Although flying is definitely the fastest and most convenient way to get to mainland Greece, if you are on a tight budget, the buses – along with the trains – are good alternatives. Overall, the buses are reliable, clean and efficient but the travel times can be quite long.

Getting to/from Greece by Bus – From Another Country

If your budget doesn’t allow for a flight to Greece, the next best alternative is to take a bus. They are reliable and clean but the travel time is long (due mostly to the infrastructure and Southern – Eastern Europe).

There is some (rather limited) service to/from neighboring countries, such as Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia and Romania. One of the companies which offer long-haul connections in this part of Europe is Eurolines. Tickets can be booked online.

For example, if you travel from Bucharest (Romania) to Thessaloniki, expect to spend between 12 and 14 hours on the road.

Getting around Greece by Bus – On the Mainland

Buses are the most used means of transportation for domestic travel. The system is efficient, cheap and reliable. For short-distance travel on the mainland it’s actually advisable to take a bus rather than drive yourself. The frequencies of buses vary according to the season. The national company, KTEL, runs the public bus system.

>>read more about buses from Athens to Thessaloniki (and return)

Getting around Greece by Bus – On the Islands

Most islands are served by public bus networks. Some are very efficient and easy to figure out. Some are slightly hard to understand. But all are cheap.

On Crete , the public transport is reliable. Bus service along the north coast and towards the south coast is reliable, cheap and frequent. Also, drivers will divert from their main route to get to smaller villages, if you ask them to do so. Most of the buses are operated by KTEL, the national bus company.

Corfu is also served by an excellent bus service, connecting Corfu Town with the smaller villages on the island.

On Santorini , the bus schedule is also reliable and you can get around the island by using the public service. The schedule is available here . In addition to the KTEL service, there are also private “hop on and off” buses (and the tickets are valid for the entire day).

On Rhodes , the public buses also connect Rhodes Town with almost all villages on the island. There are two public companies running buses on the island and the ticket price varies according to the route.

Getting around Greece by Bus – Within a City

Athens is served by a network of buses (both diesel and natural gal) as well as trolleybuses run by Athens Urban Transport Organisation. A standard integrated ticket costs €1.40 and allows for multiple trips within 90 minutes. The ticket to the airport costs €5. Day passes are also available. Night buses are available. Make sure to pick up a map of transport routes from the airport.

In Thessaloniki , the bus company OASTH runs a total of 80 bus lines. One journey ticket costs €0.80 (on any bus line). A 24 hour ticket costs €4. Monthly cards are also available. The cultural line (bus 50) runs past all the major tourist sights. It has an English speaking guide on board. Tickets cost €2 and the entire route takes 50 min.

On Crete, in Heraklion, the largest city on the island, there is a bus system but figuring out the lines is definitely an adventure in itself. You have to signal the driver to stop at bus stops. Tickets cost €1.30. Line 1 connects the city to the airport.

Larissa is the fourth largest city in the country and one with an efficient public bus system run by KTEL. Tickets cost around €1.

» Traveling around Greece by Bus

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Important notice: the prices for bus tickets might not be accurate.