Trying to figure out how to get to and from Thessaloniki Airport?
There’s no need to look any further – the Thessaloniki Airport bus is to the rescue!
We have looked into other transport options such as taking a readily available airport taxi, booking an Uber/Beat or hiring a private transfer but both options are pretty pricey. There’s also no metro system like the one you can use in Athens. The Thessaloniki Airport Bus is the only other option and it’s honestly the best one in our opinion.
It’s a reliable, easy and cost-efficient transport option for travelers visiting the beautiful Greek city of Thessaloniki.
Matthew and I used the bus service when we traveled to Thessaloniki International Airport from the city center. In this blog post, we are going to share all the big and small details you need to know about taking the bus such as pricing, how to buy a ticket, and even the pick-up points.
Let’s get into it!
QUICK ANSWER: How To Take The Thessaloniki Airport Bus
The best way to get to and from the airport is by using the Thessaloniki Airport Bus, an easy and affordable express bus service. It’s a reliable transport option that operates around the clock (pretty much 24 hours) for 7 days a week and it only costs about €1.80 each way. The journey time takes about 40 minutes to 1 hour depending on the bus you take and the traffic that day.
During the day, bus 01X runs from 6:10am to about 10:40pm. If you’re arriving later than 11:00pm, bus 01N can take you into or from the city till around 6:00am. Both bus routes will take you to certain stops in the city, the Central Railway Station and terminates at the “Makedonia” Intercity Bus Terminal (aka KTEL).
Thessaloniki Airport Bus: Everything You Need To Know
Matthew and I have tried, tested and recommend taking the Thessaloniki Airport bus!
It’s the cheapest option but it’s also very reliable. Before you book a private transfer or call for an airport taxi, this might be a better option for you too! Once you sort out which transport option is best for you, you can start planning your Thessaloniki itinerary instead! But let’s make it clear what taking the Thessaloniki Airport bus will be like.
Here’s all you need to know about the Thessaloniki Airport bus.
Which Thessaloniki Airport Bus To Take?
One of the most confusing things about taking public transport whenever you are traveling is trying to figure out which exact bus/metro to get on.
The Thessaloniki Airport Bus service makes it very simple. There are 2 buses you can take – depending on the time of day or the exact times you need to get to the city or the SKG Airport. Here’s more insight into each bus service to help you figure out which one works for you.
01X – Day Bus Service
The 01X bus is an express service that takes you from Thessaloniki Airport to the city center and eventually terminates at the main station, KTEL. The 01X bus runs from 6:00am to just before 11:00pm making fewer stops along the way. There are about 2-3 buses every hour so if you miss one – don’t worry the next 01X bus is around the corner!
You can find this Thessaloniki Airport bus service right outside both the Departure and Arrival terminals. There will be taxi lanes and then a bus stop sign across the terminals – look for the bus stop sign.
This 01X bus route takes about 40 minutes to reach the city center and about 55 minutes to reach the final destination, “Makedonia” Intercity Bus Station (KTEL).
Matthew and I took bus 01X from the city center to Thessaloniki Airport. We found the closest bus stop (read below how to find yours) which was only 3 minutes from Airbnb and we hopped on. We only made around 5 stops (if I remember correctly) and it only cost us €2.00 because we didn’t have the exact change.
01N – Night Bus Service
Getting into Thessaloniki late at night or in the early hours of the morning?
Look for the 01N Thessaloniki Airport bus service instead! This bus operates from 10:40pm to about 6:00am. It’s not an express service, you can expect to make quite a few stops as it’s Thessaloniki’s only bus that operates throughout the night.
You can find the 01N bus right outside the Arrivals or Departure terminals of Thessaloniki Airport and it takes you to the Central Railway Station or the Makedonia Intercity Bus Terminal (KTEL). It costs the same as the day bus, only €1.80 if you have the exact change.
Where To Find The Thessaloniki Airport Bus?
There are different answers based on your starting point – whether you want to take the bus from the airport to the city center or if you want to get from the city center to the airport. Here’s the answer for each scenario.
Outward Journey From Thessaloniki Airport To City Center
The answer is very easy and simple if you’re arriving at Thessaloniki Airport. You can find the Thessaloniki Airport bus right outside the Arrival terminal (there’s only one) and there will be a sheltered bus stop. You’ll also see a white kiosk where you can buy a bus ticket for €2.00 (or pay €1.80 if you have the exact change directly inside the bus).
The bus stop at the Departure terminal is right outside with a small sign. It’s a small airport so it’s very hard to miss and you will be taking it from the city to the airport, meaning they drop you right at the bus spot!
Return Journey From City Center To Thessaloniki Airport
What about finding the bus stop if you’re taking the Thessaloniki Airport bus from the city center to the airport?
It’s a little harder to figure out and honestly, it took me almost an hour when we were trying to figure out the best stop for us.
Here’s the thing: the 01X bus starts its journey from the Intercity Bus Terminal (KTEL). If you just want a straightforward, 100% chance you won’t miss the bus – you can take it from the KTEL bus station.
Otherwise, the Thessaloniki Airport bus does stop across the city. We found a bus stop only 3 minutes away from us which was better than going to the main bus station.
