Is it possible to get to Greece by train? A dream come true: from Thessaloniki to all of Europe by train, with an InterRail Global ticket. By bus and car

It is located in the Balkan Islands, in the very south of Europe and borders Turkey, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania. The country has almost 2000 islands, the most famous and largest of which is the island of Crete. From Russia, Ukraine, CIS countries, Europe and the world you can get to Greece by plane, ferry, bus, train and car.

Airplane

The largest in Greece and one of the most modern in the world is International airport city ​​- "Eleftherios Venizelos", connecting Greece with many countries. Also, from other countries, direct flights are operated to the cities of: Thessaloniki, Alexandroupolis, Kavala, Kalamata (Peloponnese Peninsula), Heraklion and Chania (Island of Crete), as well as to the islands: Corfu, Rhodes, Kos, Mykonos, Santorini, Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Lemnos and Samos. In addition to national airlines, the destination is served by European low-cost airlines: easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air.

Train

By train you can get to the Greek city of Thessaloniki from Belgrade (Serbia) by night train of the Serbian Railway, 14 hours 17 minutes on the way. Also, you can get to Thessaloniki from Sofia (Bulgaria) by train of the Bulgarian Railway, in 7 hours 7 minutes. From Thessaloniki to Athens, trains depart several times a day, and the journey time is 5 hours 20 minutes.

Bus

You can't get there by bus greek islands directly, but to Athens or Thessaloniki is quite possible. It makes sense to get to these cities by bus from neighboring Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, and Albania. From Sofia you can get to Thessaloniki in 5 hours, to Athens in 12 hours, by buses of the Greek company “KTEL” and the Bulgarian “Ilias Travel”. The Greek company “Crazy Holidays” accepts buses from Istanbul (10 hours to Thessaloniki), from Belgrade (8 hours to Thessaloniki), from Budapest (16 hours to Thessaloniki), from Chisinau (23 hours to Thessaloniki).

Automobile

Plan car route to Greece on European roads, you can calculate the cost of gasoline and tolls on highways on the Via Micheline website.

Ferry

You can get to Greece by ferry from Italy and Turkey. Ferries run to the island of Corfu from the Italian cities of Ancona, Bari and Trieste. From these same cities it is possible to get to the Greek cities of Patras and Igoumenitsa. In addition, ferries from Venice and Brindisi sail to Patras and Igoumenitsa. The shortest route: Bari (Italy) – Igoumenitsa (Greece), 10 hours travel time on a day or night flight, served by the Greek company ANEK Lines. You can get to the island of Rhodes from Fethiye (Turkey) by ferry from the Tuana Maritime company, the journey time is 1 hour 30 minutes.

You can select the required ferry flight to Greece and view the schedule on the website

You can get there by plane, ferry, car or bus. Read about the possibility of getting from Russia to Greece by train at the link below. So, you can get to Greece:

By plane

From Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities you can get to, Thessaloniki, Crete (Heraklion), Rhodes and Kos both by direct flight and by flight with transfers.

Direct flights to Greece performed by the following companies:

• (from Moscow to Athens);
• Aegean Airlines (from Moscow to Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Crete and Kos);
• UTair (from Moscow to Thessaloniki);
• State Transport Company "Russia" (from St. Petersburg to Crete);
• “Flight” (from Voronezh to Athens and Crete).

Charter flights from various cities of Russia in the period from April to October are carried out to Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Heraklion, Kos, Kalamata, Corfu, Chania. In summer, the frequency of charter flights increases.

They fly to Athens and the Greek islands European low-cost airlines whose flights can be connected with flights from Russia :

Read also:

To Athens

Direct flights from Moscow to Athens

• - makes a daily flight from Sheremetyevo;
• Aegean Airlines - 5 flights per week from Domodedovo;

Connecting flights to Athens The following airlines operate:

• 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 the summer.

To Thessaloniki

From Moscow to Thessaloniki

• Aegean Airlines operates 4 flights per week from Domodedovo;
• UTair - from the end of March to the end of October, 2 flights per week from Vnukovo.

From April to October are carried out charter flights(in the summer season the number of charters increases).

Connecting flights to Thessaloniki:

• Air Serbia (via Belgrade) from Moscow.

