Macedonia skg. Thessaloniki Airport: mode of operation, how to get from city to airport, to the city from the airport. International code: where does it come from
Greece has given the world so much beauty that so far almost everyone on the planet wants to see this cradle of culture. This fact explains the multi-million flow of tourists flocking to the Greek coast in any season of the year.
Greece - Ancient Treasury
Is everything in Greece? Well, of course, absolutely everything. Such a variety of entertainment and attractions, as in Greece, is not found in any other country in the world. Divers can enjoy diving into the coastal waters of the Mediterranean or Aegean in search of sunken ships, whose holds are filled to capacity with treasures from around the world. Beach lovers will appreciate the numerous small Greek islands, each of which is distinguished by its bright personality, as well as stunningly delicious dishes of national cuisine. In addition, almost anyone is a monument of ancient culture with the ruins of temples and the richest museum collections.
Thessaloniki - the capital of cultural life in Europe
Along with Athens and the well-known island of Santorini, Thessaloniki can be considered the center of the cultural and Christian life of Europe. This tourist route includes a lot of activities that will make the rest in Greek Thessaloniki truly unforgettable.
Few people know, but this city is considered the birthplace of Cyril and Methodius, the ancestors of Slavic writing. For a long time between Thessaloniki and Constantinople there was an unspoken rivalry for the title of the world center of the Christian religion.
Now Thessaloniki can offer travelers not only its past, but also the present, filled with holidays, carnivals and annual festivals.
SKG Airport: unknown name
For many years, Thessaloniki has attracted millions of tourists. Many of them, when buying a ticket, are worried about the final destination indicated by SKG encoding. The name of the airport in this case raises questions. Beginners who fly outside their home country for the first time or have never been involved in buying tickets on their own are particularly prone to such unrest.
We hasten to reassure all travelers. There are no errors in yours if you see the mysterious combination of SKG. The destination airport, according to this encoding, is called "Macedonia" and is located in Thessaloniki, Greece. All Russian tourists who dream of spending their vacation in one of the most beautiful cities in Greece get here.
International code: where does it come from?
Experienced travelers know that each international airport has its own designation with three letters of the Latin alphabet. These letters can be found on airline tickets, itinerary receipts, or even road signs. Where do they come from?
The fact is that before opening every international airport must pass certification. As a result of this check, he receives admission to service of foreign companies and an individual code. In the case of Thessaloniki SKG.
An individual three-letter code is assigned by the International Air Transport Association, which certifies all airports. Also, this organization is a checking and controlling body that monitors the quality of services provided at each airport in the world.
What hides the SKG encoding? An airport
Greece has always been a very hospitable country, therefore, despite its small size, it has two international airports. The second most important passenger traffic in the country is located in Thessaloniki.
SKG Airport is a fairly large air hub; not only tourists who want to relax in Thessaloniki pass through it, but also those who head to the popular island resorts of the Aegean Sea. Now the airport is located almost in the city center, you can reach the main attractions by breaking only thirteen kilometers.
International Airport: A Brief History
SKG Airport has its history since the thirties of the last century, then it was called Thessaloniki Mikra Airport and was located in the suburbs of Thessaloniki. An airfield was built for military purposes and only in the middle of the last century began to serve civilian aircraft. Every year, its passenger flow increased, and the Greek authorities were forced several times to rebuild and modernize such an important air hub.
In the sixties of the twentieth century, the airport was moved to a new place and completely rebuilt. At the same time, it received a modern name and its international code, which is still in use.
Thessaloniki Air Gate today
Currently, the airport serves more than four million passengers a year; military aircraft and civilian aircraft are based on its territory. A flying club, popular in the city, and private parking lots are also located there.
The last modernization of the Macedonia airport was carried out about ten years ago, but a new reconstruction is already planned, which would allow receiving up to ten million passengers a year. Inside the building there are two terminals, cafes, restaurants and currency exchange points. Those who wish can take a walk in duty free shops or rent a car. The entire infrastructure of the terminal operates twenty-four hours a day.
