Is the Sounion bus running now?
Not at the moment. The Greek-language KTEL Attikis Sounion page, last updated on 3 October 2026, opens with a notice that from Sunday 4 October 2026 and until further notice, no coastal services will run to or from Sounion (checked 8 October 2026).
The English version of the page still shows the timetable without that notice. Trust the Greek page: KTEL's own page data shows it was updated on 3 October 2026, the English one on 2 September. If you cannot read Greek, look for the line that starts with ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΝΕΤΑΙ ("it is announced") above the timetable, or phone KTEL Attikis on 210 88 08 000.
The timetable and fare when the bus runs
KTEL Attikis publishes one departure in each direction, every day of the week:
| Direction | Departs | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Athens to Sounion (coastal) | 10:30 | From Aigyptou Square, Pedion tou Areos |
| Sounion to Athens (coastal) | 16:45 | The only return to Athens |
The ticket is issued on the bus: €15 for a return, paid in cash. Neither page lists a one-way fare.
Hellenic Heritage's Sounion page gives about 2 hours by KTEL bus from Aigyptou Square. On the 10:30 bus that means arriving around 12:30, which leaves roughly four hours at the cape before the 16:45 return.
Where to catch it
The bus starts at Aigyptou Square at Pedion tou Areos, where KTEL Attikis's Sounion, Oropos and Thessaloniki lines depart. KTEL's English route description, last updated in November 2024, says the bus then passes Klafthmonos Square, Syntagma and Syngrou–Fix metro station before following the coast through Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Lagonisi, Saronida, Anavyssos and Legrena. Boarding at a central stop saves backtracking to Pedion tou Areos, but the 10:30 time applies at the start, so be at a later stop early.
For getting across the centre by metro, tram or bus, see Athens transport tickets.
Temple of Poseidon: hours and tickets
The site is open every day from 09:30 until sunset, summer and winter, with last admission 20 minutes before closing (Hellenic Heritage, checked 8 October 2026). It is closed on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday, and 25 and 26 December.
A full ticket costs €20 and a reduced one €10. Under the ministry's free admission rules, children and young people up to 25 from EU member states and non-EU children under 18 enter free with ID or passport. So a bus day for two adults costs €70 when the bus runs: €30 in bus fares and €40 in tickets.
Bus, car or taxi?
| Option | Time from central Athens | Cost per person | Sunset at the temple |
|---|---|---|---|
| KTEL coastal bus (when running) | About 2 hours | €15 return | No |
| Car | About 65 minutes | Rental, fuel and parking vary | Yes |
| Taxi | Not published | Metered; no official flat fare found | Yes |
Times are from Hellenic Heritage, which also lists parking at the site. No official flat taxi fare from Athens to Sounion was found in the sources checked for this guide, so ask the driver for an estimate before setting off. If you pay a driver, paying in Athens explains when cards must be accepted and how to avoid paying in your home currency.
A partial fallback via Lavrio
KTEL Attikis also runs an inland line to Lavrio from Nomismatokopeio metro station. Its Lavrio timetable, valid on weekdays from 24 September, lists departures from Athens at 06:10, 08:30, 13:00 and 16:00, and from Lavrio at 06:50, 08:20, 10:30 and 14:30 (checked 8 October 2026). Since 31 May 2026 the Lavrio terminus has moved temporarily to the "Agalma" stop because of square works.
Lavrio is not Sounion. The Sounion page also lists Sounion–Lavrio at 12:30 and Lavrio–Sounion at 16:30; the suspension notice does not say whether these still run, and the times do not make a workable day trip anyway, so the final stretch from Lavrio to the cape would need a taxi. Confirm with KTEL before relying on this route.
If you want a day trip that does run on a daily public bus right now, Delphi from Athens by bus is the obvious alternative.