• EasyJet (flights from London (Gatwick) to Athens, Kalamata, Kos, Heraklion, Mykonos, Santorini, Chania with flight Moscow-London);
• Wizz Air (flights from Budapest to Corfu, Zakynthos, Rhodes, Heraklion, Thessaloniki with flight Moscow-Budapest).

From Moscow to Rhodes

• Aegean Airlines - 4 flights per week from Domodedovo;

From April to October, charter flights are operated (in the summer season the number of charters increases).

From Moscow to Kos

• Aegean Airlines - 1 flight per week;

From April to October, charter flights are operated (in the summer season the number of charters increases).

From Moscow to Crete (Heraklion)

• Aegean Airlines - 4 flights per week from Domodedovo, seasonal flights are also operated;

From April to October, charter flights are operated (in the summer season the number of charters increases).

From St. Petersburg to Crete

• State Transport Company "Russia" - in the summer, 6 flights per week to Heraklion;

From April to October, charter flights are operated (in the summer season the number of charters increases).

From Voronezh to Crete

• “Flight” - 1 flight per week in summer to Heraklion.

From other cities of Russia

From various cities of Russia, from April to October, charter flights are operated to Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Heraklion, Kos, Kalamata, Corfu, and Chania. In summer, the frequency of charter flights increases.

European low-cost airlines fly to Thessaloniki and the Greek islands, whose flights can be connected with flights from Russia:

• EasyJet (flights from London (Gatwick) to Athens, Kalamata, Kos, Heraklion, Mykonos, Santorini, Chania with flight Moscow-London);
• Wizz Air (flights from Budapest to Corfu, Zakynthos, Rhodes, Heraklion, Thessaloniki with flight Moscow-Budapest).

By ferry

Getting to Greece by ferry Can:

From Italy

Ferry services from Italy to Greece are carried out on the following routes:

• from Venice, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi - to Corfu, Patras and Igoumenitsa;
• from Ravenna and Trieste - to Patras and Igoumenitsa.

The exact schedule and tariffs can be found on the Viamare ferry aggregator website - www.viamare.com.

From Cyprus

A regular ferry runs 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 travel is much higher than the cost of air travel.

From Turkey

There are regular connections between Turkish resort towns and 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 flights are operated in each direction - respectively, in Greek and Turkish ship. For example, on the island of Lesvos tickets are sold for the morning Greek ferry to Turkey, but there is no opportunity to buy tickets for the Turkish ship leaving in the afternoon. Ticket prices are relatively high, which is explained solely by the tourist orientation of these lines. Small discounts are provided when purchasing round-trip tickets.

From Israel

The situation with ferries to Israel is constantly changing. In 2010, the message was restored again, however, we are talking about cruise ships, following the route Athens - Limassol - Haifa/Ashdod - Port Said (Egypt) - Limassol. The Cyprus company Salamis Lines has begun selling tickets for these cruises, including to those traveling one way between Israel and Greece. 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

How many kilometers from Moscow to Athens? Below are some reference distances from Athens by road:

• from Moscow - 3180 km,
• from Sofia - 820 km,
• from Bucharest - 1220 km,
• from Istanbul - 1135 km.

By bus

Every day Arda Tur buses depart to Thessaloniki from the capital of Bulgaria - Sofia: at 10.00, 12.30, 17.00, 23.30 (the schedule may change and must be clarified in advance!). Travel time is about 6 hours.

By train

Attention, at the end of 2011, international rail traffic with Greece was suspended indefinitely due to the debts of Greek railway workers. In this regard, all trains previously traveling to Greece from Bulgaria, Macedonia and Turkey (and, accordingly, to reverse direction) were cancelled.

On at the moment, the Greek government’s plans include the resumption of railway traffic on the Thessaloniki-Belgrade route. However, information on the timing of the resumption of traffic is contradictory. So, initially it was planned to run this train only in the summer (from June 6 to September 28), later information appeared that it would run all year round, starting from April 25, 2014. In any case, when planning a trip to Greece, you should give preference plane, ferry or bus.

