Kat Reply:
July 2nd, 2008 at 21:40

Never heard any KTEL buses announce stops in English in my 11 years traveling Greece, and my Greek friends never heard this in their lifetime even in tourist towns; in fact, they laughed and wondered if this might have happened in another country. I’m pretty sure “charming” or “adventure” are good words to describe the novelty of new experiences or occasional visits to Greece, but not standing and sweating in a narrow aisle of a non-airconditioned bus in 37C weather with nothing to hold onto during a 5-hr journey while fellow passengers stare and push past you when KTEL has purposely overbooked the bus.

Still, I’ve always had good experiences and KTEL is a necessary network when one would like to be environmentally friendly (especially with gas prices being what they are) and/or does not own a car.

Kat Reply:
July 5th, 2008 at 21:41

LOL! Clearly one of the wittiest and funniest comments on this website.

Kat Reply:
July 5th, 2008 at 22:42

G – So nice to see you here again! Traveling throughout Mexico in 2002, I used local and interstate buses as my main form of transportation to/from everything. For me, the pros were many: Incredibly cheap, clean, air conditioned, quiet, on time, no smoking. The only con I remember is the suspension of some buses was not very good, which meant you felt absolutely every bump and crack in the road. But knowing I could go 15 miles to the airport for 2 dollars seemed to make it OK.

The other convenient thing was Mexican taxis. Any little white van would stop and take you wherever you wanted to go for a fixed price if you stood by the side of the road. Back then you could also bargain, but I never did because it’s just so reasonable. Plus, everyone smiled and appreciated your business.

I never saw any animals on Mexican buses, nor Indian buses when I spent an extended period there in several towns/villages. But yes, seeing goats and chickens on KTEL buses in Greece is not widespread. The gossiping hens are everywhere, unfortunately.

Kat Reply:
July 11th, 2008 at 21:43

Hi Brian, there isn’t a train to Mycenae, so you’d need to take a KTEL bus.

There’s a bus departing Athens to Nafplio from ‘Terminal A’ almost hourly; click ‘Terminal A (Kifissou Street)’ above to see the times. This bus says it stops in Mycenae (also called Mykines), but it actually drops you 3 km outside in the village of Fihtio. If you don’t want to walk with your luggage in full heat (and dust) and your wife can’t come get you, it’s best to go all the way to Nafplio (a beautiful place, btw), then take a bus from Nafplio to Mycenae; see ‘KTEL Argolis.’

Since the bus from Nafplio-Mycenae (Mykines) departs 3 times a day at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00, you will want to schedule your bus from Athens-Nafplio accordingly.

I hope that helped, and have a nice trip!

P.S. My friend lives/works in S. America and tells me the same thing!

Kat Reply:
July 11th, 2008 at 22:02

The hydrofoil you reference was operated by Hellenic Seaways, and I cannot find any info about it. Last I heard, that line had been suspended, which in my opinion is just as well because hydrofoils have a reputation for being canceled at any hint of wind or rough seas; plus it takes just as long by sea as by bus and is more expensive. In my opinion, the best route to Nafplio/Mycanae is by bus — it’s guaranteed to leave, it’s got AC and almost always quiet since the driver makes sure of it.

Kat Reply:
July 16th, 2008 at 20:44

M – Through a simple Google search, I found these schedules for Igoumenitsa-Preveza, plus Lefkas, Lefkada, Vasiliki and Athens.

http://www.vasiliki.eu/div/howtoget/bus.html

It will be added to the list to help others. Thank you for your question.

Kat Reply:
July 17th, 2008 at 22:56

Actually, there is not only a note about it in this article (see the 2nd paragraph), but there’s a whole article about the fact they took down their site back in April if you click the link, “KTEL website” under Related Posts at the end of this post.

People can use: a) The ‘KTEL Attikis’ link I provided to access free schedules for Rafina using their website; or b) use the link in the 3rd paragraph to access the regular local phone number list of KTEL offices or EOT to inquire, thereby avoiding the prepaid service.

Kat Reply:
July 22nd, 2008 at 22:58

The Kalambaka-Delphi leg has two buses; specific info is not available, nor is the Olympia-Delphi timetable. Therefore, as I say in the article, advice in the third paragraph applies.

Kat Reply:
August 1st, 2008 at 23:52

From what I see at http://www.ose.gr, there is no direct Athens-Ptolemaida line by train. So in my humble opinion, the bus would be easier, faster and they depart more often. But taking a train vs. bus is really a personal choice. Regarding Ptolemaida, Igoumenitsa and Corfu, look under KTEL Makedonia (the Excel sheet is Greek/English) and I added a KTEL Corfu link for you in the article. I cannot vouch for its accuracy as I do not have first-hand experience traveling this route. The third paragraph of this article to contact KTEL or the EOT may apply in your situation.

