Athens is considered to be the cradle of world civilization. In this regard, this tourist destination is one of the most popular of all that exist on our planet. Every year, millions of tourists from all over the world come here to see the many local attractions. The first object that meets them upon arrival in Athens is the airport, which is called "Eleftherios Venizelos". About it in more detail and will be discussed in this article.
General Description
Greek Capital International Airport is the largest air harbor of the state. It was put into operation relatively recently - March 29, 2001. Despite this, in such a short period of time, Eleftherios Venizelos has taken a leading position in terms of passenger traffic in the country. In particular, the average annual value of this indicator is about 16 million people. The national airline of the country "Olympic Air" is based in the city of Athens. Eleftherios Venizelos AirportThis has become a real home for her. Every day, its employees serve flights that follow almost all European destinations (England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and others). In recent years, due to its innovative programs (various competitions and exhibitions are held here, as well as theater and musical performances), it has become a real place of cultural recreation.
A Brief History
The air harbor called "Ellinikon" for more than fifty years received all the planes arriving in Athens. The airport was located seven kilometers from the center of the Greek capital in the southern part of the city. "Eleftherios Venizelos" began to be erected during preparations for the Olympic Games in the state. It is located at a distance of 35 kilometers from the city and is named after an outstanding local politician and diplomat. Since 2001, all liners that arrive in the Greek capital have landed here. Over the past twelve years, the country's main airport has grown substantially. Moreover, many highways were connected to it, and even a subway line was built. As for Hellinikon, the local authorities plan to create a museum on its basis.
Terminals
The main and satellite terminals are the two components that make up the main Greek airport. Athens (the scheme of the air harbor of the city is given below) is a city where passenger traffic is distributed according to directions. In the first of the terminalsflights are serviced that do not leave the Schengen area. As for the terminal, planes from other countries take off and land here (Russia, England, the USA, Singapore, China, and so on). The main and satellite terminals are connected by a tunnel, through which you can go from one part to another without any restrictions.
The best way to get there
Now a few words about how to get there. The airport (Athens boasts very good transport links) is connected to the city by bus routes, express trains, metro, taxis and trains. The fare in the metro is 8 euros, and when buying a ticket in both directions, you need to pay 14 euros. The main feature of this type is that after composting the ticket, it must be used within one and a half hours. The metro in the Greek capital consists of three branches, each of which has many stations. In this regard, people who first came to the city, and also have poor command of Greek or English, may experience certain difficulties.
As practice shows, one of the best travel options is express bus number 95. The cost of a ticket, which can be purchased even from the driver, is 5 euros, and the stops are located near the fourth and fifth exits from the airport. It will take approximately forty minutes to get to the city center in this case.
Be that as it may, the easiest way is to use a taxi. The parking of these cars is located immediately near the second and third exits from the building. The fare from here to the central part of the city is 35 euros. However, it should be noted that between midnight and five o'clock the price rises to the mark of 50 euros, since no other transport runs at this time.
Lounges
Now a few words about waiting for passengers arriving at the airport. Athens (including Eleftherios Venizelos) is a modern city that provides all the amenities for tourists. There are two waiting rooms on the territory of the air harbor. The first of them is called “VIP” and is distinguished by an increased level of comfort. The main services provided here to customers are their accommodation in apartments, a variety of games (including billiards, tennis), flight information, a cafeteria with an extensive menu, press delivery and others. As for the usual waiting room, it is provided for passengers who do not want to pay big money for their stay at the airport. The conditions here are the same as in other air harbors - seats (which are often all occupied) and paid services (medical care, luggage storage, canteens).
Other Services
As for passengers traveling with children, there are children's rooms and entertainment rooms on the territory of the airport. It is impossible not to note the fact that their staff owns severallanguages. Among other things, Eleftherios Venizelos offers its customers a conference room for 150 people. It must be booked in advance, and airport staff can provide it with everything you need, from drinking water to computer equipment.
Getting useful information
All data related to flights, the time of their arrival and departure, exit numbers are displayed on a large information board of the airport. Athens is a city where you can easily get lost, and most of the tourists who come here for the first time do not have a guidebook with them. On the second floor of the building, several counters are installed especially for passengers, where you can find the necessary reference information, including a map of the Greek capital with all the sights of the city.
Shops, kiosks, internet
One of the places where you can buy souvenirs when traveling to Athens is the airport, on the territory of which there are a large number of shops, kiosks, restaurants, cafes and shops. You can also buy food, clothes, tablet, telephone, computer accessories and more. Along with this, one cannot help but focus on the fact that even taking into account duty-free trade (Duty Free), prices here are quite high. As for Internet access, there are many areas on the territory of the building where you can use free Wi-Fi. All of them are marked with signs that say Wireless Internet Zone.
Internationalrecognition
This year, during the meeting of the Airports Council of Europe, which took place in the German city of Frankfurt, Eleftherios Venizelos Airport was named the best air harbor in Europe in the category of facilities that annually serve from 10 to 25 million passengers. He was awarded such a prestigious award for high achievements in a relatively difficult economic situation and active participation in the program for the restoration and development of Athens. Thus, we can safely talk not only about the high service provided by the airport, but also about its great contribution to the tourist development of the Greek capital. This recognition was far from the first in his history. Last year, Eleftherios Venizelos was awarded for pioneering actions and initiatives in environmental matters.
