Getting to Piraeus for the football

Fly direct to Athens International (ATH) from Manchester or London, then take Metro Line 3 towards Piraeus and change to Line 1 for Faliro (Neo Faliro), which sits beside the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium. Airport to ground is about 75 minutes. Away fans are housed in blocks 26 and 27 in the south-west corner, and European ties run on compulsory police-escorted coaches (Football Ground Guide).

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

Athens is one of the easy ones: there is no hub detour, as both Manchester and London fly direct to Athens International (ATH). The onward leg is the same whichever flight you take, Metro Line 3 towards Piraeus then a change to Line 1 for Faliro beside the ground, about 75 minutes. So the real choice is which flight: a budget direct out of a London airport is usually the cheapest, a full-service Heathrow departure is the most frequent and slightly quicker, and Manchester saves the trek south if you are in the north. All costs and times are estimates and swing with how far ahead you book.

The stadium and its setting

The Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium is the home of Olympiacos and the focal point of Piraeus, the port district about 8 km southwest of central Athens. The club marked 100 years in 2025 (Soccerphile). The ground was completely rebuilt for the 2004 Olympics and holds 33,334, though UEFA quotes a 30,400 matchday figure. The record attendance of 45,445 dates from a 1965 Olympiacos v AEK match (Wikipedia).

The address is Karolou Dimitriou & Sofianopoulou. The ground sits right by the Faliro (Neo Faliro) metro station and the SEF Peace and Friendship Stadium on the Faliro coastal strip (Destination Piraeus).

Getting into Piraeus from the airport

Metro Line 3 (blue) runs direct from Athens Airport towards Piraeus with no change, in about 55 to 59 minutes to the port. The extension opened in October 2022, with Dimotiko Theatro the terminus for the port and Piraeus and Maniatika the other new stations (Keep Talking Greece). The airport metro ticket is EUR 9.00 single or EUR 16.00 return, with the return valid 30 days; a 3-day tourist ticket at EUR 20.00 includes two airport journeys (OASA).

The cheaper direct option is the X96 express bus: EUR 5.50, about 60 minutes, running roughly every 30 to 40 minutes day and night and ending around Karaiskaki Square and the port (Athens Airport Bus).

Piraeus metro/rail station is the historic Line 1 terminus and sits less than five minutes from the stadium. Line 1 links Piraeus up through Faliro, Kallithea, Monastiraki and Omonia into central Athens (Wikipedia).

Getting to the ground

The nearest station to the stadium is Faliro (signed Neo Faliro) on Line 1, with a large elevated pedestrian walkway running directly from the station to the stadium's main entrance (Wikipedia). Faliro is also served by Tram Line 7 (SEF stop) and, from central Athens, the 040 bus (alight at Neo Faliro) (Soccerphile).

By road the ground is about 8 km, roughly 15 minutes, from central Athens, with up to 1,000 free parking spaces, although matchday coach travel is the norm for away fans on European nights (see the questions below). The 90-minute ticket at EUR 1.20 covers unlimited metro, tram, bus and trolley transfers within the city zone but not the airport line, and the match ticket does not double as a travel pass (OASA).

Inside the stadium and away allocation

Travelling supporters are seated in blocks 26 and 27 in the south-west corner of the ground, entered from the side nearest Faliro metro (Football Ground Guide). For European fixtures the club runs compulsory police-escorted coaches, so away fans are moved to and from the ground as a group rather than left to make their own way. On one West Ham trip this meant a mandatory EUR 25 local-travel charge on top of the EUR 35 ticket, with coaches leaving from the Panathenaic Stadium, and fans held for roughly an hour after the final whistle while everyone boards. Expect rigorous body searches on entry (WHUST).

Where to stay

Away-fan guides recommend basing yourself in central Athens rather than Piraeus: better accommodation, more approachable policing and easy Line 1 metro access to the ground (WHUST). The Plaka, Monastiraki and Makrigianni (Acropolis) districts are the obvious choices and put you on Line 1 or a short walk from it. If you do stay in Piraeus, the well-patrolled waterfront zones around Marina Zeas (Pasalimani) and Mikrolimano are the better areas, and hotels near the ground include the Olympic Hotel and Hotel Delfini (Soccerphile).

Where to drink

Piraeus itself is hostile to visiting fans on matchday, so the sensible plan is to drink in Athens before you head down for the coaches (Football Ground Guide). A neighbourhood pint runs around EUR 5 to EUR 6, with Greek lagers such as Mythos or Fix cheaper at EUR 3 to EUR 5 and imported brands nearer EUR 6 to EUR 8 in tourist bars (Expatistan).

• Athens Sports Bar (Makrigianni, near Acropolis metro): shows the football, English-speaking crowd, the standard away-fan meeting point (Football Ground Guide).
• James Joyce Irish Pub (near Monastiraki): reliable Irish bar, welcoming to visiting supporters, good for a pre-coach session (Football Ground Guide).
• Brettos (Plaka): historic distillery bar with a wall of coloured bottles, relaxed and central for a quieter drink.
• Monastiraki and Psyrri backstreets: dense with bars and tavernas, lively and mixed, easy to fill an afternoon before kick-off.
• Mikrolimano and Marina Zeas (Piraeus): waterfront cafes and bars if you are staying local and want a daytime drink away from the ground (Destination Piraeus).

Avoid the industrial backstreets immediately around the stadium, and do not wear rival colours (Panathinaikos green in particular) anywhere in Piraeus (Tourism Attractions).

Where to eat

The local move in Piraeus is fresh grilled fish and seafood mezedes down at the harbour, while quick souvlaki and gyros are everywhere in Athens for a few euros.

