Getting around Thessaloniki
A brand-new metro, one €0.60 ticket for everything, flat-rate airport taxis and boats to the beach. Here's how the city moves — verified July 2026.
- Metro / bus single €0.60
- 24 h pass €2.50
- Airport bus 01X €2
- Airport taxi €25 flat (day)
Arriving
From Makedonia Airport (SKG) to the centre
The airport sits 13–17 km southeast of the centre, by the sea. You have three good options; there is no metro link yet — the closest station will be Mikra when the Kalamaria extension opens. See our dedicated airport transfer guide for timetables and night arrivals.
Bus 01X / 01N
€2.00 flat (special line — day passes not valid). 01X runs by day, 01N through the night, every 20–30 minutes, stopping near Aristotelous Square and the White Tower. Allow 30–45 min. Buy at the machine or kiosk before boarding and validate on board.
Taxi — fixed fare
€25 day (05:00–24:00) / €35 night (00:00–05:00) to the city ring, luggage and taxes included. Rank directly outside arrivals; ride is 25–30 minutes. Thessaloniki taxis are dark blue with a white roof. Cards accepted.
Heading to Halkidiki?
There is no direct coach from the airport. Take bus 79A (or a €15–20 taxi) to the KTEL Chalkidikis terminal, then a coach onward. Full details on the Halkidiki day-trips page.
Night arrival tip
After midnight your options are the 01N bus (€2, runs all night) or the €35 night-rate taxi. Both are safe and routine — agree nothing "off meter"; the flat rate is the law for the airport–centre ring.
The new pride of the city
Thessaloniki Metro
Opened on 30 November 2024 after decades of digging (the tunnels kept finding antiquities), Line 1 runs driverless trains through 13 stations from the New Railway Station to Nea Elvetia in about 18 minutes. Don't miss Venizelou station, where the excavated Byzantine marble avenue is displayed exactly where it was found.
The Kalamaria extension (Nomarchia, Kalamaria, Aretsou, Nea Krini, Mikra) was announced to enter passenger service by end of July 2026 — check thessmetro.gr for live status.
- Runs roughly 05:30–00:30 daily, every few minutes.
- Useful stops: Venizelou (markets, Ladadika), Agias Sofias (centre, churches), Sintrivani (Arch of Galerius, University), Panepistimio (AHEPA hospital).
- Fully step-free; ticket machines take cards.
Tickets
One integrated ticket for metro + buses
Since the 2026 fare reform, the same ticket covers the metro and all OASTH city buses. Buy at station machines, kiosks (περίπτερα) or ticket offices; validate at the gates / on board.
| Ticket | Full price | Reduced* | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single ride | €0.60 | €0.30 | Metro + bus, one journey |
| 10 + 1 rides | €5.80 | €2.90 | Eleven rides for the price of ~9.6 |
| 24-hour pass | €2.50 | €1.25 | Unlimited metro + bus; not valid on special lines |
| 30-day pass | €16.00 | €8.00 | For longer stays |
| Special lines 01X / 01N airport · 50 Cultural Line · KTEL-Chalkidikis expresses | €2.00 | €1.00 | Separate flat fare |
* Reduced: under-18s, students, 65+, with ID. Fares verified July 2026 at thessmetro.gr — always check current prices.
Buses
OASTH city buses
Buses fill the gaps the single metro line doesn't cover — especially the seafront, Ano Poli and the western station area. Validate your ticket at the orange machines as you board; inspections are frequent and fines are steep.
Lines tourists actually use
- 01X / 01N — Airport ⇄ centre (€2 special fare, 01N all night).
- 50 “Cultural Line” — a €2 sightseeing loop past the major monuments, with commentary; departs from the White Tower.
- 45 / 45A / 45B — Egnatia & KTEL Makedonia ⇄ KTEL Chalkidikis (for Halkidiki coaches).
- 22 / 23 — from Eleftherias Square up into Ano Poli — saves the steep climb.
- 79A / 79B — Airport ⇄ IKEA hub ⇄ KTEL Chalkidikis.
- 3, 5, 6, 33 — the Egnatia trunk corridor east–west.
Live departures: Google Maps works well, or the OASTH app/site (oasth.gr).
