Is it possible to get to Greece by train. How to get to Greece
For many years I dreamed of going for a ride in Greece on trains, but every time it turned out that I rented a car. Exactly 25 years after my first visit to Greece (and I first landed in Athens in the summer of 1995), I went to the train station of Thessaloniki and bought a train ticket. By all indications, this is one of the most interesting countries world for traveling by train: magnificent Balkan nature, mountains, canyons, turbulent rivers, architectural monuments, three seas at once. The Greek railway, created in 1869 with the launch of a steam locomotive from the port of Piraeus to Athens, today has a length of 2,238 kilometers, of which about 300 kilometers are mountain narrow-gauge railways in the Peloponnese and in the area of the city of Volos. There are also hundreds of tunnels, gorges and bridges, a number of engineering masterpieces of Greek railroad workers. Add to this the relatively inexpensive fares for passengers and we have a great way to get to know ancient Hellas.
It seems that I have given all the compliments to the Greek railway. Now I will tell you what the Greeks themselves do not like to talk about with foreigners. About the economic crisis, the bankruptcy of an entire state and the collapse transport infrastructure Greece since 2009. We all remember how suddenly prosperous and sunny Greece was on the front pages of all world media in connection with the crisis. Suddenly, the Greeks owed the whole world hundreds of billions of euros, their ports and factories were sold to Germany, China and the Emirates, and the inhabitants of Greece suddenly turned from one of the richest nations in Europe into one of the poorest.
Regarding the Greek railway, I will give just a couple of figures: in 2009, the railway brought 3.5 million euros in losses every day, and its total debt reached a fantastic 13 billion euros (15% of Greece's GDP), but in the same year the average annual salary of an employee of the Greek railway the road was disproportionate to 78 thousand euros (source The New York Times), and the driver's salary was up to 130 thousand euros (source The Daily Mail). Is it a lot, or a little? Exactly the same salary for employees of the Swiss railway, but you can compare the economies of Switzerland and Greece: the GDP per capita of the Swiss is 80 thousand euros in 2017, while the Greeks have only 18 thousand. In other words, the public sector in Greece, including the railroad, was not only ineffective and plagued with corruption, but also salaries were at the level of the richest countries in the world, although the Greek economy did not correspond to this at all. For a general reminder of the situation, I will say that today the average salary in Athens is 1000-1200 euros per month, but here it is five times more.
When the crisis hit, the railroad suffered the most. Since 2009, a third of all lines have been closed and today there are practically no trains in the Peloponnese, except for two short narrow-gauge routes for tourists. Also, the line was closed in the north of the country, between Kozani and Florina and also between Volos and Meteora. Moreover, at present, international lines to Bulgaria and Macedonia are not functioning, although tickets are being sold. They just take you to the border by bus. On this map, the dotted lines indicate routes that do not work today -
I am telling this to the fact that I chose not the best time to study the Greek railway. But I'm just worried that if I don't do it now, tomorrow the railway will be closed altogether. Or, at best, they will "cut" to the only line of Athens - Thessaloniki. Therefore, let's go!
This is the train station in Thessaloniki -
Tickets can be bought both at the box office and on the official website OSE.gr. But I don't see any point in taking a ticket online. Trains are rarely full and you will always buy tickets at the box office for the same money -
The average fare at the present time is one of the lowest in Europe - about 1 euro for a 15 km journey. Less only in neighboring Bulgaria and Romania. In our case, travel from Thessaloniki to the town of Edessa, which is 100 km from the point of departure, cost 7 euros -
Timetables for departures and arrivals are in Greek and English-
For 3 euros you can leave things in the storage room of the station -
Our train is like a Christmas tree painted with graffiti. Unfortunately, ugly graffiti is a disaster. modern Greece... Hooligans paint everything from monuments to the heroes of the war against Nazism and ending with train cars -
In general, modest, but clean -
The train leaves with about half of the unoccupied seats -
Good-natured drivers allowed us to take pictures from the cockpit -
For the most part, Greek stations are real architectural monuments. Many of them are over 100 years old -
And again these graffiti -
I have not yet met such stations - as if bus stop where the only passenger is standing -
There is only one track from Thessaloniki to the west, towards Florina -
The stations are extremely colorful, but these graffiti and general devastation remind that the country is in deep crisis -
The train arrives at its destination exactly on schedule, minute by minute. Edessa station, here we get off -
Like many other Greek railway stations, Edessa is like a museum under open air... Here is the ancient infrastructure of the early 20th century and old wagons and switches from the era of our grandfathers -
Impressions? I like it. Trains are comfortable enough, albeit no frills. Departures are on schedule (although passengers said that there are serious delays due to breakdowns on the line), the ventilation is working, and there are toilets. But the most important thing is the feeling that you have traveled in a time machine to the distant past. Everything is so old and shabby. Not sure if this setting is good for ancient greece but as a tourist you will definitely enjoy it.
