Buses in Greece

In Greece taking the bus is actually very common and there are many different lines that service different areas, making moving around in the big cities but also moving around the whole country rather easy and convenient.

All big cities are connected through a network of buses with set timetables known as KTEL(Here’s the official site for all KTEL bus lines). They fall in line with all modern requirements and specifications, ensuring a safe, quick and enjoyable trip through the biggest cities of this beautiful country.

If you have an inquiry about the bus network 14 505 is the phone number to call. By calling you can find out all sorts of information about the itinerary of buses, scheduled routes and costs. It is advisable that you call after arriving in Greece. Landline and mobile phones will get you through.

In addition, if you just arrived in Athens by plane and are looking for buses, you can also call 2105124910 which is the landline phone number for Attica bus station information.

Coverage

KTEL Buses cover every mainland prefecture of Greece including a couple of islands which are reached by ferry. The only partial exception is Thrace as some of its towns cannot be reached by taking a single bus from Athens. Instead one would need to get to Thessaloniki first and then take another bus from there to get to these towns.

There are buses for smaller towns and villages as well but these are urban and more spread out, making one to two trips daily. For the much smaller villages buses go to and fro about twice a week.

Islands, especially the big ones, also have buses but they only operate during the day.

Big City Buses

Cities such as Athens, Thessaloniki, Iraklio and Patra have their own bus lines within the city serving each region and connecting them. This means there are hundreds of bus stations serving even very small routes. For the capital you can find detailed information about all buses and routes on the official page of the service OASA.

Prices

The fares for all public transportation, including buses, in Greece are regulated by the government and thanks to this, transport in Greece is overall budget-friendly. As bus services vary from city to city and based on how long the route is, it’s hard to give a specific number. It approximately costs €7 every 100km or so for KTEL buses.

Within Athens bus tickets cost €1.40 for adults and they are valid for 90 minutes which you can use the same ticket for several buses within the time limit. However, recently an electronic ticket system was introduced which comes with a 10 ticket pass card that gifts one extra ticket. This can be a good offer if you plan to take a lot of buses within the city. Prices for ticket from the airport to the city and vice versa cost €6 each.

Tips for Taking the Bus in Greece

Here are some practical tips for taking the bus in Greece.

– Most bus stops don’t actually say in how many minutes the bus will arrive and times may vary, especially during summer and holidays. So it’s best to be at the stop at least 20 minutes before the scheduled time of departure.

– Some stops, especially in smaller towns and villages, will have all the information in Greek which means it will be hard to understand. Thus, it’s best to go prepared in advance when visiting remote areas.

-It’s possible for certain bus routes to board the bus and pay the ticket fare after it sets off for its destination.

-Most buses are modern and well equipped, air conditioned and comfortable. However, there are always exceptions, especially in remote areas, so come prepared. Especially in summer when it’s so hot in Greece.

-You are not allowed to smoke on the bus in Greece.

-KTEL buses allow passengers to put their luggage in the luggage compartment without a limit in most cases.

-Pets are not allowed in buses without their crates.

We hope you found this information helpful. Transportation via bus in Greece is the preferable option for millions of people every year.