If you are visiting Athens, the cultural capital of Greece, don’t miss a chance to spend some time in stunning Thessaloniki! Read our complete travel guide with detailed information about getting to Thessaloniki from Athens and learn the best insights on how to get to Thessaloniki from Athens by plane, car, bus or train!
How to get to Thessaloniki from Athens?
source: @penelopinious
How to reach Thessaloniki from Athens by plane?
The fastest option to reach Thessaloniki from Athens is by plane. You will land in Thessaloniki in less than one hour and avoid spending half of a day traveling. However, as it is the fastest way, it is also the most expensive one.
The two most used airlines for Athens-Thessaloniki flights are Greek companies Aegean Airline (known as Olympic Air by some) and Ellinair. Both companies have respectful reputations and offer high-quality services. Aegean Air operates 6 flights per day with the first plane departing at 06:10 and the last one at 20:55. The flight lasts approximately 50-55 minutes and the prices vary from ticket class, flight time, seasonality and of how much in advance you purchase a ticket. However, one-way ticket from Athens to Thessaloniki can be bought for approximately 50-70 € and a round ticket can be found for 100-140€. The other company option to fly to Thessaloniki from Athens by plane is Ellinair. Ellinair one flight per day, departing from Thessaloniki at 17:30.
Insider’s tip: Read more about how to reach Thessaloniki City Center from Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia. You can also learn how to get to Athens International Airport from Athens city center.
How to get to Thessaloniki from Athens by car?
If you desire to have full control of your journey, getting to Thessaloniki from Athens by car is a perfect option for you. Besides enjoying and exploring the beauty from other Greek places, highway E75 and motorway A1 connecting Athens and Thessaloniki will make sure you have a comfortable and relaxing ride.
It depends on how fast you drive but usually, car driving from Athens to Thessaloniki approximately lasts 5 hours since the distance is 500 km. The roads in Greece are well constructed, with clear and informative road signs that will lead you throughout the entire journey. However, if you want to be 100% sure that you are on the right path, download Google Maps with the Athens-Thessaloniki route and follow the newly displayed directions.
How much is the toll from Athens to Thessaloniki?
The total expense of reaching Thessaloniki from Athens by car, besides car fuel, includes 11 toll stops with a total amount of 31.25€ that has to be paid. In a case that you want to avoid paying this amount, you can take other national roads but know that they would take much longer to get to Thessaloniki from Athens. In order to understand all the options, on the following link you can check all recommended roads you can take to get to Thessaloniki from Athens by car.
How to get to Thessaloniki from Athens by bus?
The cheapest way to travel to Thessaloniki from Athens is by bus, but also the longest one. Greek public bus provider KTEL operates 9 buses per day that start from Athens Pedion Areos bus station and end their transfer at Thessaloniki Macedonia bus station. The first bus departures Athens at 06:45 and the last one at 23:30. The bus journey to Thessaloniki from Athens lasts 6.5-7 hours depending on the traffic. The price of a regular one-way ticket is 45€ .
If you are planning to go back to Athens, we advise you to purchase a return ticket because you can save up to 20% and pay 65€. All tickets can be bought either online or on the bus station. Check the bus schedule and book your ticket from Athens to Thessaloniki.
How to get to Thessaloniki from Athens by train?
During the years the Greek railway has been greatly improved, and currently, the most common way to travel to Thessaloniki from Athens is by train. Greek train company, OSE provides six trains every day on the route Athens – Thessaloniki, with the first morning one departing at 06:22 and the last one 23:20.
The first five trains are fast-trains and they take around 3,5 hours to get to Thessaloniki from Athens. Whereas, the last train at 23:20 is a slower train and you will travel around 5-6 hours until Thessaloniki.
The regular ticket price for a one-way trip is 45€, whereas the round trip is around 80€, which indicates that you can save 20% if you immediately purchase the round trip ticket. Check train schedules and book your online ticket at OSE website.
Insider’s tip: learn everything about how to get to Athens Train Station from Athens City Center.
