How to get around Greece
Navigating Greece is straightforward with a variety of public and private transport options. Here's what you need to know about getting between and within its cities and towns.
Inter-City Travel
Traveling between cities and islands in Greece offers various options. Buses, primarily operated by the KTEL network, are generally the most common and affordable way to travel across the mainland. Typical bus fares for long journeys, such as Athens to Patra, are around €27, while Athens to Thessaloniki can range from €30 to €35.
The train network, run by Hellenic Train, is more limited but can be cheaper, especially for routes like Athens to Thessaloniki, with tickets ranging from €22 to €35, and sometimes as low as €17-€21 for advance online bookings. An overnight sleeper train from Athens to Thessaloniki can cost €39 online.
For island travel, ferries are essential. Prices vary significantly based on speed and distance. Basic inter-island bus fares typically start around €1.80 to €4 on smaller and mid-sized islands. Longer ferry crossings can cost €50-€150 per person without a cabin, or €100-€300 with a cabin. Transporting a car on a ferry incurs additional costs, for example, a ferry from Samos to Piraeus costs approximately €28 per passenger and €100 per car.
Domestic flights are the fastest, and generally more expensive, way to cover long distances or reach islands not easily accessible by ferry. Flights from Athens to Thessaloniki can start from around €39-€56, though very cheap advance fares can be found for as low as €17.
Travel Within Cities
Within Greek cities, especially Athens, public transport is efficient and economical. A standard public transport ticket in Athens, valid for 90 minutes across the metro, buses, trolleybuses, and trams, costs €1.20 to €1.40.
A day pass is available for €4.10 to €4.50, and a 5-day ticket costs €8.10 to €9. A 3-day tourist ticket, which includes round-trip airport transport, is priced at €20 to €22. The metro to Athens International Airport costs €9 one-way, and an express bus to the airport is €5.50.
Taxis are a more expensive option, with a base fare of €1.80. The daytime rate is €0.90 per kilometer, while the nighttime rate (00:00 to 05:00) is €1.25 per kilometer. The minimum fare for a taxi is €4.00. A fixed fare of €40 during the day and €55 at night applies to trips between Athens city center and the airport.
