Athens and Istanbul are both very popular when planning trips round the world.
In addition, visiting both Greece and Turkey is one of the most common ways to enjoy a sea-side vacation in the area. Many travelers choose to visit Athens , take a short trip to one of the Greek islands, followed by visiting the Turkish Riviera, and Istanbul.

No matter your reason for traveling between the two cities, in this article, we are sharing some ways to cover the distance by air, land, and sea.

Summary

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Without a doubt, the best way to get between the two cities is by opting for a direct flight.

If you prefer to travel by land, buses are another good option, cheaper than flights but taking a lot longer.

Getting Athens to Istanbul: Flights

Both cities are served by major international airports that receive plenty of flights.

There are direct flights offered by Pegasus and Aegean. The flight time is about 1h 35 min.

Prices start at €99 one way even during the summer season. Of course, it matters a lot when you book the flight but booking about 2-3 months in advance is a good idea to find affordable fares.

Getting Athens to Istanbul: Ferries

There aren’t any direct ferries between Athens and Istanbul. But Turkish ports have some connections to the Greek islands if you want to travel only by sea. Or you can combine traveling a leg by ferry with a leg by air or land.

Ferries from Athens to Istanbul

Here are some options to travel from Athens to Istanbul by ferry:

• Athens to Chios (9.5h) & Chios to Çeşme (20 min); prices from €50-120 one way
• Athens to Kos (15h) & Kos to Bodrum (45 min to 1.5h): prices from €70-150 one way
• Athens to Lesvos (13h) & Lesvos to Ayvalik (1.5h); prices from €60-140 eur one way
• Athens to Rhodes (19.5h) & Rhodes to Marmaris (1h): prices from €110-180 eur one way
• Athens to Rhodes (19.5h) & Rhodes to Fethiye (1h 45 min): prices from €100-180 eur one way
• Athens to Rhodes (19.5h) & Rhodes to Bodrum (2.5h); prices from €120- 350 eur one way

>>Read more about Ferries from Athens to Rhodes and return

Once you get to the ports, you also need to consider traveling to Istanbul. For example, Çeşme to Istanbul is another 9h on the bus, whereas Bodrum to Istanbul is another 12h on the bus (or a 2.5h flight).

Ferries and flights from Athens to Istanbul

Another option to travel between Athens and Istanbul is via Thessaloniki.

You can travel by land between the cities in Greece. The train from Athens to Thessaloniki takes about 5.5h and the prices start at €9 one way. Buses take a bit longer (about 6h) and are a bit more expensive, with prices starting at €35 one way.

From Thessaloniki you can fly directly to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. Prices start at about €100 one way, even in the summer season. If you book about 2-3 months in advance, you’ll be able to find affordable airfare.

Getting from Athens to Istanbul: Buses

Buses remain the only by land direct option between Athens and Istanbul, since the train route from Thessaloniki has been suspended.

The Greek Company Crazy Holidays is one of the companies operating on this route. They run a bus per week. The travel time is about 14 hours and the single fare is between €70 and €110.

Getting from Athens to Istanbul: Driving

You can rent a car in Greece and plan to drive to Istanbul. However, make sure to ask if you are allowed to take the car across the border.
The shortest route takes about 11.5 h and travels through Thessaloniki and Kavala.

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Note:
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This article was first published on May 13th, 2009 and the information has been updated as of April 2023