This page explains how to travel by train from Athens & Greece to other European cities, and how to buy the cheapest tickets.  Click here to for journeys starting in another city.  Information current for 2023.

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Before you buy your tickets

Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets.  It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I just buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or just buy a €35 point-to-point ticket online?".  Click here to understand how far ahead you can buy train tickets.

European train travel FAQ

Athens to Larissa, Thessaloniki, Kalambaka

• Greek domestic trains are an excellent and very scenic way to travel between Athens, Larissa, Kalambaka (Meteora) and Thessaloniki (Salonika) - see the photos of the journey on the London to Greece page.

• You can book trains at the Greek Railways website, www.hellenictrain.gr  - it's now available in English and allows you to buy print-at-home tickets, but it's a bit quirky, so see this handy guide to using it.

• You may find it easier to buy Greek train tickets between Athens & Thessaloniki at 12go.asia.

  12go.asia are a reliable train, bus & ferry agency.  Place are confirmed within 24h and tickets emailed to you.

• You'll also find a combined train-bus service between Athens and Patras for ferries to Italy.

What's the journey like?  Athens to Thessaloniki by train:  Modern air-conditioned InterCity trains link Thessaloniki (Salonika) with Athens in as little as 3h57 after a speed-up in 2019, with new or upgraded sections of line coming into use.  The fare is just €45 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class, even bought on the day, and there's superb scenery past Mt Olympus south of Thessaloniki and in the mountains between Larissa & Athens.

Trains leave from Athens' main (Larissa) station...  The train has comfortable 1st & 2nd class seats (2nd class above left) and a cafe car.  Interior photos courtesy of Dave Roberts.

A Thessaloniki to Athens InterCity train.  The carriages are modern and air-conditioned.  The photo above right shows the new colour scheme introduced when the service was speeded up in July 2019.  Photos courtesy of Rosie Maguire.  Larger seats photo.

South of Larissa, the train ascends a spectacular escarpment (above right), with the Greek plain laid out hundreds of feet below.  This section is by-passed from the speed-up in May 2019.

View of the Parnassus mountains from the train.  Courtesy of Laurent Faurite.

The train snakes through the mountains, over the Gorgopotamos viaduct, blown up by the British S.O.E. in WW2.  This section is by-passed by all fast trains as from May 2019.		Approaching Thessaloniki, the InterCity train runs along the Aegean coast and past Mount Olympus (seen above, from the train), mythical home of the Greek gods...

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Athens to Crete, Rhodes & other Greek islands

• Ferries link Piraeus (the port of Athens) to Rhodes, Crete & other islands.  Athens is linked to Piraeus by metro train.

• See www.ferriesingreece.com for Greek island ferries, without having to know which operator runs which route.

Athens to other countries by train

International trains linking Greece with other countries were all cancelled in February 2011 due to the Greek government's dire financial state, but they were partially restored in 2014.  There should now be two international trains from Greece, Thessaloniki-Sofia daily all year, and Thessaloniki-Skopje-Belgrade which was reduced to running June-September only in 2019, then cancelled during the pandemic and now shows no sign of resuming..  For destinations in western & central Europe, it's now far better to travel to Italy by ferry then train, see the next section.

Athens & Thessaloniki to Sofia, Bucharest, Istanbul

IMPORTANT UPDATE 2023:  The international train between Greece & Sofia was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended within Greece.  It is running between Kulata (on the Bulgarian side of Bulgaria/Greece border) and Sofia, but nothing on the Greek side.

• Day 1, Athens to Thessaloniki...

  Take a train from Athens to Thessaloniki, a remarkably scenic journey through the mountains south of Larissa, along the Aegean and past Mount Olympus just south of Thessaloniki, see the photos & information here.

  The fare is €45 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class.

  Buy a ticket from Athens to Thessaloniki at www.hellenictrain.gr, see the step-by-step advice on using it here.  You print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in Thessaloniki.

• Day 2, Thessaloniki to Sofia...

  A train leaves Thessaloniki at 05:50 every day all year round, arriving Sofia at 14:23.

  The fare is €17.80 one-way, buy at the station, there are always places available so this is not a problem.  It cannot be bought online.

  Until further notice, passengers are transferred by bus 14 km from Strimon station in Greece across the border to Kulata station in Bulgaria.

• Day 2 or 3, onwards trains from Sofia...

  For Istanbul, spend the afternoon exploring Sofia, then take the overnight couchette train to Istanbul, buying tickets at the international ticket windows at Sofia station there are almost always places available. See here for Sofia-Istanbul train times, prices, photos & info.

  For Bucharest, spend an afternoon & night in Sofia, then take the daily morning train to Bucharest, again simply buying your ticket at the station in Bucharest, see here for Sofia-Bucharest train times, prices, photos & info.

