Thessaloniki has good public transport composed of a strong bus network. This network connects areas within the city to each other as well as to district capitals and outside areas.
Thessaloniki is a small city. Its major attractions are not too far away from each other. You can even explore Thessaloniki on foot!
Use this Thessaloniki transportation guide for information on getting to and from Thessaloniki, as well as for getting around Thessaloniki. You can get further travel information in our Greece transportation guide. For some great things to see and do, we have many Thessaloniki tours to help you see this beautiful city.
Thessaloniki Transportation Guide
Getting to Thessaloniki
By Air
Thessaloniki is connected by air to important destinations in Greece and Europe. It has one international airport, the Makedonia International Airport, which is located 16 kilometres away from the city. Both domestic and international flights, as well as chartered flights, land and take off from this airport. The Makedonia International Airport ranks among the safest of European airports. The two runways of this airport are not large enough to accommodate Trans-Atlantic flights. For this purpose, one of the runways is being extended to the Thermaic Gulf, despite stiff opposition from local environmental organisations.
Thessaloniki's airport services flights to and from Ioannina, Heraklion, Hania, Athens, Lesbos, Limnos, Skiathos, Rhodes, and many other European cities.
Thessaloniki airport is easily accessible from the city centre. There are buses, taxis and car rental services between the airport and the city centre and the journey takes about 30 minutes.
Bus No. 78 and No.78N (Night service) depart from the bus terminal stop at both the train station and the Aristotelous Square, and is an ideal route. Check the timetables for No 78 and No 78N
Visit our partner Air Valid for Airline Reviews and Information about Greece or visit Cheapflights.co.uk for cheap flights to Thessaloniki!
By Sea
The Port of Thessaloniki is known as the Gateway of the Balkan region to the sea. It is a busy European port through which many other islands are accessed. Recently a new passenger station called Macedonia was constructed to service local ferries and international liners traveling to the various Aegean islands.
By Bus
The bus services are ideal because they have a high frequency and leave and arrive on time. The journey from Athens to Thessaloniki takes around six hours, with a 20-minute halt at a wayside restaurant with cloakroom facilities. The buses are comfortably air-conditioned.
There are regular services from and to all regions of Greece. The bus terminal is located at the end of Monastiriou str., except the busses to /from Halkidiki : Terminal for Halkidiki busses is located at the East exit of the city, in the junction of K.Karamanli (Nea Egnatia str) and Ring Road.
By Car
Interestingly, highway connectivity only formed part of Thessaloniki transport in the seventies. Today there are highways connecting Thessaloniki with Athens, Serres and Sofia.
- The Thessaloniki highway connections:
Athens to Thessaloniki - GR - 1/E75
Serres and Sofia to Thessaloniki - GR - 4; GR - 2/E90 (via Egnatia); GR - 12/E85
Again, it was only in 1988 that a bypass accommodating four lanes started functioning. This bypass connects the western quarter of the city, or the industrial belt, to its south-eastern part and then heads towards Halkidiki and Thermi. The administration has been constantly upgrading the highways and today Thessaloniki highways are modern and well connected with many junctions. The most recent was the connection with Egnatia in the north-western part of Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki speed limits
On national highways, passenger cars and motorbikes over 125cc are allowed a maximum speed of 130 km/hr, unless specified otherwise by road signs. Maximum speed for other vehicles is usually specified by road signs.
On the roads within Thessaloniki, (and other residential areas) maximum speed for all vehicles is 50km/hour, while in non-residential areas, maximum speed is 70 km/hour.
By Train
Thessaloniki is well connected by rail to all important destinations in Greece and Europe. The railway station is in Odos Monastiriou, the extension of Odos Egnatia, which lies to the west of Vadari Square. Vadari Square, incidentally, is home to many shaded pubs and bars! The famous Aristotelous Square is just 10 minutes away by taxi.
Thessaloniki trains connect to Macedonia, Thrace and Athens. Suburban rail services link Thessaloniki to Pieria and Litochoro and the journey between these two points takes about three quarters of an hour to 50 minutes.
Thessaloniki is linked to Western and Central Europe via Yugoslavia, with the east of Europe via Bulgaria, and to the countries in the Middle East by the line passing through Turkey. It is also a major railway junction in the Balkan region and is directly connected to Skopje, Sofia, Moscow, Belgrade, Budapest, Vienna, Istanbul and Bucharest.
Getting Around Thessaloniki
By Bus
City busses (called Astika) operated by The Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organisation (Organismos Astikon Sygkoinonion Thessalonikis, OASTH) are great for getting around Thessaloniki. There are frequent services for all parts of the city, suberbs and many villages around the city, but sometimes busses are late due to traffic contitions.
Please have in mind that lines to /from the city centre can be really crowded during rush hours and that travelling standing is more than commmon. Furthermore, drivers tend to drive fast in order to catch-up with the schedule, and accelerate or brake hard , so hold on firmly!
Bus ticket within city limits costs €0,50 if you by it from the kiosks, or €0,60 if you issue it on the bus and it is valid for 70 minutes, regerdless of who many busses you will change.
A 24 hours ticket is available at €2, and you can issue it in the bus, or at OASTH ticket kiosk.
A weekly ticket is available only from OASTH ticket kiosks, at €10.
Check out where you can find an OASTH ticket kiosk
For services outside the city limits, you must issue a supplement ticket.
By Taxi
Getting around Thessaloniki by taxi is great option as they are numerous and easily accessible. You can pick them up at the taxi stands on all main roads. You can also hail them anywhere else by simply waving them to a stop! Travelling by taxi is efficient and comfortable as they are inexpensive, new and air-conditioned. This is crucial if you are travelling in summer.
However, travelling in Thessaloniki by taxi can also be quite a test for your nerves. The taxi drivers drive fast, most often in the wrong lanes, either chatting all the while on their mobile phones or listening to loud music, with a happy disdain for traffic rules. More often than not, they stop along the way to pick up extra passengers, which can be irritating. As these stops delay proceedings, you might actually reach your destination faster by bus!
Most trips around the city centre cost around 4 Euros and a trip to or from the airport costs around 15 Euros.
Rent a car
There are numerous car rental agencies in Thessaloniki. Major car rental agencies have branches at the airport itself for the convenience of the tourists. See below for a list of Thessaloniki Transportation companies, including Thessaloniki car rental agencies.
Petrol stations/pumps in Thessaloniki and Northern Greece are generally open from 6.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays. There is a small number of petrol stations open on Sundays too. There are also some petrol pumps that are open 24 x 7.
You will not have any problem in the city, but if you travel in the countryside, it might be difficult to find petrol late at night or on Sundays.
O.A.S.TH (Organisation of Urban Transport of Thessaloniki) serves the city of Thessaloniki, the suburbs and bordering municipalities.