Resorts of Greece have always been a welcome vacation destination for tourists, because almost everyone wants to join the culture and history of this country, dating back several millennia. It is not surprising that SKG Airport, located in Thessaloniki, receives more and more travelers from around the world every year. If you plan to visit Greece, then, most likely, acquaintance with it will begin for you from the Macedonia airport.
Thessaloniki is a Greek city that is second only to Athens in importance. This is a popular destination in Northern Greece for sightseeing, beach and pilgrimage tourism. In addition, Thessaloniki is opting for weekend travel and shopping. The local airport is an important transport hub in the region with an impressive passenger flow. He accepts everyone who flies to the resorts of the Halkidiki peninsula, Pieria and the island of Thassos.
Thessaloniki Airport History
The international airport is located 15 km from Thessaloniki, near the Kalamaria region. Since 1993, it bears the name of the historical area - "Macedonia" (formerly called "Mikra"). The airport began its operations during the German occupation, when it was decided to build a 600-meter runway for military needs. In 1948, “Macedonia” turned into a civilian airport, and only in 1952 the construction of the airport building was completed.
All subsequent years, work was carried out on the restructuring and modernization of the runways, the construction of the second floor of the building, and the expansion of the terminal. When Thessaloniki was chosen as the European Cultural Capital of 1997, the Macedonia Airport experienced a number of major renovations. Between 2000 and 2006, the airport received an extended departure zone, waiting rooms and a new motorway. In 2017, a new major reconstruction of the Thessaloniki airport was launched, associated with its transfer to the management of the German concern Fraport.
Today, the Macedonia Airport connects Thessaloniki and the whole of Northern Greece with direct connections with Russia, Britain, Turkey, Germany, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Italy. The airport accepts flights from Turkish Airlines, Aegean, Ellinair, Alitalia, Aeroflot. From "Macedonia" you can get directly to many regions of Greece: Crete, Santorini, Athens, Chios, Corfu, Kalamata, Kos, Zakynthos, Samos.
Flights to Thessaloniki International Airport
The infrastructure of the airport "Macedonia"
Despite belonging to the second largest city in Greece, the airport is compact in size. It has only one terminal, which receives more than 5 million passengers annually, and two runways of 2500 meters each. On the small territory of the airport there are waiting rooms, including VIP, there are parking lots for 1,500 places, an information desk and points for packing luggage. Information, including arrivals and departures, is available on the Thessaloniki Airport website.
In "Macedonia" there are a cafe, a restaurant, ATMs, a pharmacy, a left-luggage office. There are Duty Free shops where you can buy perfumes, watches, traditional Greek drinks and products, souvenirs, cosmetics, olive oil. An important feature: the duty-free zone must be passed through passport control.
Those who wish to spend time in comfortable conditions can settle in one of the nearest hotels. 5 minutes from the airport is the budget hotel Ambassador with excellent service.
How to get to / from Thessaloniki airport
You can get to or from the airport by bus, which runs to Thessaloniki bus station. The main route is No. 78 with an interval of 30 minutes. The cost is approximately 1 euro. The bus will take you to KTEL Macedonia in 40 minutes, and already here you can transfer by bus to the desired city or stay in Thessaloniki. A taxi ride will cost more. The cost of a trip from the terminal to the city center is approximately 20 euros.
To get to the resorts of Halkidiki (the main goal of most tourists), you first need to get the route number 79 to IKEA. Then transfer to bus number 36, which goes to the KTEL Halkidikis station. Already from it, buses run to the villages of the Halkidiki Peninsula.
Those who have arrived in Macedonia and have chosen Thassos to rest have a difficult path. First you need to get to Thessaloniki, then transfer by bus to Kavala. From Kavala, get a route to Keramoti, and then transfer by ferry to Thassos. It will be much more profitable to rent a car directly in Macedonia for subsequent movement on Thassos.
Taxi / Transfer from Thessaloniki Airport
The most comfortable way to get to Thessaloniki from the airport is to book a transfer in advance. Pre-ordering will solve many problems: the driver will meet you and help you load your luggage, he will be aware of your route, the cost will be lower than that of a taxi at the airport. In addition, the kiwitaxi.ru service has a large selection of cars, both in price and in cost.