  For Belgrade, stay overnight in Sofia, then take a train to Belgrade, see the Sofia to Belgrade page for details.

On board the Thessaloniki to Sofia train:  The train uses modern Greek air-conditioned carriages, although as elsewhere in Greece there's a graffiti problem on the exterior.  Photos courtesy of Damien McGrath.

Comfortable 2nd class compartment.		Corridor...		The Thessaloniki to Sofia train.

Traveller Damien McGrath reports:  "I travelled up from Athens the day before.  I think its worth knowing that yes you will have to stay the night in Thessaloniki but it's a lovely city with lots to see and a lovely vibe right beside the Aegean Sea.  I then caught the 6.55am train from Thessaloniki to Sofia.  The train was made up of 7 or 8 carriages but I was told that Sofia travellers should only use the last two carriages as not all of the train goes to Bulgaria.  These also seemed to be the only carriages that were covered in graffiti!  I would estimate that there was only about 20 passengers in these two carriages and it never really got that busy all the way to Sofia.  We stopped after about two hours and it felt like were changing engines and being shunted up a siding.  Then there was the usual passport control all of which was reasonably efficient and we arrived on time into Sofia.  Some nice countryside especially on approach to Sofia where we passed the snow-capped Vitosha mountains."

Athens & Thessaloniki to Belgrade, Zagreb, Budapest, Vienna, Paris, London

IMPORTANT UPDATE 2023:  The international train between Greece & Belgrade was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended with no sign of resuming.

• Step 1, Athens to Thessaloniki...

  Take a morning train from Athens to Thessaloniki, I'd suggest IC52 leaving Athens at 09:22 arriving Thessaloniki at 13:45.

  It's a remarkably scenic journey through the mountains south of Larissa, along the Aegean and past Mount Olympus just south of Thessaloniki, see the photos & information here.

  The fare is €45 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class.

  Buy a ticket from Athens to Thessaloniki at www.hellenictrain.gr, see the step-by-step advice on using it here.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2, Thessaloniki to Belgrade...

  Travel from Thessaloniki to Belgrade by summer-only overnight train, leaving Thessaloniki at 18:51, arriving Skopje at 21:54 & Belgrade Topcider station next morning at 08:14.

  This train was due to run from 12 June to 20 September 2020, but due to Covid-19 it didn't run at all in 2021 and isn't running in 2022.  The train has a North Macedonian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments and ordinary seats cars.

  Thessaloniki to Skopje costs €12.20 one-way, Thessaloniki to Belgrade costs €34 + €8 couchette supplement.

  Buy tickets at the station, you cannot buy these tickets online.

  IMPORTANT:  This train now runs June-September only.  At other times of year it is cancelled, with no alternatives provided.  However, the train to Sofia is still running all year round, so when the direct Thessaloniki-Belgrade train isn't running you can still go Athens-Thessaloniki-Sofia as shown above then from Sofia to Belgrade, Zagreb, Budapest & other destinations as shown here.

• Step 3, onwards from Belgrade...

  There's a daily train from Belgrade to Zagreb with onward connections for Vienna, Munich, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris & London, see the international trains from Belgrade page or (for Vienna, Paris, London) see the inward journey details on the London to Greece page.  Note you'll need to transfer by taxi or tram/bus from Belgrade Topcider station to Belgrade Centar station

On board the overnight train from Thessaloniki to Belgrade:  The Belgrade-Thessaloniki night train has a North Macedonian couchette car, though no sleeper.  But it's comfortable enough, and seldom full, see the photos below, courtesy of traveller Tom Whitehead.  Clean sheets, pillow and blanket are provided.  You'll probably find fellow travellers from Germany, the Netherlands, Australia or Britain on board.  See larger couchette photo.

Athens to other countries by ferry

These days, it's usually easier to catch a ferry from Patras to Bari, Ancona or Venice in Italy, then take trains to destinations all over western & central Europe.

Athens to Rome & Italy

• Take a morning train+bus combo from Athens to Patras.

  In the early evening, sail from Patras to Bari by overnight ferry, with restaurant, bar, lounges, sun decks and cosy en suite cabins.

  Next morning, stroll through Bari's old town to the station and take a lunchtime train to Rome, Naples, Florence or Milan.

• See the Athens to Italy page for times, fares, how to buy tickets

Athens to other countries by train & ferry

• Days 1 & 2, travel from Athens to Rome or Milan by train+ferry.

  Take a morning train+bus combo from Athens to Patras.

  In the early evening, sail from Patras to Bari by overnight ferry, with restaurant, bar, lounges, sun decks and cosy en suite cabins.

  Next morning, stroll through Bari's old town to the station and take a lunchtime train to either Rome or Milan, depending on your final destination.  You arrive in Rome late afternoon or Milan in the evening.