From Moscow (Domodedovo) to Athens - five flights a week, to Thessaloniki, Rhodes and Heraklion - four flights a week, one flight a week to about. Kos. this company also operates seasonal flights to Crete from Moscow.
From the island of Cyprus
Active regular flight from Limassol to Lavrion (40 km from Athens).
You can also take cruises offered by Salamis Lines or car ferries from Athens to Larnaca (they have several cabins for passengers), but the cost of such a trip is much higher than the cost of air travel.
From Turkey
There is a regular service between Turkish resort towns and the islands of Greece (Marmaris - Rhodes, Bodrum - Rhodes, Fethiye Rhodes, Kusadasi - Samos, Chios - Cesme, Lesbos - Ayvalik). The cost of tickets is relatively high, which can be explained solely by the tourist orientation of these lines. Ticket Marmaris - Rhodes costs from $ 40 one way, Cesme - Chios from $ 35. Small discounts are available for roundtrip tickets.
According to agreements between Greece and in each direction, two voyages are carried out - on a Greek and Turkish vessel, respectively. At the same time, tickets in each of the countries are sold, as a rule, only for their own ships. For example, on the island of Lesvos, tickets are sold for the morning, Greek ferry to Turkey, but it is not possible to buy tickets for a Turkish ship leaving in the afternoon.
From Israel
The situation with ferries is constantly changing. In 2010, the service was again restored, however, we are talking about cruise ships following the route Athens - Limassol - Haifa / Ashdod - Port Said (Egypt) - Limassol. Cyprus-based company Salamis Lines began selling tickets for these cruises, including those who travel between Israel and Greece one way. The cost of sailing is quite high - 250 euros one way, which is one and a half times more expensive than a flight between the two countries. Tickets are sold by Cypriot companies Salamis Lines, Varianos Travel and Israeli Rosenfeld Shipping.
By bus and car
Distance from Athens by road: Moscow - 3180 km, Sofia - 820 km, Bucharest - 1220 km, Tirana - 815 km, Istanbul - 1135 km, Skopje - 710 km.
Arda Tur buses depart daily from Sofia to Thessaloniki: at 10.00, 12.30, 17.00, 23.30 (the schedule is subject to change and must be clarified in advance!). The journey takes about 6 hours.
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Network railways- not the strongest side in Greece. Water and bus transport are far more developed here, which, however, is easily explained in terms of the topography and features of the country itself, most of which is scattered over many islands.
Main directions
The number of destinations in Greece that can be reached by train is not very diverse. Nevertheless, if you are traveling between major cities, the railway in some cases - especially for night crossings - can be very useful.
For example, the communication between Athens and Thessaloniki is very convenient: there are many routes, and the ICE category train (about it a little below) "covers" this distance in just 4 and a half hours. On the other hand, choosing a slower train in the same direction will significantly save money.
Railway map in Greece
The main railway line connects Athens with Thessaloniki. In addition, important branches also include the directions Athens-Corinth-Nafplion-Tripoli-Kalamata, Athens-Corinth-Patras, Athens-Lamia-Kalambaka, Thessaloniki-Alexandroupolis, Thessaloniki-Larisa-Kalambaka.
Separately, it is worth highlighting the branch from Diakopton to Kalavrita, which can rightfully be called the most exotic and picturesque in the country.
In addition to local destinations, before the crisis, a number of international routes: to Turkey, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, etc.
Most of them were abolished in 2011-2013, but since 2014, some have reopened. So, since May 2014, passenger traffic is again carried out between Thessaloniki and Belgrade, as well as between Thessaloniki and Sofia.
Rolling stock, schedule and tickets
Although the railway network is rather modest, it is nonetheless very diverse. So, due to the peculiarities of the relief, a wide range of tracks is used in Greece from 0.6 to 1.43 meters. This, in turn, determines the wide variety of trains used.
