Athens – Thessaloniki route: By car, by train, by bus or by plane?

Athens-Thessaloniki route, with the completion and modernization of necessary transport infrastracture projects, emerges as a major attraction by all means of transport; i.e. cars (motorways), airplanes, trains and buses all of which try to draw passenger traffic with offers and on occasion low prices. But what are the average travel prices and which means of transport is faster and more comfortable? This will depend mainly on 3 aspects:

Speed

Considering the distances that a passenger needs to cover to get to a bus station, train station or the airport, the winner is the airplane.

If we estimate that it takes  roughly 45-60 minutes to arrive at Athens Airport and an additional 40-60 minutes before take-off,  a 40-minute-long flight and an additional 40 minutes to arrive at the center of Thessaloniki, then (without counting in additional waiting at bus stops), the plane trip to Thessaloniki takes 2 hours and 45 minutes to 3 hours and 20 minutes. It is also worth noting that many flights are scheduled daily between the two cities, allowing passengers to arrive at a desired time, ranging from very early in the morning to late at night.

– The second fastest means, is the car as, at an average speed of 120 km/h (or even 130 km/h in some sections), non-stop and equipped with a wireless toll payment device, it takes about 4 hours and 20 minutes to get to Thessaloniki.

– The third fastest means is now the train. Roughly, it takes 20-30 minutes to reach Athens Central Railway Station, about 15 minutes before the train starts, 4 hours for the journey and an additional 15-20 minutes for someone to reach its destination, making for a total of 4 hours and 50 minutes to 5 hours.

– The fourth fastest means is the intercity bus (KTEL). According to Thessaloniki KTEL website, a journey by bus lasts at least 5 hours and 45 minutes, and if we count additional the time needed to reach the bus station in Athens and Thessaloniki (20+20 minutes), then the total time exceeds 6 hours and 25 minutes.

Prices

With reference to prices, the cheapest medium is the bus with prices as low as 53 euros for a return ticket (online booking). Occasionally, cheaper tickets are possible to be booked by plane (depending the offer), however the average price ranges between 55 and up to 88 euros per direction (concerns bookings one month in advance).

The train tickets prices depend on the class. The first class ticket costs 55 euros and the second class tickets 45 euros. Booking a return ticket comes with a 20% discount, meaning that A`Class costs around 88 euros (return) and B Class around 72 euros (also return).

Regarding the car, for a single passenger the cost of a return journey is about 160 euros (70 euros for the tolls and 90 euros for fuel). For those who use diesel or gas prices are even lower.

Convenience

Finally we have to assess the journey experience and comfort of travel factor. Here things become a bit more complicated. The train offers a more comfortable ride, with plenty of space the ability to get up, walk, visit the canteen or the WC easily. Additionally, in A’ Class (and soon in B’ Class too) there is WiFi available, power sockets, tables for laptops and books while free newspapers are also distributed. Access to both the station and the train is easy and simple.

On the other hand, when using a car, the driver enjoys full freedom of movement, there is no need for walking while the journey can be fully customized in terms of tempo, music, etc.

By bus, travel is also increasingly comfortable as it offers WiFi, movies to watch and usually 2 stops, although it’s difficult to leave your seat and remain standing for a long time.

The plane in this category is probably lagging behind. Waiting at the airport, with multiple checks and queues, access to the airplane and the space tightness in the aircraft are the major drawbacks. while during the short flight, the experience gets more enjoyable with the offering of free coffee or a refreshment along with a snack. In A’ Class there are free newspapers and more services. It is worth mentioning that the airplane is also means the only means with personnel dedicated to passengers’ care.

So, airplane, train, car or bus? All different means have their own advantages-disadvantages and according to each person’s needs and desires can offer a journey with comfort, safety and an overall positive experience.

Nikos Karagiannis-ypodomes.com

Follow Nikos Karagiannis on Twitter and Linkedin