• Papaioannou (Mikrolimano): renowned seafood spot, grilled gambari prawns, crispy mullet and crayfish, sit-down and elegant (This Is Athens).
• Jimmy's Fish (Mikrolimano): fresh fish, seafood spaghetti and risotto, roughly EUR 30 to 50 a head, a local and tourist favourite (This Is Athens).
• Varoulko Seaside (Mikrolimano): Michelin-starred modern Greek seafood from Lefteris Lazarou, the splurge option (This Is Athens).
• O Thanasis (Monastiraki, Athens): famous quick-service souvlaki and grilled meats, cheap and fast before the metro down.
• Mikrolimano waterfront tavernas: dozens of harbour-side kitchens keeping it simple with ultra-fresh, plainly grilled fish (Destination Piraeus).

Local dishes to try: grilled octopus and fresh fish, gambari (large prawns), mezedes to share, souvlaki and gyros, and a plate of moussaka.

What to do

• Acropolis and the Parthenon (Athens): the headline sight, Line 1 to Monastiraki then walk, or the red line to Acropolis metro.
• Acropolis Museum: the Parthenon friezes and the Erechtheion caryatids, at the foot of the hill.
• Piraeus Archaeological Museum: home to the bronze Piraeus Athena and Piraeus Apollo recovered from the harbour (This Is Athens).
• Mikrolimano harbour: photogenic marina of yachts and fish tavernas, an easy walk from the ground (Destination Piraeus).
• Marina Zeas (Pasalimani) and the Hellenic Maritime Museum: the ancient circular naval harbour, plus Greece's maritime history.
• Plaka and Monastiraki: the old town lanes and the Sunday flea market, packed with tavernas and shops.
• Ferry from Piraeus port: hop across the Saronic Gulf to Aegina or Hydra if you have a spare day.

Common questions

How do I get from Athens Airport to the stadium?

Take Metro Line 3 from the airport towards Piraeus, then change to Line 1 and ride to Faliro (Neo Faliro), which has a walkway straight to the stadium's main entrance. Reckon on about 75 minutes in total. The airport metro leg costs EUR 9.00 single (Keep Talking Greece, OASA).

Which airport do I fly into, and is there a direct flight?

Athens International, Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH). Both Manchester and London fly direct, with easyJet, Aegean and Jet2 among the carriers, so there is no hub detour to worry about. Flight time is roughly 3h40 from London and about 4h from Manchester (FlightConnections).

Where do away fans sit?

Visiting supporters are housed in blocks 26 and 27, in the south-west corner of the ground, with entry on the side nearest Faliro metro. It is a corner position rather than a full end, which is standard for European away allocations here (Football Ground Guide).

How big is the away allocation?

For UEFA fixtures the standard minimum away allocation is 5% of capacity, which at Karaiskakis works out at roughly 1,500 seats in blocks 26 and 27. The exact number varies by fixture and demand, so treat it as a guide rather than a fixed figure (Football Ground Guide).

What time should I arrive at the ground?

For European ties you are on the club coach system, so you travel to a set timetable rather than arriving when you like, and there are rigorous body searches on entry. Get to the coach departure point in good time and expect to be held for around an hour after the game while everyone reboards (WHUST).

Can I drink inside the ground?

Do not count on it. Alcohol sales inside Greek grounds are generally restricted, and on European nights the escorted-coach and search regime means the sensible plan is to do your drinking in Athens beforehand rather than around the stadium (Football Ground Guide).

How much is a beer?

A neighbourhood pint in Athens is around EUR 5 to EUR 6. Greek lagers such as Mythos or Fix are cheaper at roughly EUR 3 to EUR 5, while imported brands in tourist-facing bars can run EUR 6 to EUR 8 (Expatistan).

Is Piraeus safe on matchday?

The ground and the surrounding part of Piraeus are hostile to away fans, which is exactly why the club runs compulsory police-escorted coaches. Base yourself in central Athens, do not wander the industrial backstreets near the stadium alone, avoid rival colours, and watch for pickpockets on busy metros and around the port (Football Ground Guide, Tourism Attractions).

Which areas are away-friendly?

Central Athens is the safe base: the Athens Sports Bar near the Acropolis and the James Joyce Irish Pub near Monastiraki are the usual away meeting points, and Monastiraki, Plaka and Psyrri are relaxed and mixed. In Piraeus itself, the waterfront at Mikrolimano and Marina Zeas is the better-patrolled option (Football Ground Guide, Destination Piraeus).

Does my match ticket include free local transport?

No. Unlike some European clubs, the Olympiacos match ticket does not double as a travel pass, so you pay separately for the metro. A standard 90-minute city ticket is EUR 1.20 and covers unlimited transfers on metro, tram, bus and trolley within the city zone, though not the airport line (OASA).

How far is the ground from central Athens?

About 8 km, or roughly 15 minutes by road, and around the same by Line 1 metro from the centre down to Faliro. Piraeus sits at the southern end of Line 1, so the ground is genuinely quick to reach from an Athens base (Soccerphile).

Where should I stay?

Central Athens is recommended for better hotels, calmer policing and direct Line 1 access to the ground, with Plaka, Monastiraki and Makrigianni the obvious districts. If you prefer to stay in Piraeus, the waterfront around Marina Zeas (Pasalimani) and Mikrolimano is the better, well-patrolled choice (WHUST, Soccerphile).

Is it worth making a day or two of it?

Yes. Athens puts the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum and the old town on your doorstep, while Piraeus has its Archaeological Museum, the Mikrolimano and Zea marinas and ferries across the Saronic Gulf to Aegina or Hydra. A long weekend covers the football and the sights comfortably (This Is Athens, Destination Piraeus).