Among the trains on the Greek routes come across very unusual
The cost of tickets for IC and ICE trains depends a lot on the time between the dates of purchase and the actual trip. Thus, by planning your trip in advance, you can save a lot.
More details on how to find out current schedule trains for your travel dates and purchase tickets online from Grekoblog.
Railway station in Athens
The railway station in Athens is represented by two stations Larissa and Peloponnese, which are in close proximity to each other. At the same time, the first station provides communication with the Northern regions of Greece, and the second is designed for southern directions. The station in Athens is rather modest for a city with a population of about 5 million people.
The easiest way to get to the railway station from any part of Athens is by metro
The easiest way to get to the station from any part of the city is by metro. The Larissa metro station of the same name is located on the red line. The station building is located right next to the exit from the underpass. Grekoblog devoted a separate article to the Athens Metro in more detail.
From the Airport to the station, you can also take the Proastiakos commuter train, the final stop of which is the Larissa station (Stasmos Larissis). The train runs from the airport from 6:48 am to 20:14 at intervals of 15 minutes. Estimated travel time is about 40 minutes.
Finally, you can always take a taxi.
Railway station on the map of Athens:
How to get to Greece
You can get to Greece by plane, ferry, car or bus. Read about the possibility of getting from Russia to Greece by train below the link.
By plane
From Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities, you can get to Athens, Thessaloniki, Crete (Heraklion), Rhodes and Kos both by direct flight and by flight with transfers.
Direct flights to Greece are operated by the following companies:
Aeroflot (from Moscow to Athens);
Aegean Airlines (from Moscow to Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Crete and Kos);
UTair (from Moscow to Thessaloniki);
GTK "Russia" (from St. Petersburg to Crete);
"Flight" (from Voronezh to Athens and to Crete).
Charter flights from various cities of Russia from April to October are operated to Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Heraklion, Kos, Kalamata, Corfu, Chania. In summer, the frequency of charter flights increases.
To Athens and to greek islands European low-cost airlines fly, flights of which can be connected with flights from Russia:
How to get to Athens
How to get to Thessaloniki
How to get to Rhodes
How to get to Kos
How to get to Crete
To Athens
Direct flights from Moscow to Athens
Aeroflot - makes a daily flight from Sheremetyevo;
Aegean Airlines - 5 flights a week from Domodedovo;
The following airlines operate connecting flights to Athens:
Air Serbia (via Belgrade) from Moscow;
AirBaltic (via Riga) from Moscow and St. Petersburg;
Pegasus Airlines (via Istanbul, Sabiha Gokcen).
From Voronezh to Athens
Flight - 1 flight per week in summer.
To Thessaloniki
From Moscow to Thessaloniki
Aegean Airlines operates 4 flights a week from Domodedovo;
UTair - from the end of March to the end of October, 2 flights a week from Vnukovo;
from April to October are performed charter flights(v summer season the number of charters is increasing).
Connecting flights to Thessaloniki:
Air Serbia (via Belgrade) from Moscow.
EasyJet (flights from London (Gatwick) to Athens, Kalamata, Kos, Heraklion, Mykonos, Santorini, Chania with a Moscow-London flight);
Wizz Air (flights from Budapest to Corfu, Zakynthos, Rhodes, Heraklion, Thessaloniki with a Moscow-Budapest flight).
From Moscow to Rhodes
Aegean Airlines - 4 flights a week from Domodedovo;
from April to October there are charter flights (the number of charters increases in the summer season).
From Moscow to Crete (Heraklion)
Aegean Airlines - 4 flights a week from Domodedovo, seasonal flights are also carried out;
from April to October there are charter flights (the number of charters increases in the summer season).
From Moscow to Kos
Aegean Airlines - 1 flight per week;
from April to October there are charter flights (the number of charters increases in the summer season).
From St. Petersburg to Crete
GTK Rossiya - 6 flights a week to Heraklion during the summer period;
from April to October there are charter flights (the number of charters increases in the summer season).
From Voronezh to Crete
Flight - 1 flight per week during the summer to Heraklion.
From other cities of Russia
Charter flights to Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Heraklion, Kos, Kalamata, Corfu, Chania are carried out from various cities of Russia from April to October. In summer, the frequency of charter flights increases.
European low-cost airlines fly to Thessaloniki and the Greek islands, flights of which can be connected with flights from Russia:
EasyJet (flights from London (Gatwick) to Athens, Kalamata, Kos, Heraklion, Mykonos, Santorini, Chania with a Moscow-London flight);
Wizz Air (flights from Budapest to Corfu, Zakynthos, Rhodes, Heraklion, Thessaloniki with a Moscow-Budapest flight).