  See the Athens to Italy page for timetable, fares, photos & how to buy tickets.

• Day 2 & 3, take onward trains from Rome or Milan as follows.

  For London, travel to Milan, stay overnight, then travel to Paris & London as shown on the London to Greece page, arriving Day 3.

  For Paris, travel to Milan, stay overnight, and catch a TGV or Frecciarossa to Paris as shown here, arriving Day 3.

  For Brussels, travel to Rome and take the Nightjet sleeper train to Munich then onward trains as shown here, arriving Day 3.

  For Amsterdam, travel to Rome and take the Nightjet sleeper train to Munich then onward trains as shown here, arriving Day 3.

  For Switzerland, travel to Milan, stay overnight and travel to Switzerland by EuroCity train next day, arriving late evening Day 3.

  For Germany, travel to Rome and take the Nightjet sleeper train to Munich then onward trains to Frankfurt, Berlin and so on, as shown here.

  For Austria, travel to Rome and take the Nightjet sleeper train to Vienna or Salzburg as shown here, arriving next morning (Day 3).

  For Budapest, travel to Rome and take the Nightjet sleeper train to Vienna & onward train as shown here, arriving next day (Day 3).

  For Bratislava, travel to Rome and take the Nightjet sleeper train to Vienna & onward train as shown here, arriving next day (Day 3).

  For Prague, travel to Rome and take the Nightjet sleeper train to Vienna & onward train as shown here, arriving next morning (Day 3).

  For Barcelona & Spain, travel to Milan then to Spain as shown here.

  See suggested hotels in Milan.

• The London to Greece page explains train and ferry times, prices and how to buy tickets for the journey in either direction between Athens, Bari/Venice, Milan, Paris & London.

1. Athens to Patras by train & bus

Athens station.		By train from Athens to Kiato.

The train crosses the Corinth Canal.		Kiato to Patras by connecting bus.

2. Patras to Bari overnight by ferry

The ferry Superfast II at Bari.  Photos courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com.

The passenger gangway, onto the ferry.		Reception desk & lounge on the ferry.

Lounge and bar on the Superfast II.		Self-service restaurant.

Private cabin with en suite toilet & shower.

The ferry outside Patras port.

Athens to Istanbul & Turkey

Option 1, using the Thessaloniki-Izmir overnight ferry

• Step 1, travel from Athens to Thessaloniki by intercity train in as little as 4 hours, book this at www.hellenictrain.gr.  Allow plenty of time for connection with the ferry, allowing for check-in time.

• Step 2, sail from Thessaloniki to Izmir by overnight ferry several times a week from Spring until November.  It's run by Levante Ferries, www.levanteferries.com.  The crossing takes 14 hours with a range of comfortable cabins available.  Book it at the Direct Ferries website or www.levanteferries.com.  Remember that Izmir is also known as Smyrna or Smyrni.

• Step 3, travel from Izmir to Istanbul by train or train & ferry as shown on the Train travel in Turkey page.

Option 2, by ferry via a Greek island

• Step 1, take a ferry from Piraeus (the port of Athens) to Rhodes, see www.ferriesingreece.com.

• Step 2, take a ferry from Rhodes to Marmaris in Southern Turkey, see www.ferriesingreece.com. 

• Step 3, take a bus from Marmaris to other Turkish cities.

Option 3, by train via Thessaloniki & Sofia

• Step 1, travel from Athens to Thessaloniki by intercity train in as little as 4 hours, check times & buy a ticket at the Greek Railways website www.hellenictrain.gr.

• Stay overnight in Thessaloniki.

• Step 2, take the daily early morning train from Sofia to Thessaloniki as shown here.  This train was suspended due to covid-19 and remains suspended in 2023.

• Step 3, travel from Sofia to Istanbul by daily overnight train as shown on the Sofia to Istanbul page.

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Find hotels

My favourite hotel search: www.booking.com Booking.com is my favourite hotel booking site and I generally use it to book all my hotels in one place.  I've come to trust booking.com's review scores, you won't be disappointed with any hotel that scores 8.0 or more.  Crucially, booking.com usually lets you book with free cancellation, which means you can confirm accommodation risk-free before train booking opens and/or you can hold accommodation while you finalise your itinerary and alter your plans as they evolve - a feature I use all the time when planning a trip.  I never book hotels non-refundably! Tip:  It's sometimes worth comparing prices across multiple hotel booking sites:  HotelsCombined.com compares hotel prices on Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, Agoda & many others.  If there's not much in it, I prefer to keep all my bookings together at www.booking.com, but it's sometimes worth checking!

Backpacker hostels

• www.hostelworld.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

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Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

  www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & gets 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot.

  www.columbusdirect.com is also a well-know brand.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list.  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:  1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  Why you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from Buy from Amazon.com.

 

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