How to travel from Thessaloniki to Athens

Thu, Oct 01
+ Add return
Travel by train, bus, ferry, flight with
Blue Star Ferries
Olympic Air
CitizenPlane
Aegean Airlines
Regionale
1,000+ more
Blue Star Ferries
Olympic Air
CitizenPlane
Aegean Airlines
Regionale
1,000+ more
QR-Code
Scan to get our free app
Use our app to get live travel updates and book mobile tickets for trains, buses, flights, and ferries.
App Store
rate4.9
42K ratings
Google Play
rate4.6
136K reviews

Travel Information

Compare train, bus, ferry, and flight for Thessaloniki to Athens

Omio recommends booking the flight as it is the most popular option from Thessaloniki to Athens among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the ferry, with an average ticket price of €83 For those with little time, consider booking a flight, which has an average total journey time of 2h 59m. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a ferry costs an average of €83, while a flight costs an average of €90.

Distance: 188 miles (303 km)

Compare flight with

Most popular
Flight
Ferry
Driving

€90

Average price

€83

Average price

Cheapest

€127

Average price

(fuel + tolls)

2h 59m

Average total duration

Fastest

59m

Onboard

+

2h 0m

Additional time*

28h 27m

Average total duration

27h 27m

Onboard

+

1h 0m

Additional time*

5h 21m

Average total duration

(door-to-door)

Aegean Airlines

Most popular airline

Blue Star Ferries

Most popular ferry company

Your own car or car rental

Direct Options

Direct Options

Direct Options

The cheapest way to travel from Thessaloniki to Athens is a ferry with an average price of €83.

This is compared to other travel options from Thessaloniki to Athens:

A ferry is €8 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Thessaloniki to Athens costing on average €90.

The fastest way to travel from Thessaloniki to Athens is by flight with an average journey time of 2h 59m.

Other travel options to Athens take longer:

Ferry takes on average 28h 27m.

It's helpful to compare your options as there are 4 ways to travel between Thessaloniki and Athens including taking a train, bus, ferry, and flight.
We recommend using the flight as it is the most popular way to get from Thessaloniki to Athens among Omio's users.
Take the flight. On this route, it's both cheaper and quicker than driving.

You'll arrive about 4h 22m sooner (59m by flight vs 5h 21m by car) and save roughly €37 compared to fuel and tolls (€90 vs €127). You also avoid a long drive, giving you more time to relax or get on with your plans.

Driving is still worth considering if you want to stop along the way, are travelling with bulky luggage, or need a car at your destination.

Travel options
from Thessaloniki to Athens

How to get from Thessaloniki to Athens by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

flight

The best way to travel from Thessaloniki to Athens is by taking a flight because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

  • Aegean AirlinesA3127
    9:50 PM0h55
    Thessaloniki International Airport
    10:45 PMAthens International Airport
    €611One-way
    0 transfers

Cheapest

  • Aegean AirlinesA3127
    9:50 PM0h55
    Thessaloniki International Airport
    10:45 PMAthens International Airport
    €611One-way
    0 transfers

Fastest

  • Aegean AirlinesA3101
    6:00 AM0h50
    Thessaloniki International Airport
    6:50 AMAthens International Airport
    €1351One-way
    0 transfers

Other options

  • Aegean AirlinesA3129
    11:25 PM0h55
    Thessaloniki International Airport
    12:20 AMAthens International Airport
    €611One-way
    0 transfers
  • sky expressGQ389
    10:10 PM0h55
    Thessaloniki International Airport
    11:05 PMAthens International Airport
    €661One-way
    0 transfers
  • sky expressGQ391
    6:30 AM0h55
    Thessaloniki International Airport
    7:25 AMAthens International Airport
    €801One-way
    0 transfers

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, buses and flights

Compare train, bus, ferry, and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.

Wed
Sep 30
Thu
Oct 01
Fri
Oct 02
Sat
Oct 03
Sun
Oct 04
Mon
Oct 05
Tue
Oct 06
Wed
Oct 07
Thu
Oct 08
Fri
Oct 09
Sat
Oct 10
Sun
Oct 11
Mon
Oct 12
Tue
Oct 13
Wed
Oct 14
Thu
Oct 15
Fri
Oct 16
Sat
Oct 17
Sun
Oct 18
Mon
Oct 19
Tue
Oct 20

How to Travel from Thessaloniki to Athens?

The main way to travel from Thessaloniki to Athens is by plane. The average time for a direct flight is 50 minutes, while connecting flights take longer. A flight with transfer can take anywhere between 2 hours and 30 minutes and more than 19 hours, depending on the layover time and the number of transfers. There are flights with one or two transfers, and services are available every day of the week.

What Is the Cheapest Way to Get from Thessaloniki to Athens?

The cheapest way to travel from Thessaloniki to Athens is by plane. Direct flights cost significantly less than connecting flights. The majority of the lowest cost flights are from Olympic, and are operated by Aegean airlines. The services are available daily, and the earliest flight leaves around 6:25 a.m. while the last plane leaves around 10:25 p.m. during the week.