Kat Reply:
August 18th, 2008 at 23:48

If you click the KTEL Makedonia link, it takes you to a bilingual website and provides a bilingual Excel sheet with Drama-Thessaloniki bus schedules. Just look for anything with a green checkmark beside the day and time you desire. Buses run from 7:30 to 21:00.

Kat Reply:
October 24th, 2008 at 21:46

FYI, KTEL’s website wasn’t all that easy to navigate when finding schedules point-to-point when it existed either. The only power I have is to pass knowledge I possess and offer links that are useful. I do say my list is not comprehensive because the offering is not comprehensive.

The KTEL phone list is provided above, but I also say it’s for Greek speakers, so you’ve essentially repeated what I already stated.

True. EOT is not perfect, but they do exist to serve travelers. Indifference and apathy can be found in every corner of the country, regardless of political affiliation. Rumors are also a part of Greek life.

I agree with you that taking photos of schedules is primitive and will certainly help for as long as they’re valid, though some change. This is the reason I don’t post schedules on my website as I’d be updating dozens if not hundreds of them.

I disagree with you that independent travelers can only get around by speaking fluent Greek. I do not speak fluent Greek and have been traveling this country solo for 11 years; it helps greatly to have a flexible schedule and a sense of humor. It’s not difficult to ask someone for help in English, or learn one question in Greek from a phrase book and have the information written down. But you’re correct in saying it’s difficult to make advance plans.

It can be an exasperating situation, but part of being an independent traveler and having a good time is accepting a country for what it is and not what one thinks it should be. And at least you get to go home afterward Have a great journey, and thank you for leaving your thoughts today.

Kat Reply:
November 27th, 2008 at 21:54

The Athens-Trikala/Meteora (Kalambaka) route is listed above under KTEL Athens ‘Terminal B’ (the first section), so you should have found that on your own. The Kalambaka-Delphi leg has two buses; you can find out what time they depart upon your arrival in Kalambaka because I can’t remember when they depart or find that information online to show you. The “return” Delphi-Athens leg is listed under the same first section (KTEL AThens ‘Terminal B’) I mentioned previously.

In the future, you can use the “Find” option in your browser to assist your search.

Kat Reply:
March 23rd, 2009 at 23:33

I’ve answered the Meteora-Delphi question twice already, most recently in the comment right above yours. Future redundant questions will be deleted per my policy.

Kat Reply:
May 15th, 2009 at 22:56

Hi Margo, the bus is a perfectly good option and you should use it. Answers to all your questions are already in the article. If you didn’t see Epidavros listed in the section under “KTEL Athens” and “Terminal A,” you could have also used the “Find” option in your browser (as I instruct in the “Tip” section) to find the link, which would take you to the schedule. You take the bus from Athens to Nafplio (leaving every 60 minutes), then Nafplio to Epidavros (5 buses daily).

As I also explain in the article, you can make a reservation by calling the phone numbers linked in the third paragraph, assuming you speak Greek. If you don’t speak Greek or don’t have someone to help you, you can easily get a seat by showing up early the same day or buying a ticket in advance.

Kat Reply:
May 28th, 2009 at 22:23

You’re welcome, and looking forward. It’s nice when people give back to the website instead of taking all the time. Have a good trip!

Kat Reply:
June 14th, 2009 at 22:17

You need to take Athens to Thessalonikis (link to schedule is above), then Thessaloniki to Ptolemaida (link to schedule is above). Please follow instructions on how to use your browser to pinpoint destinations. Answer to your question about reservations is covered in the article and also answered in comments above by others asking the same thing.

Kat Reply:
June 22nd, 2009 at 22:14

I agree with you. I never had issues taking KTEL and actually enjoy it more than traveling by car in Greece.

Kat Reply:
July 27th, 2009 at 23:07

Hi Greg, thanks for stopping in and your kind words. Here’s the thing. You can take a bus direct from Athens to Kefallonia if you’re traveling on Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu or Fri. Does that suit you? If yes, take a look at the schedule under the first section “KTEL Athens,” then click the link under “Terminal A: Kifissou Street.” There is an afternoon and evening departure, and the bus ticket includes the ferry across and drops you in Lixouri.