Transfer fee from Thessaloniki Macedonia Airport:
Thessaloniki Hotels
Excursions in Thessaloniki
If you fly to one of the resorts of the Greek trident - the Halkidiki region, then you will definitely need information on how to get from Thessaloniki Airport to the center of Thessaloniki and the main Greek beach resorts: Nea Kallikratia, Nea Potidea, Sani, Neos Marmaras and others.
Before traveling to Thessaloniki, write down the exact address of your hotel or apartment in Thessaloniki, download the city map and public transport map to your smartphone.
Brief information about the airport in Thessaloniki
Macedonia Airport in Thessaloniki located 17 km south of. This is the main airport in northern Greece, which is the hub for the following airlines: Aegean Airlines, Astra Airlines, Ellinair and the low-cost low-cost airline Ryanair.
From Russia, regular direct flights to Thessaloniki fly from Moscow. The cost of a Moscow – Thessaloniki air ticket for a regular flight is 150 Euros in both directions, and the travel time is just over 3 hours. In the summer, charters from dozens of Russian cities are added to regular flights. From Ukraine, a regular flight to Thessaloniki flies from Kiev. Air ticket Kiev - Thessaloniki will cost you 100 Euro in two directions, travel time - 2 hours 15 minutes.
Thessaloniki Airport Terminal
Thessaloniki Airport has only one terminal of three floors. The first floor is the arrivals hall, divided into two compartments: for international flights / flights not from the Schengen zone and for domestic flights / flights from the Schengen zone. The second floor is the departure hall, where shopping areas and bars are also located. There are many ATMs on this floor. On the top floor there are 2 restaurants and several bars overlooking the runways. Below you can see a map of the airport in Thessaloniki.
At Thessaloniki Airport you can buy traditional Greek products, cigarettes, jewelry, clothes. Luggage can also be packed here.
Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki hotels are located at a distance of several kilometers from the airport at a price of 122 Euro per day for a double room and Hotel Nikopolis at a price of 98 Euro per day for a double room.
How to get from Thessaloniki airport to the city center?
There are three ways to get from Thessaloniki Airport to the city center or to Greek resorts: by city bus with transfers, by taxi or by rented car. Consider each of these methods in more detail.
Bus from Thessaloniki Airport to the city center
Buses from Thessaloniki Airport are usually new and air-conditioned, but very often crowded. Serves buses transport company O.A.S.TH.
Direct buses run from Macedonia Airport to the center of Thessaloniki. You will not be able to get from the Macedonia airport to the Greek resorts in Halkidiki on a direct bus: you will need to make a transfer at the bus station located on the outskirts of Thessaloniki. Between the airport and the KTEL Halkidiki bus station in Thessaloniki, city buses number 78, number 78A and number 78N run through the city center. Bus station address:ΚΤΕΛ ΧΑΛΚΙΔΙΚΗΣ A, Pilea 555 35.
- Bus route number 78 runs twice an hour during the daytime - from 05:00 to 22:00 from the airport to the KTEL station and from 05:50 to 23:00 from the KTEL station to Thessaloniki airport.
- Bus route number 78N runs in the evening and night. The route runs every half hour from 23:30 to 05:30 from the airport to the KTEL station and from 22:30 to 04:30 from the KTEL station to Thessaloniki airport.
- Bus route number 78A leaves only 1 time per day at 05:00 in the direction from the KTEL bus station to Thessaloniki airport.
The total travel time from the airport to the center of Thessaloniki is approximately 30-40 minutes. A ticket is purchased at a bus vending machine. Please note that the machine does not give change. The cost of a ticket for one trip from Thessaloniki Airport for an adult is 2 Euros, for students and senior citizens - 1 Euro, for children under 6 years of age, travel is free. The ticket must be composted, otherwise it will be invalid in the yellow composter.
In the direction of buses from the airport, you can exit in the city center - on aristotle Square (Platia Aristotelous) and on main railway station Thessalonikiin (Neos Sidirodromikos Stathmos).