Taxis
Blue-and-white taxis: fares & phone numbers
Thessaloniki's taxis are dark blue with a white roof. Hail on the street, find a rank (Aristotelous, train station, White Tower), phone a radio company or use an app. POS card payment is mandatory by law.
Metered fares (official tariff)
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Flag fall / meter start | €1.80 |
| Minimum fare | €4.00 |
| Tariff 1 (in city, 05:00–24:00) | €0.90 / km |
| Tariff 2 (00:00–05:00 or outside city) | €1.25 / km |
| Luggage over 10 kg | €0.39 / piece |
| Station / port / bus-terminal pickup | + €1.07 |
| Airport ⇄ centre (fixed, all-inclusive) | €25 day · €35 night |
| Phone booking (appointment) | up to €5.65 |
A cross-town ride in the centre is typically €5–8. Tariff number (1 or 2) shows on the meter.
Radio taxi companies (24/7)
| Company | Phone |
|---|---|
| Taxiway biggest fleet, minivans, English-speaking line | 18300 · +30 2310 866 866 |
| Radio Taxi Makedonia since 1983 | +30 2310 550 500 · +30 2310 517 417 |
| Mercedes Taxi Club | 18180 · +30 2310 525 000 |
| White Tower Radio Taxi | +30 2310 214 900 |
| Omega | +30 2310 511 855 |
Apps
FREE NOW and Uber both work in Thessaloniki — in Greece they dispatch licensed taxis at meter rates, so the price is the same as hailing; the apps just add tracking and card handling.
Onward travel
Trains & intercity coaches (KTEL)
Trains
The New Railway Station (west end, on the metro) is Hellenic Train's northern hub:
- Athens ~4–4.5 h InterCity — book seats ahead.
- Litochoro (Mount Olympus) ~1–1.5 h.
- Edessa ~1.5–2 h regional.
- Kalambaka / Meteora ~3 h (change at Paleofarsalos on most services).
KTEL Makedonia
The main intercity coach terminal (Monastiriou, west of the centre; frequent city buses + a short ride from the NRS metro). Coaches to most of Greece: Athens, Ioannina, Kavala, Veria (for Vergina), Katerini and beyond.
KTEL Chalkidikis
A separate terminal in the east (Pylaia, 68 Karakasi St) serves every Halkidiki destination. Reach it with bus 45A/45B from Egnatia or a ~€8–12 taxi. Tickets online at ktelchalkidikis.gr · tel +30 2310 316 555.
Only in Thessaloniki
Karavakia — the water buses
From mid-April into autumn, small passenger boats link the Port and the White Tower pier with the sandy suburbs of Nei Epivates and Peraia across the gulf — the locals' favourite way to reach a beach without leaving town.
- €10 one-way (~50–60 min); reduced fares for kids and groups.
- Roughly four round trips a day in season; no sailings on Tuesdays early season.
- Weather-dependent — sailings pause on windy days. Schedules: karavakia.gr.
Walking, bikes & scooters
The centre is flat and dense: Port → White Tower is a 25-minute seafront stroll. A cycle lane runs the length of Nea Paralia; shared e-scooters and bikes (Lime and local operators) are everywhere downtown. Only Ano Poli is steep — take bus 22/23 up and walk down.
Cheat sheet
Which option, when?
| Situation | Best choice | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Airport → hotel, daytime | Bus 01X (cheap) or fixed-fare taxi (fast) | €2 / €25 |
| Airport → hotel, 02:00 am | 01N night bus or taxi night rate | €2 / €35 |
| Sightseeing day in the centre | Walk + 24 h pass for hops | €2.50 |
| Centre → Ano Poli (uphill) | Bus 22/23 from Eleftherias Sq. | €0.60 |
| Beach without a car | Karavaki boat to Peraia / Nei Epivates | €10 |
| Halkidiki beaches | KTEL Chalkidikis coach | €12–15 |
| Late dinner across town | Taxi (hail or app) | €5–8 |
| Day trip to Vergina / Veria | KTEL Makedonia coach | ~€10 |
Accessibility
The metro is fully step-free with tactile guidance. Most OASTH buses kneel and have ramps (check with the driver). Taxiway dispatches wheelchair-accessible minivans on request. The waterfront promenade is flat and smooth; Ano Poli's cobbles are the main challenge.
Keep exploring
Now that you can move around…
