Air Travel
Greece has sixteen international
airports, but only those in Athens, Thessaloníki, Iráklio
(Crete), Rhodes and Corfu take scheduled flights. Athens handles the vast
majority of flights, including all intercontinental traffic. Greece has
an extensive domestic air network. The majority of flights are handled
by Olympic Airways and its offshoot, Olympic Aviation. Olympic Airways
has offices wherever there are flights, as well as in other major towns.
Travelers can contact the Olympic Airways head office in Athens for more
details.
International airport
Athens (ATH) Located 27km northeastern of Athens, the new Athens International
Airport, is accessible via "Attiki Odos", a six-lane motorway constituting
the Athens City Ring Road. Public transport is provided by express airport
bus connections with Athens center and the port of Piraeus on a 24 h basis,
ensuring efficient transport of air travelers and facilitating linkage
to key tourist attractions.
Approximate flight times:
From London to Athens is 3 hours 15 minutes, From Los Angeles to Athens
is 18 hours 35 minutes. From New York to Athens is 10 hours 10 minutes.
From Singapore to Athens is 11 hours 25 minutes. From Sydney to Athens
is 22 hours 5 minutes
Road Travel
Roads are fairly good. On
the main roads, signs are in the Roman alphabet as well as the Greek one.
Off the beaten track, signs are often only in Greek and you will need a
working knowledge of the Greek alphabet to find your way. The speed limits
are 50km/h (31mph) in built-up areas, 80km/h (50mph) outside built-up areas
and 100km/h (62mph) on motorways.
Note that Greece has a high
accident rate so make sure you drive defensively. Drive on the right-hand
side and remember that safety belts are compulsory. Petrol prices are not
regulated.
A full British or other EU
driver's license is valid for driving in Greece. Most other nationalities
require an international driver's license. This can be obtained before
you leave home, or in Greece from the Automobile and Touring Club of Greece
(ELPA). You will need your national driver's license, passport and a passport-size
photograph.
Bus Travel
Buses link Athens and all
main towns in Greece There are two terminals in Athens: Terminal
A and Terminal B. For information on buses from Athens to the provinces,
enquire at Terminal A, 100 Kifissou Street, Athens or Terminal B, 260 Liossion
Street, Athens.
see
also information of bus schedules
Inter-city buses are cheap,
frequent and fast. Municipal buses within Athens and Thessaloníki
display their number and destination on the front. Tickets can be bought
before boarding from ticket booths near main stops, or from a corner kiosk.
You will need to stamp your ticket in the machine at the door when boarding.
Train Travel
Trains are cheap but slow,
with the exception of the express trains between Athens and Thessaloníki,
which take six hours and fifteen minutes. Main routes run between Athens
and Thessaloníki, Athens and Corinth, and Patrá and Kalamáta
with international connections. The most spectacular rail journey in Greece
is between Dhiakofton and Kalávrita.
Taxis
Taxis are cheap and are
good value, even for long journeys, especially if you are travelling with
friends. They should be metered. Drivers may pick up other passengers going
in the same direction, but this will not reduce your fare. In Athens an
empty taxi is often hard to find.
See
also taxi fares in Greece
Ports
Frequent ferries connect
Igoumenitsa and Patrá with the Italian ports of Ancona, Bari, and
Brindisi. Peraeus, the port of Athens, is the main gateway to the Aegean
islands. Many nearby islands and points on the Peloponnese coast are served
by hydrofoils, some of which go not from the main Piréas harbor,
but from Zea Marina, about 3km away. Up-to-date timetables are published
monthly by the Greek National Tourist Office. Ferries also sail from Rafína.
Many mainland towns have services to nearby islands.
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