Luckily there are many services to choose from when it comes to down to choosing how to move around Greece during the year, especially during the high season when many places are busy and there can be a lot of traffic. Even if some areas of Greece cannot be reached by busses or other vehicles most of it has local bus lines and roads in good conditions that will take from one part of the country to another.
Planes and flights in Greece
The most popular and practical way to travel around Greece is certainly by plane. The international airport of Athens, El. Venizelos, receives both national and international flights making it the easiest airport to reach from anywhere, it is especially good for tourists that are planning to land in Athens before taking a second plane or ferry to the Greek islands.
During high season even some smaller airports receive international flights but they are usually a bit more expensive and there often aren’t many flights. During high season they all have to be booked a lot in advance.
Busses and bus lines in Greece
Very common, fairly reliable and equipped with air conditioning, busses are the ideal way to move around Greece’s main cities. The KTEL busses can be recognized by their green colors and connect Athens to most Greek cities.
Usually tickets can be purchased before starting your trip as KTEL busses haven’t got an online booking system. This is the most popular way to move around continental Greece (in fact not all islands have a bus line).
Travelling by car in Greece
Besides using your own vehicle in Greece there are also many car rentals that offer cars for every price. The car will give you the chance to explore the region, city or island that you are visiting with complete independence and without having to worry about bus stops, time tables and losing your bus.
Travelling by ferry/boat in Greece
A vast network of modern ferries, hydrofoils, catamarans and cruising ships connect the mainland to the many Greek islands. During high season it is best to book with a lot of advance as tickets finish rather soon. The frequency of the boats and ferries lowers during low season and in some cases are even cancelled.
When it comes down to international journeys many ships leave from some of Italy’s most important ports (Ancona, Bari, Brindisi and Venice) and travel to the ports in western Greece (Patrasso, Corfù, Igoumenitsa). Otherwise there are also ferries that leave from the Turkish main ports and travel to the Dodecanese islands and towards the north-eastern Aegean islands.
Travelling by train in Greece
The trains are managed by the Greek Railways (OSE). Unfortunately the train line doesn’t reach all the main Greek cities and the northern lines are the most frequently used. Between Athens and Dikea (north-east)there is a line that reaches the cities of Thessaloniki and Alexandropolis.
There are also trains that travel to Florina and the Pelio peninsula. The trains in the Peloponnese only travel to Kiato, from where you can take a bus to reach the ferries that are leaving from Patrasso. After the economic crisis many services have been reduced and timetables change all the time, for this reason we recommend you check in advance the timetables.
Taxis in Greece
Taxis can be found anywhere in Greece, a part from the very small and remote islands. Taxis are usually cheaper than in most of Europe, especially if you divide the cost between 3-4 people. Recently many taxi drivers have also started using satellite navigators and GPS, for this reason they won’t have any problem finding your destination as fast as possible.
The yellow taxis that can be found in cities become twice as expensive between 00.00 and 05.00. You will also have to pay a bit more if you are travelling from or to a port, airport and train station. Taxi drivers also expect a little bit more money if you have luggage that weighs more than 10 kilograms. The grey taxis can be found in rural areas and often don’t have a fixed a price. You may want to discuss this in advance with your taxi driver in order to agree on the price.
Unfortunately some taxi drivers (this isn't very common and mainly happens in Athens) take advantage of tourists to ask for a bit more money. If you have complains about the service write down the number of the taxi you were in and go and look for the touristic police, they will be happy to help you and make sure you don’t get ripped off again.
Underground in Greece
Athens is the only Greek city that is big enough to have an underground. Many people ask if there are discounts for children and old or disabled people nut only university students are allowed a discount on the ticket. Athens’ underground has 3 lines and connects the city’s most important sites and monuments like the airport, the acropolis, Piraeus’ port, the central train station, the Olympic stadium and the city’s outskirts.
During the excavation of the underground many archeological objects have been found, some of these are now exposed in stations near where they were found. All stations have accesses for disabled people and elevators, luckily most stations also have air conditioning during the summer. These stations are open from 5:30 to 24:30 apart from Fridays and Saturdays when the line stays open until 2:30.
