. We look forward to receiving further information from you through a Contact Us form on our website, so that we can investigate the matter further and offer a suitable resolution. Flavius - Big Bus Tours.

Super easy... great...

John_S, Sep 2025

Super easy... great narration, helpful staff, a simple way to explore the city. Great value for money

Response from Host, Sep 2025

John_S, we are really happy to hear about your experience and we thank you for your business. Until next time. Wishing you an amazing day. Flavius - Big Bus Tours.

Great to see the city

Steve_B, Sep 2025

Excellent and on time Stops at all the important places I would recommend for anyone who want to get the feel of Athens

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Steve_B, thank you for your amazing feedback. We are happy to hear that you've enjoyed your trip and we are looking forward to hear from you again. Wishing you a wonderful day. Flavius - Big Bus Tours.

Do the other Red Bus!

Nancy_a, Sep 2025

Not one of the better tours. Athens tour went by the same places many times. Didn't get off from route

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Nancy_a, we are sorry for any insolvencies caused and we thank you for your feedback. We look forward to receiving further information from you through a Contact Us form on our website, so that we can investigate the matter further and offer a suitable resolution. Have an amazing day. Flavius - Big Bus Tours

Make sure you check with...

Michele_a, Aug 2025

Make sure you check with the driver when you get on that you are on the route that you want. There are three routes and not all routes stop at all the same stops.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Hi Michele! We really appreciate your review. It's wonderful to know that you had a great time on your tour with us. Just to let you know, we offer 3 unique routes, and you can find all the details about them on our website. Looking forward to seeing you again soon! Best, Ana from Big Bus.

Enjoyed listening to tour

Stephanie_S, Aug 2025

It's a good tour around the city center. Some second Deckers are not covered. The covered double deck was comfortable.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Hello Stephanie_S! Thank you so much for your feedback. We're thrilled to know that you had a great time on the tour. We understand that the covered buses were more enjoyable, and we're sorry to hear that the open-top ones weren't as comfortable. Our goal is to provide both options for our guests, allowing them to choose between the open-top for the views or the covered ones for some shade. We look forward to welcoming you back soon! Best regards, Vlad from Big Bus Tours.

Tour in Comfort

Monica_C, Jul 2025

Easy access to the city and its top attractions. Narration provides information as well as history for each stop and area of the city. Earbuds are provided! Nice way to see the city in comfort, especially on these hot days.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Hi Monica! Thank you for your feedback! We're delighted to hear that our tours made it easy for you to explore Athens and all its attractions, including the informative commentary about the history of each stop. We look forward to seeing you again soon! Alexandra I. @ Big Bus Tours

Easy Hop On Hop Off Experience

Photos_B, Jul 2025

The Big Bus is an easy way to get around the city and see the highlights. Easy to hop on and off, and commentary in multiple languages

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Hello Photos! Thank you for your review. We're delighted to know that you found our bus tours a convenient way to explore the city and that you liked the commentary. We look forward to seeing you again soon! Best, Ana from Big Bus.

Ephasis small group tour

Stephen_P, Jul 2025

Air conditions mini bus, pick up at cruise port. Location clearly signed. Friendly greeting by Simon our guide who spoke fluent English, he was very knowledgeable about the history of Ephesus and house of Mary Very enjoyable trip and we would definitely recommend trip to others

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Hi Stephen, thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with us! We are truly happy to see that our staff has been consistently supportive and friendly during the tours, and that they provided you with great information about the city. It’s always our goal to ensure that our guests have an enjoyable and informative experience. We can not wait to see you again on your next adventure! Best wishes, Anca from Big Bus!

From

-17%