If that doesn’t suit you (i.e., you’re arriving on Wednesday or Saturday and can’t take the direct bus), you can take the bus from Kifissou Athens to Zakynthos, get off at Kyllini before the bus crosses with the ferry. There is a 12:15 departure that will help you make the 19:45 ferry you mentioned to Lixouri. There’s also a later departure, but it won’t arrive in time to catch that specific ferry.

I’ve taken both buses, and Kefallonia is a lush, beautiful island dotted with lemon trees. Enjoy your stay

Kat Reply:
August 16th, 2009 at 22:54

Hi Cindy, good question.

- If they’re going straight from the Athens airport to the bus station to either destination, they’d take the X93 bus and get off at the last stop, which delivers them to KTEL Bus Terminal A (Kiffisou). A ticket is 3.20 euro. (If they’re staying in Athens before making the onward journey, they/you can ignore this bit).

- Athens to Kyparissia: KTEL buses depart from Terminal A (Kiffisou) at 07:45, 12:00, 15:45, 20:15. Journey takes approximately 4.5 hours. There is a train option, but it will take 7 hours and I don’t recommend it because one line is prone to delays/disruptions due to ongoing work.

- Athens to Megalopoli: Also departing from Terminal A (Kiffisou), the link to the bus timetable can be found in the article above under ‘KTEL Arkadias’ and is offered in English. Journey takes 3 hours, there are eight (8) departures Mon-Fri, but no service Sat/Sun. They train option involves a longer travel time.

- Between Kyparissia and Megalopoli: There aren’t any buses or trains. If the campsite doesn’t have an organized tour/bus, renting a car/scooter will be less costly than taxi fare to/from the site. I also recommend bargaining.

Warning: Megalopoli is dominated by two power plants, which make it a less charming or impressive site than others in Greece.

Kat Reply:
August 25th, 2009 at 20:48

There is no direct bus. You’d need to take Delphi to Athens and Athens to Corinth. Links to schedules are published under the section ‘KTEL Athens’; Terminal A (Corinth) and Terminal B (Delphi). There is an alternative way using a bus and train, but I’ve heard complaints that these connections aren’t coordinated.

Kat Reply:
October 3rd, 2009 at 20:23

Astakos to Athens is listed in the article under Athens Terminal ‘A’; please take a look at the two buses running daily. All of the information I’ve collected is above, and I have not personally traveled the routes you’re inquiring about.

There are still buses running on public holidays, though their frequency may be reduced.

Kat Reply:
January 22nd, 2010 at 01:53

The website still works, but the schedules were removed. I can only assume it became too time consuming to update, which is the reason I won’t post them myself, or they will relaunch the site in the future.

From Thessaloniki, you need to get a bus to Trikala, then Trikala to Kalambaka. However, I do not know arrival/departure times. If advance planning is necessary, best to call (contact info is on website). If “going with the wind” is OK, inquire at the KTEL bus station when you’re here or your hotel concierge will have a schedule or call after you arrive.

Kat Reply:
January 24th, 2010 at 18:16

Athens to Meteora:
From the Athens Airport, take X93 to the KTEL Liosion stop, where your bus to Trikala departs. As you said, there is a 9:30 or 11:30 bus. From Trikala, you will take one of 20 daily buses departing to Kalambaka, and the ride is 30 min. In Kalambaka, you can easily catch a taxi to the top of Meteora. Some people (like me) walk up and down, but you are short on time.

Meteora to Thessaloniki:
There are two options.
1) Bus: Take one of 20 daily KTEL Kalambaka-Trikala buses (I don’t have a schedule), then take another KTEL bus from Trikala to Thessaloniki with one of 6 buses daily, starting at 8:00 and ending at 21:00. The ride takes 5.5 hours. *I only have the departure times for Thessaloniki-Trikala (8:30, 12:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:30, 22:00); I do not have the Trikala-Thessaloniki schedule, but you can use the e-mail or phone number listed at http://www.ktelmacedonia.gr to contact them.
2) Train: There is now only one train with OSE from Kalambaka to Thessaloniki, departing at 7:59, with a time of 2 hours and 40 minutes. Unfortunately, this doesn’t fit your time schedule.

I can certainly understand wanting to see Meteora. But when one is rushed like this, it’s quite difficult to relax and get in touch with the serenity of the place.

Kat Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 02:18

Answers to your questions lie both in the schedule and the article.

a) If you click the link of KTEL Athens Terminal A, it says there is a bus to Nafplio at 6:30 p.m.
b) If you look under the article heading, “Practical info about traveling by bus in Greece,” the last line says that buses run on holidays, including Easter.