What Is the Fastest Way to Travel from Thessaloniki to Athens?

The fastest way to travel from Thessaloniki to Athens is through a direct flight. Olympic flights operated by Aegean Airlines take approximately 50 minutes to fly from Thessaloniki International Airport to Athens International Airport. Check-in time is about 50 minutes. The fastest connecting flights take around 2 hours and 34 minutes.

Find and Book With Omio The Best Tickets from Thessaloniki to Athens

With the Omio website and app, travelers can conveniently compare flights from Thessaloniki to Athens and filter trips by flight duration, cost, and departure time. 

Travel from Thessaloniki to Athens by Plane

Planes travel from Thessaloniki to Athens every day. You can find around 10 direct flights and around 24 more indirect flights daily. In total, there are approximately 34 flights between Thessaloniki and Athens each day, and there are several service providers for this route. For example, Olympic Air provides direct flights from Thessaloniki to Athens. Olympic Air is a subsidiary of Aegean Airlines, which is the Greek National Carrier. Other flight providers from Thessaloniki to Athens include Sky Express, Air Serbia, Blue Air, Turkish Airlines, Tarom, and Transavia Airlines.

When flying on Olympic Air, you can use self check-in to save time at the airport. If you choose to check-in online, make sure to arrive to the boarding gate at least 30 minutes prior to departure. 

The departure airport is the Thessaloniki International Airport. It is around 10.5 miles from the city center, which is accessible via a 30 minute taxi ride. The facilities at the airport include restaurants, cafeterias, duty free shops, banks, a post office, a veterinary station, parking, luggage storage, ticket counters and check-in counters.

The arrival station is the Athens International Airport. It is around 22 miles from the city center. A taxi ride into town takes approximately 40 minutes depending on the traffic. The airport is also connected via the metro and buses. The facilities at the airport include airport lounges, WiFi, airport hotels, showers, rest zones, luggage storage, mobile charging, baby rooms, ATMs, and a pharmacy. 

More than 1,000 travel companies trust us to sell their tickets all in one place.

Trenitalia
Easyjet
Deutsche Bahn
SNCF

FAQs: Travel from Thessaloniki to Athens

Travel to Athens easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Thessaloniki to Athens.

FAQs
There are 4 options to travel between Thessaloniki and Athens including taking a train, bus, ferry, and flight.
The cheapest way to travel from Thessaloniki to Athens is a ferry with an average price of €83.

This is compared to other travel options from Thessaloniki to Athens:

A ferry is €8 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Thessaloniki to Athens costing on average €90.

The fastest way to travel from Thessaloniki to Athens is by flight with an average journey time of 2h 59m.

Other travel options to Athens take longer:

Ferry takes on average 28h 27m.

The distance from Thessaloniki to Athens is approximately 188 miles (303 km).
The average frequency per day from Thessaloniki to Athens is:
  • Around 10 flights per day.
  • Around 1 ferries per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Thessaloniki and Athens as scheduled services by train, bus, ferry, and flight can vary by season or day of the week.

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Thessaloniki to Athens:
  • Flights mostly depart from Thessaloniki International Airport and arrive in Athens International Airport.
  • Ferries mostly depart from Port of Thessaloniki and arrive in Port of Piraeus.
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Thessaloniki to Athens, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with Blue Star Ferries to go to Athens by ferry.
  • Travel with Olympic Air, CitizenPlane, Aegean Airlines to go to Athens by flight.
Yes, there are direct services available from Thessaloniki to Athens with the following travel companies:
  • 1 direct ferries per day with Blue Star Ferries.
  • 10 direct flights per day with CitizenPlane, Aegean Airlines.
Omio customers who travel from Thessaloniki to Athens often also extend their vacation to go to Santorini (Island), Mykonos, Istanbul, Rome, Thira. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Athens and these popular destinations at a great price.
Most travelers need at least three days in Athens to see the main sights at a comfortable pace. If you want day trips or a slower itinerary, consider adding extra time.
In Athens, you can enjoy panoramic views from Mount Lycabettus, explore the vibrant Monastiraki Flea Market for antiques and souvenirs, and visit the Panathenaic Stadium, the only marble stadium in the world. Take a peaceful stroll through the National Garden of Athens or experience a traditional Greek performance at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Don't miss the Acropolis of Athens with its iconic Parthenon, the insightful Acropolis Museum, the historic Ancient Agora, and the extensive collections at the National Archaeological Museum. Wander through Plaka's narrow streets filled with neoclassical architecture and vibrant local shops and cafes.
Three to four days are ideal to explore Athens, allowing time to visit major attractions like the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and the Ancient Agora, while also enjoying local cuisine and culture.
HomeTravelTravel to GreeceTravel to AthensHow to travel from Thessaloniki to Athens

The Omio App Makes Travel Planning Easy

We’ll get you where you want to go. From live train updates to mobile tickets, our innovative app is the ideal way to plan and keep track of your travel.

ios-badge
android-badge
Hand With Phone