Thessaloniki to Pelion, the Peloponnese and Athens: train, bus, flight or car
Flew into Thessaloniki and want to head south? Here are the options for each destination, how long they take and where to stop on the way.
- To Volos and Pelion: about 2h15 by car or 2h20 by bus.
- To Athens: about 50 minutes by air, 4–5.5 hours by train or about 5 hours by car.
- To the Peloponnese: a long day, best split with a night on the way.
You can fly into Thessaloniki and finish your holiday in Athens, or the reverse. It saves backtracking and lets you see central Greece.
Onward from Thessaloniki
Many travellers fly into Thessaloniki and continue to Pelion, Athens or the Peloponnese. Distances in Greece look short on a map but need planning. Here is a summary per destination.
| Destination | Car (approx.) | Public transport |
|---|---|---|
| Volos (gateway to Pelion) | about 206 km, about 2h15 | KTEL bus, about 2h20 |
| Athens | about 500 km, about 5 hours | Train 4–5.5 hours, flight about 50 min |
| Corinth (entry to the Peloponnese) | about 580 km, 5.5–6 hours | Via Athens |
| Nafplio / Kalamata | 6.5–7.5 hours | Via Athens |
Times are rounded and depend on traffic, stops and toll roads.
Thessaloniki to Pelion
The gateway to Pelion is Volos. According to Rome2rio, KTEL Magnesias buses leave Thessaloniki's KTEL Macedonia station roughly every four hours and take about 2h20. By car it is about 206 km on the A1 motorway, about 2h15. Local buses run from Volos to the mountain villages, but a hire car is far easier in Pelion. More in the Pelion travel guide and where to stay in Pelion.
Thessaloniki to Athens
- Flight: about 50 minutes, several a day. Handy without a car.
- Train (Hellenic Train): roughly 4 to 5.5 hours depending on the service. In 2026 the timetable was cut back for infrastructure works, so check hellenictrain.gr before planning.
- KTEL bus: about 6–7 hours.
- Car: about 500 km on the A1 with several tolls. You can stop at Meteora (about an hour's detour) or Delphi.
Thessaloniki to the Peloponnese
There is no short route. The road passes Athens (or skirts it on the ring road) and continues to Corinth: about 5.5–6 hours to the Peloponnese, plus one to two hours to Nafplio or Kalamata. Split the drive with a night in Pelion, Meteora or Delphi, or fly into Thessaloniki and home from Athens. See how to get to the Peloponnese and the Peloponnese road trip.
Travel tips
- One-way hire from Thessaloniki to Athens is possible, usually with a drop-off fee. See car rental in Thessaloniki.
- Meteora on the way: how to get to Meteora.
- On strike days, trains and buses may be disrupted. Check strikes today.
FAQ
How long from Thessaloniki to Pelion? To Volos about 2h15 by car or 2h20 by bus, then 30 minutes to an hour to the villages.
What is the fastest way from Thessaloniki to Athens? A flight of about 50 minutes. By train it is 4–5.5 hours, and by car about 5 hours.
Is there a direct train from Thessaloniki to Athens? Yes, Hellenic Train runs direct trains, but there are fewer in 2026 because of works. Check the current timetable.
Can you reach the Peloponnese from Thessaloniki in one day? Yes, but it is a 6–7.5 hour drive. A night on the way is better.