Here’s how to do it:
- Use this website: https://oasth.gr/
- Check the route info here to find your stop: https://oasth.gr/#el/routeinfo/list/620/74/73/
- Add Stop Information (right corner of the screen)
- Add a line (01X or 01N)
- Choose outward journey vs return journey
- Click ‘Select Bus Stop’
- To find your stop, check the names of the stops and search it on Maps
- Look for a monument nearby to narrow your search
- Choose a bus stop and save it
You can also just use the same bus stop as us which was a popular one called Kolomvou – it was fairly central and we used it ourselves so it’s verified (only if you trust us though 😉).
TTA Tip: Make sure you’re on the right side of the road! If you want to go to the airport, choose the side towards the ocean/promenade like the bus stop we mentioned above. On your return trip from the airport, you’ll get off on the other side of the road.
What’s The Price For The Thessaloniki Airport Bus?
This has got to be one of the cheapest tickets for a ride to the airport. It was the cheapest option and we were so happy we decided against taking an airport taxi or Uber. Everything worked out so easily as well, it’s almost a no-brainer to take the Thessaloniki Airport Bus!
There seems to be a little confusion with the price for the Thessaloniki Airport Bus. Here’s what we understood from our personal experience taking it.
The Thessaloniki Airport bus costs €1.80 if you pay directly on the bus via coins.
Whichever bus route you take, the 01X or the 01N, the price stays the same for each way (outward journey or return journey). The machine does not give change and that’s why most people say it costs €2.00. If you have the exact change, it can cost less otherwise expect to pay €2.00 as we did!
For some reason, the kiosk next to the bus stop at Makedonia airport has a base fare of €2.00. You can always pay on the bus instead of buying it from the kiosk – up to you! This actually leads to the next question…
Where To Buy The Thessaloniki Airport Bus Tickets?
You can buy your tickets directly on the bus.
There is a ticket machine on the bus near the doors that allow you to select your destination, insert your payment (coins only) and print your ticket.
The machine is all in Greek of course. The bottom left button seems to be the right one to press because it it the right price (€1.80) and it indicates the 01X and 01N bus. A lady was able to help us select the airport destination, if you have any trouble just ask. If it helps, the final destination is usually the airport on the 2 airport buses (01X and 01N).
Don’t forget: You’ll need to validate your ticket once you’ve got it. There’s a separate orange machine on the bus to validate it – it’s much smaller and it was closer to the driver area for us. If you get checked by an officer, it’s important to have a stamped ticket!
If you’re at the arrival terminal at Thessaloniki Airport, next to the bus shelter is a white kiosk with signs for the Thessaloniki Airport bus. They are selling them for €2.00 and they can probably give you change unlike if you bought your tickets on the bus itself.
Thessaloniki Airport Bus Schedule
The Thessaloniki Airport bus schedule is very simple and straightforward.
- Bus 01X, the day bus service operates from 6:10am to 10:40pm, leaving every 20-25 minutes for 7 days a week.
- Bus 01N, the night bus service operates from 11:10pm to 5:55am, leaving every 30 minutes for 7 days a week.
The 01X bus leaves about 2-3 times per hour whereas the 01N bus leaves 2 times every hour. It’s pretty similar, to be honest! Make sure to always arrive a little earlier because the buses can be off by 5-10 minutes (whether earlier or later than scheduled).
How Long Does The Thessaloniki Airport Bus To The City Take?
The distance from Thessaloniki Airport to the city center is about 13 kilometers. This makes the journey time for the Thessaloniki Airport bus around 40 minutes to 1 hour.
In our personal experience, we got on the 01X bus around 6:35am and we arrived at around 7:08am. It took us only 33 minutes to get from our bus stop, Komolvou in the city to the airport. This is probably because there was barely any traffic on the road at the time!
Give yourself a little extra time just in case the bus is late or if the traffic is bad and you won’t run into any issues catching your flight!
Our Personal Experience Taking The Thessaloniki Airport Bus
We loved taking the Thessaloniki Airport bus!
It’s probably one of our easiest experiences of getting to an airport. Once we figured out which stop was best for us (which took at least an hour), we simply walked to the bus stop. We waited around 10 minutes as we were early, got on the bus and we were off!
Make sure you keep some coins on you! The ticket machine only takes coins and the driver didn’t seem to collect money for tickets. We paid €2.00 each since no change is given. The buses are spacious enough for our 2 medium-sized digital nomad luggage!
We made it to Makedonia Airport in only 33 minutes and we got dropped off right at the Departures terminal next to the entrance. We strolled into the airport and went ‘phew’ that went according to plan – amazing!
If you want a cost-efficient, reliable transport option to get to and from the airport, the best option is the Thessaloniki Airport bus!
Taking The Thessaloniki Airport Bus Is Surprisingly Easy
There are plenty of transport options to take from Thessaloniki Airport to the city center. But the best one has to be the Thessaloniki Airport bus! It’s cheap, reliable and easy to figure out.
- You don’t have to stress about whether the bus is coming. It runs 24/7!
- You don’t have to worry about what the price could be. It’s only €1.80!
- You don’t have to manage your schedule as much. There’s at least 2 buses every hour!
Hopefully, this guide helped and you can head into Thessaloniki with a clear idea of what to do. We would definitely take the bus again if we had the opportunity to visit the charming city of Thessaloniki, Greece!
