Search Athens to Thessaloniki below, then scroll for what actually runs in Greece right now.
The Greek railway is small, and parts of it are closed or replaced by buses. Here is every route run by Hellenic Train today.
| Line | Status | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Athens ↔ Thessaloniki (intercity) | Running | About five hours. Two departures each way, from about $81. |
| Athens Airport ↔ Piraeus (suburban) | Running | 40–45 minutes to Larissis station. About $10 one way. |
| Athens ↔ Chalkida (island of Euboea) | Running | About 1 hour 20 minutes. A reduced timetable is reported. |
| Athens ↔ Kiato ↔ Aigio (toward Patras) | Partial | Change at Kiato. Limited service. The link to Patras is unclear. |
| Larissa ↔ Volos (regional) | Check first | About 48 minutes when it runs. Upgrade work continues. |
| Athens → Meteora (Kalambaka) | Train + bus | Train to Palaiofarsalos, then a bus. Five to six hours. |
| Diakopto ↔ Kalavryta (Odontotos rack railway) | Suspended | Closed since March 12, 2026. No reopening date. |
| Ano Lechonia ↔ Milies (Pelion mountain train) | Seasonal | Mostly weekends and holidays. |
| Most Greek islands | No trains | Reach them by ferry. Euboea is the exception. |
Timetables change. Run your dates through the fare search first.
Almost everything runs along one spine between Thessaloniki and Athens. A few branches reach the coast, the monasteries, Euboea and the Peloponnese. The sea is the end of the line.
The Greek railway network serves the mainland only. It links the major urban centres, and most provincial towns have a train station on the line.
Here is a short history of the Greek railway. The first line opened in 1869 between Athens, a cradle of Western civilization, and the port of Piraeus. It was 8.8 kilometers long.
By 1909 Greece had about 1,606 kilometers of track, and the first standard-gauge trains ran from Athens to Thessaloniki in 1918.
The state organization OSE was founded in 1971. Its passenger business, TrainOSE, was privatized: the sale to Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane was agreed in 2016 for about $50 million and completed in 2017. It has run as Hellenic Train since 2022.
Train travel in Greece is less extensive than on other European rail networks: about 2,240 kilometers of operating track, or roughly 2,800 counting disused lines.
Hellenic Train operates services between Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece's two largest cities. The network is centered on them, and most other lines branch off it.
Intercity trains are the fastest option in Greece, but the journey still takes about five hours. Some pages quote under four hours, even 3 hours 57 minutes, which does not match current booking data (5 hours 10 minutes to 5 hours 40 minutes).
Trains on this line run at around 160 km/h on average, with 200 km/h as the top speed. Trains also connect Athens with main cities like Larissa, and the railway continues east from Thessaloniki through Eastern Macedonia toward Alexandroupoli.
A train ride on this route crosses the plains of Thessaly and Central Macedonia. The scenery turns to mountains for much of the journey, and you spend about five hours on board.
Regional trains link smaller towns and agricultural centers. Check current schedules, as they can change frequently.
In Athens, trains leave from Larissis station, also called Athens Central. Reserve a seat. First and standard class are offered.
Athens Larissis station has its own stop on metro line 2. The suburban railway to the airport and Piraeus also calls here.
Thessaloniki train station is the terminus for the intercity from Athens. Piraeus train station sits beside the ferry port, which makes it the natural starting point for a trip to the islands.
Hellenic Train runs the suburban railway from Athens International Airport to Larissis station and on to Piraeus. The trip takes roughly 40 to 45 minutes and a single ticket costs about $10.
The Athens Metro, line 3, also connects to Athens International Airport, so public transport reaches the terminal from the city center.
On arrival, take the suburban railway or the metro into the city. Travelers from the UK and Europe can fly into Athens and reach Larissis station this way.
The Greek islands are reached by ferry. Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes and Corfu have no railway.