The bus from Thessaloniki Airport to the Greek resorts in Halkidiki
If your destination is not the center of Thessaloniki, but another Greek resort city, then you will need to take a bus to the KTEL bus station in Thessaloniki and transfer there to a bus to your resort in Halkidiki. Check your bus number and timetable at the box office at the KTEL bus station, where you can immediately buy a ticket. You can familiarize yourself with the schedule of buses to your resort in advance on the website of the KTEL Chakidikis bus station.
In this case, you do not need to drive through the city center on the route number 78 and turn the loop. In this case, you will need to take bus number 79 at the airport and take it to the stop A. S. IKEA (Anatolikos Stathmos IKEA), then change to bus number 36 / 36A / 36B to the stop KTEL Chalkidikis. Traveling on buses of this route will cost you 1 Euro for an adult and 0.5 Euro for a child.
Greek resorts on the trident of Halkidiki are spread on its three "fingers": the peninsulas of Kassandra, Sithonia and Athos. If your resort is located on the nearest “finger” to Thessaloniki - Kassandra, you want to save money and you are not worried about bus delays for an hour, then it makes sense to travel to your resort by bus. If you are traveling with children, and you need fingers that are remote from Thessaloniki - Sithonia or Athos, I recommend ordering a taxi transfer.
The distance to the main Greek resorts and the fare to them from the KTEL bus station in one direction I gave in the table below.
Please note that many buses, especially long-distance buses, depart only a few times a day, so it’s best to check the timetable on the website in advance. Prices can also change, as happened in the summer of 2016 due to an increase in the VAT rate.
Bus from Thessaloniki Airport to other cities in Greece
If your destination is not located on the Halkidiki peninsula, then to transfer to another Greek city from Thessaloniki (for example, Athens, Larisa, Lefkada) by bus you will need to travel from Thessaloniki airport to Thessaloniki central bus station (not to be confused with the bus stationKTEL Chalkidikis!).
Thessaloniki Central Bus Station - Macedonia Intercity Bus Station (KTEL Macedonia) - located at Giannitson 244, Thessaloniki 546 28. Buses also go from this bus station to other countries: to Bulgaria (Sofia, Bansko), Turkey (Istanbul), Macedonia (Skopje), the Czech Republic and even Germany. You can get acquainted in detail with the available international bus routes and see the prices for them on the official website of the Macedonia bus station, available in English.
KTEL Macedonia Bus Station is 2.5 km from the main train station in Thessaloniki (Neos Sidirodromikos Stathmos), where lines 78 and 78N stop.
How and where to buy a bus ticket at Thessaloniki airport?
The national currency of Greece is the Euro. As I said, bus tickets are sold in special machines inside buses. The machine in the bus does not give change, so prepare small coins.
In Thessaloniki itself, a bus ticket can also be bought at ticket offices at bus stops.
Taxi from Thessaloniki Airport
A taxi rank at Thessaloniki Airport is located at the exit of the arrivals area. Depending on the traffic, the trip from the airport to the center of Thessaloniki will take you 35-40 minutes.
Some features of taxis in Greece:
- When traveling at night (from 00:00 to 05:00), the fare for a taxi increases by 30%.
- The driver must turn on the counter. Keep track of this when boarding a taxi.
- Calculation in a taxi is only possible in cash, which is worth stocking up in advance.
- Under Greek law, one taxi car can carry a maximum of 4 people at a time, including children.
- Greek taxi drivers do not know English or know it very poorly, so write in advance on a piece of paper the exact address of your destination in Greek.
How to get to Thessaloniki Airport
When traveling from the center of Thessaloniki to the airport, you will need to take bus No. 78 or No. 78N depending on the time of day and get to the Airport Macedonia stop. You can catch this bus at a stop on Aristotle Square, the main railway station of Thessaloniki, or at the KTEL Chalkidikis bus station.
When traveling to Thessaloniki Airport from a Greek beach resort, it will be most convenient to book a taxi transfer, otherwise you will first have to go from your hotel to the bus station in your city, then go to the KTEL Chalkidikis bus station, and then wait for the bus to the airport.