On a ferryboat
You can get to Greece by ferry from Italy, Cyprus, Turkey and Israel.
From Italy
Ferry services from Italy to Greece operate on the following routes:
from Venice, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi - to Corfu, to Patras and Igoumenitsa;
from Ravenna and Trieste - to Patras and Igoumenitsa.
The exact timetable and fares can be found on the Viamare ferry aggregator website - www.viamare.com.
There is a regular ferry service from Limassol to Lavrion (40 km from Athens).
You can also take cruises offered by Salamis Lines or car ferries from Athens to Larnaca (they have several cabins for passengers), but the cost of such a trip is much higher than the cost of air travel.
From Turkey
There is a regular connection between the Turkish resort towns and the islands of Greece:
Marmaris - Rhodes (40USD one way),
Bodrum - Rhodes,
Fethiye - Rhodes,
Cesme - Chios (35USD one way),
Kusadasi - Samos,
Ayvalik - Lesvos.
According to agreements between Greece and Turkey, 2 voyages are carried out in each direction - respectively, on a Greek and Turkish ship. For example, on the island of Lesvos, tickets for the morning Greek ferry to Turkey are sold, but it is not possible to buy tickets for a Turkish boat leaving in the afternoon. The cost of tickets is relatively high, which can be explained solely by the tourist orientation of these lines. Small discounts are available when buying tickets in both directions.
From Israel
The situation with ferries to Israel is constantly changing. In 2010, the service was again restored, however, we are talking about cruise ships following the route Athens - Limassol - Haifa / Ashdod - Port Said (Egypt) - Limassol. Cyprus-based company Salamis Lines began selling tickets for these cruises, including those who travel between Israel and Greece one way. The cost of sailing is quite high - 250 euros one way, which is 1.5 times more expensive than air travel between these countries. Tickets are sold by Cypriot companies Salamis Lines, Varianos Travel and Israeli Rosenfeld Shipping.
By car
Distance from Athens by road:
from Moscow - 3180 km,
from Sofia - 820 km,
from Bucharest - 1220 km,
from Istanbul - 1135 km.
By bus
Arda Tur buses leave daily for Thessaloniki from the capital of Bulgaria - Sofia: at 10.00, 12.30, 17.00, 23.30 (the schedule is subject to change and must be clarified in advance!). Travel time is about 6 hours.
By train
Attention, at the end of 2011, international rail links with Greece were suspended indefinitely due to debts of Greek railroad workers. In this regard, all trains that previously traveled to Greece from Bulgaria, Macedonia and Turkey (and, accordingly, in the opposite direction) were canceled.
At the moment, the Greek government plans to resume the railway connection on the Thessaloniki-Belgrade route. However, the information on the timing of the resumption of traffic is contradictory. So, it was essentially planned to launch this train only in the summer period (from June 06 to September 28), later it was reported that it would run all year round, starting from April 25, 2014. In any case, when planning a trip to Greece, one should give preference by plane, ferry or bus.
Photo and descriptionLe Bo (translated from the Provencal dialect "high rock") - another commune of Provence, ...
Compared to other European countries, the railway connection in Greece is poorly developed. However, trains can reach most major cities located on the mainland.
Scheme of railway tracks in Greece
Train tickets in Greece
How to buy tickets
A train ticket can be bought at the train station ticket offices or online (much cheaper).
Prices for commuter trains in Greece
- Simple ticket: 6 €
- Student tickets: 3 €
- Two-day ticket: 10 €
- Group ticket for two: 10 €
- Group ticket for three: 15 €
Table of prices for train tickets between cities in Greece
* Prices for a second class one way ticket
Train types in Greece
Travelers are advised to use InterCity (IC) and InterCity Express (ICE) trains. These are high-speed clean trains connecting big cities... There are not many differences between IC and ICE - the second type of trains is slightly faster and more expensive.
The IC and ICE trains have carriages of two classes. The first class cars are cleaner, the seat spacing is wider, and they are less crowded. Thrifty travelers can confidently buy second class tickets, it is just as safe and quite convenient.
There is also a night train from Athens to Thessaloniki. Travel time: 6 hours. Ticket price: about 20 €.
Train stations in Greece
Train station in Athens
Railway station in Thessaloniki
Address: Sidirodromon, Athens 10444, Greece