Take a train or metro to the port of Piraeus, then pay for your ferry tickets separately and catch the ferry from there.
The exception is Euboea, connected to the mainland by a bridge. Suburban trains from Athens reach Chalkida in about 1 hour 20 minutes.
The line between Palaiofarsalos and Kalambaka has been closed since September 2023 because of flood damage. Take the train to Palaiofarsalos, then a connecting bus: five to six hours in total.
Some booking sites still list a direct train. They are out of date.
The monasteries, buildings set on rock pillars above Kalambaka, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site known around the world.
The Odontotos, or Kalavryta rack railway, runs through the Vouraikos Gorge from Diakopto. It was suspended on March 12, 2026 after landslides.
Scenic and historic railways are popular tourist attractions in Greece.
The Pelion train, a narrow-gauge steam train known as the Moutzouris, climbs from Ano Lechonia to Milies in the mountains above Volos, with stunning views. It runs mostly on weekends and holidays. If you are interested, check the timetable first.
The intercity train passes close to Mount Olympus. The suburban line toward Kiato crosses the Corinth Canal.
Scenic trains like these are why many travelers plan a whole trip around the Greek railway.
The Greek railway reaches cities and landscapes that are worth the ticket on their own.
The Acropolis is a short ride from Larissis station on metro line 2. Trains from the airport and Piraeus also arrive in the city.
The intercity from Athens ends at Thessaloniki train station. The White Tower stands on the waterfront, with the old town above it.
Volos is a port town reached by regional train from Larissa. The Pelion mountains rise right behind it.
The line toward Kiato crosses the Corinth Canal, a channel about six kilometers long between sheer limestone walls.
The train is not the fastest way to cross Greece, but it wins on comfort.
| Option | Typical time | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Intercity train | About 5 hours, station to station | A relaxed journey, no driving |
| Flight | About 1 hour in the air, about 3 hours door to door | Saving time |
| Car | Roughly 5 hours by motorway | Stops along the way |
Search your dates in the widget at the top of the page. Reservations are recommended on intercity trains and generally not required on regional and suburban services.
HighSpeedTrains lists the Athens–Thessaloniki line from about $81.
More space and quieter seating.
The default choice, with air conditioning.
Traveling through other countries by rail? A rail pass may be worth pricing out. For a single Greek journey, a regular ticket is simpler.
Greece is a country of long distances and a small railway, so choose your route first. Buy tickets ahead and treat bus connections as part of the journey.
Intercity tickets can sell out, so plan your trip early and check the departure time before you travel.
Check fares before you commit money to a hotel or a ferry. Fares are quoted per person.
Yes. Hellenic Train runs intercity, regional and suburban services, centered on Athens and Thessaloniki. The network is small compared with Central Europe, and some lines are suspended or replaced by buses.
About five hours. HighSpeedTrains lists a fastest time of roughly 5 hours 10 minutes over 507 km. Prices start from about $81.
Yes. Suburban trains run from the airport to Larissis station in roughly 40 to 45 minutes and on to Piraeus. A one-way fare is about $10.
Not a direct one. Take a train to Palaiofarsalos and a replacement bus, five to six hours in total. One report says direct trains are not expected back before mid-2027.
No. Those islands have no railway, so take a train or metro to Piraeus and a ferry. The exception is Euboea, connected to the mainland by a bridge and about 1 hour 20 minutes from Athens by suburban train.
Not right now. It has been suspended since March 12, 2026 after landslides, and no reopening date has been announced.
It runs seasonally between Ano Lechonia and Milies, mostly on weekends and holidays. Check the timetable first.
No. International trains from Thessaloniki, including the route to Sofia, are currently suspended. For Italy, take a ferry from Patras or Igoumenitsa.
In 1869, between Athens and the port of Piraeus, a line of 8.8 kilometers. The state railway organization, OSE, followed in 1971.
Search Athens to Thessaloniki and other Greek rail routes in one place.
Search Greece trains