This year, Greece is one of the most desirable countries for tourists from all over the world. Russian tourists were no exception. Increasingly, residents of our country decide to go to family vacation, treatment or for a wedding ceremony, honeymoon.

Every year in summer time year, the Moscow-Athens train was launched, which connected the capitals of two unique states.

In Greece, the duration of the holiday season is about 5 months, so even at the end of October everyone can escape from rainy Moscow to warm and picturesque greek cities, which will give inspiration and help prolong the summer. It doesn't matter if you decide to go to beach holiday or go shopping for a new fur coat. This trip will be unforgettable and will be remembered for many years!

Unfortunately, not all travelers are ready to travel to Greece by plane, which is associated with a fear of flying. It was for such tourists that it was decided to create summer season direct train from Moscow to Greece.

A huge number of people like to watch picturesque landscapes and life scenes, enjoy urban views, which will allow you to feel the spirit of amazing settlements, countries This trip will help you get closer to people who live in different cities and states. After all, this is why people decide to travel!

Train schedule Moscow to Athens

Unfortunately, the direct train Moscow – Athens will not be launched this year. However, every tourist will be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Greece in 2016 while traveling by train and bus. To do this, just buy a ticket for the Moscow – Sofia train, which departs from Kievsky railway station Russian capital. In 51 hours it will be possible to reach Sofia; during the trip, tourists will be able to see such beautiful cities as Bryansk, Kyiv, Lvov, Vadul Siret, Bucharest, Pleven.

When crossing the border with Europe, the train will need to change wheel bogies, which is due to different railway gauges in the EU and CIS countries. For this procedure, the carriages are raised together with the passengers, after which the wheels will be changed. The manipulation takes about 2 hours, during which employees border service They collect passports and declarations from passengers and ask the necessary questions.

Train route Moscow to Athens

European trains are equipped not only with compartment and SV carriages, but also with RICs, which exist in several versions.

Luxury carriages

This carriage has only 4 compartments for two passengers, which have an increased area and a lounge bar. This compartment was equipped with a shower, a dry closet, a sofa, an armchair and top shelf, the size of which is 90 cm. The coupe has air conditioning and a TV.

First class carriages

In each similar carriage, 10 compartments were created for two people, and a common shower and toilet room were created. The compartment is quite narrow, it contains an armchair, washbasin, and table.

Second class carriages

Each carriage has 11 compartments for three people, which are quite cramped. The fact is that all the sleeping places are located on one side, on the other they placed: a hanger, a ladder, a washbasin. As a result, all passengers will have to either sit or lie down during the day.

It is worth noting that while traveling as a family in a second class carriage you can avoid hassles, but traveling with strangers can be a real hell.

In Sofia you will have to transfer to a bus, which can comfortably deliver you to the capital of Greece. This bus departs at 7 am from Sofia, and at half past twelve the bus will arrive in Thessaloniki, after which at 19.50 you can enjoy picturesque Athens.

Many tourists would like to enjoy a trip on the Moscow - Athens train, but today no direct train has been created. But there are many others interesting options for a trip to Greece!

P.S. We are always interested in your comments about this article. Where to go, how to get there, where is the best place to buy tickets? Registration is not needed, you can just write a comment, the moderator will publish it. The form is below. Or you can write to our forum

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Compared to other European countries, rail transport in Greece is poorly developed. However, you can reach most of them by train. major cities located on the mainland.

Railway map in Greece

Train tickets in Greece

How to buy tickets

Train tickets can be bought at 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 €

Price table for train tickets between cities in Greece

*Prices for second class one-way tickets

Types of trains in Greece

Travelers are advised to use InterCity (IC) and InterCity Express (ICE) trains. These are high-speed clean trains connecting major cities. There are few differences between IC and ICE - the second type of train is slightly faster and more expensive.

IC and ICE trains have two classes of carriages. First class carriages are cleaner, the distances between seats are wider, and they are less crowded. Thrifty travelers can confidently buy second class tickets, which are just as safe and quite comfortable.

There are also night train from Athens to Thessaloniki. Travel time: 6 hours. Ticket price: about 20 €.

Train stations in Greece

Train station in Athens

Train station in Thessaloniki

Address: Sidirodromon, Athens 10444, Greece