# eSIM for Athens

For Athens, a Greece eSIM is the plan to pick, and it also works on ferry-port towns and sights outside the city. A typical visit is about four days, so choose a plan that runs at least that long. Install it at home before you fly, then switch it on at Athens International Airport.

Plans for Greece cover the whole country, including Athens.

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## For a 4-day visit
- 1 GB, 7 days, 1.87 USD
- 3 GB, 15 days, 2.95 USD (Suggested for 4 days)

## For a longer stay
- 5 GB, 30 days, 6.26 USD
- 10 GB, 30 days, 10.51 USD
- 20 GB, 30 days, 19.34 USD
- 50 GB, 30 days, 33.22 USD

## How much data for 4 days in Athens
- Light (maps and messages): about 1 GB
- Normal (plus social media and browsing): about 2.5 GB
- Heavy (video and video calls): about 6 GB

An estimate from typical use, not a measurement.

## Arriving in Athens
Athens International Airport is named after Eleftherios Venizelos and sits east of the city. Metro Line 3 (the blue line) runs from the terminal to Syntagma and Monastiraki in the centre, and the suburban railway goes to Larissis station and onward. There are also express buses from the airport, with the X95 heading to Syntagma Square. The ferry port of Piraeus is a separate trip, reached by Metro Line 1 (the green line).

Having data when you step off the plane lets you check which line to board, open your hotel booking and message whoever is meeting you. Set the eSIM up at home on Wi-Fi by scanning the QR code from your order, then keep it dormant until the flight lands. At the airport, switch the eSIM line on, enable data roaming for that line, and turn off cellular data on your home SIM.

## Getting around
Athens is served by the metro, trams, trolleybuses and buses, all run under the OASA umbrella. The metro is the quickest way between the main sights, and tickets are loaded on paper or onto the rechargeable ATH.ENA card at station machines. Check the OASA transport pages for the current app and ticket rules before you go, since the ticketing system has been changing.

Taxis are common in the evening. The FREE NOW app orders licensed taxis, and Uber also lists taxis in Athens. Walking is the real transport in the old centre, where the pedestrian streets around the Acropolis make a phone map more useful than any timetable. Download the city on an offline map before you set out, as a fallback for tight alleys.

## Where you'll use data
Most of a short stay is spent within a few square kilometres. The Acropolis and its museum, the Ancient Agora, Plaka and Anafiotika below the rock, the flea market around Monastiraki, nightlife in Psyri and the cafes of Koukaki and Kolonaki all sit close together. You will also lean on your phone for timed entry tickets to the archaeological sites, restaurant booking, and the walk up Lycabettus Hill at sunset.

Day trips from Athens stay inside Greece, so your Greece plan keeps working. Popular choices are the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, the oracle site of Delphi, the old town of Nafplio, and the island of Aegina by ferry from Piraeus. A trip to a neighbouring country, such as Albania or North Macedonia, would not be covered by a Greece plan there. A Europe plan can cover several countries, but check its country list on our Europe page, because regional plans can leave some out.

## Common questions

### Will the eSIM work as soon as I land in Athens?
Yes, if you installed it at home first. After landing, turn the eSIM line on and enable data roaming for it. If nothing connects after a minute, switch airplane mode on and off, and check that the right line is selected for mobile data.

### How much data do I need for four days in Athens?
About 2.5 GB for normal use: maps, messages, ride and ticket apps and some photos shared. With a lot of video calls or streaming, count 1.5 GB a day, so around 6 GB for four days. The plan list on this page shows an estimate beside each plan.

### Can I pay for the metro with my phone?
Check before you travel. Ticketing in Athens has been changing, so look at the OASA website for what the machines and gates accept today. Once you know, a data connection helps with route planning, though the ticket itself is not paid from your data plan.

### Does the plan give me a Greek phone number?
No. These plans are data only, so calls and messages go through apps such as WhatsApp. If your bank sends login codes by SMS, keep your home line on for texts and switch its data off.

### Does my plan work on a day trip to Delphi or Cape Sounion?
Yes. Both are in Greece, and a Greece plan covers the whole country, including the islands you reach by ferry from Piraeus. A trip over a border, for example into Albania, is not covered by the Greece plan.

- [All Greece eSIM plans](https://simorago.com/en/esim/greece.md)
- [Full Greece guide](https://simorago.com/en/esim/greece/details.md)

Source: https://simorago.com/en/esim/greece/athens