Please read more carefully next time, and have a nice trip.

*Warning to all readers: According to the policy stated in “Comments, Questions and Contacting Me,” the ability to leave comments will be closed or questions deleted if redundancy persists. I provide info to empower people to help themselves, and repeating information denies me the opportunity to write new articles.

Follow-up: There’s no way for me to know in advance how KTEL will curtail its schedules that particular day. The only way to find out is to call or show up in the morning and inquire.

Kat Reply:
February 10th, 2010 at 01:31

Hi Karen,

This is a good question, and I’m a bit surprised at myself for not including this information in the article. As a result, I will update it.

There is plenty of storage underneath the bus, and you can indeed bring a small or large suitcase with you. I’ve seen people bring furniture, boxes, bicycles and all kinds of things. Cargo can also be booked for the ride without a passenger, though I have never done it myself.

Have a nice trip!

Kat Reply:
February 14th, 2010 at 17:49

I don’t see a direct connection. I see:
a) Larissa to Ioannina: Schedule, 3 hours (catch this bus at the Vizaniou bus station, not the main one)
b) Ioannina to Preveza: Schedule, 2 hours

This answer was found by using the “Tip” I give in the article, pinpointing Preveza with your brower’s ‘Find’ function, which would have taken you to the KTEL Epirus section. However, schedules are in Greek, so I was happy to assist and combine it with my own knowledge.

All best.

Kat Reply:
February 18th, 2010 at 21:21

To Patra from where? Athens, Thessaloniki?

Follow-up: I found this answer by Googling ‘athens patra train,’ so I suppose you could have also. From the Athens airport (‘Airport’), you take the proastiakos (suburban railway) to ‘Kiato.’ From Kiato, you’ll need to buy a ticket in the same station from OSE (Greek train system) to Patras.

Schedules found at http://www.trainose.com Switch language to English, then find what you need under ‘Journeys’

Kat Reply:
March 13th, 2010 at 13:18

The closest I see is Athens to Preveza, and you can find the schedule by clicking the link in the first section under ‘KTEL Athens – Terminal A’

I’ve never traveled this route. By doing a Google search, which you could do also, I see Vounaki/Paleros is 30-40 minutes from Preveza, and most people get a taxi or have a shuttle (arranged by hotel/Sunsail/tour) pick them up. There is no bus.

When I say there is no bus to Paleros/Vounaki, I mean there is no bus to Paleros/Vounaki. So asking me if there’s one from Patra or another city will still get you the same answer I gave for Athens.

Kat Reply:
April 15th, 2010 at 00:32

Hi Cherie,

There are two ways to get from Corfu to Ioannina. The first one is the way you found on your own: Corfu ->Igoumenitsa->Ioannina. The other way is to take Corfu->Thessaloniki at 7:45 (only departure), which stops in Ioannina. Just make sure to tell the person that’s what you want when you buy the ticket, so they charge you the right fare, and the driver can see that’s where you need to go and tell you when to get off. If that morning departure is inconvenient, full or missed, then just take the other route through Igoumenitsa.

Pertaining to your other two questions.
a) As the article states above, summer schedules run April to October, but I noticed that the changeover is not harmonized across regions. So I cannot give you a concrete answer because that’s how it is.
b) I only recommend pre-purchasing a ticket if it’s high season (July/August); any other time it’s fine to just show up early to buy a seat. In the USA, Sweden and UK, I prefer to have reservations, but in Greece I’ve done the opposite for 12 years. Deciding to buy in advance really depends on your comfort level.

Have a good trip!

Kat Reply:
April 14th, 2010 at 23:40

If you wait there and put out your arm when you see the right bus, it should pick you up. You can buy a ticket on board, so no worries and have a nice time.

Kat Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 18:28

Hello, if the links and routes you need aren’t listed, please use the advice I give to inquire with the tourist information office and KTEL direct. I regret that I cannot provide travel services or find time to research four different routes beyond what I’ve already made available in the article.

Kat Reply:
May 7th, 2010 at 01:40

I already answered this question on August 16, 2009 22:54 in response to Cindy. Please take a look.

You could have found this answer by using the “Tip” I give in the article, using your browser, clicking ‘Edit’ then ‘Find’ and typing in Kypar, which would have highlighted all matches or taken you to the next match with ‘Find Next.’ That’s how I found it.

Alternatively, as also stated in the post, the tourist office could have helped you or hotel concierge, if applicable.

All best.

Kat Reply:
May 16th, 2010 at 15:22

From Meteora to Zagorohoria.

Meteora/Kalambaka –> Trikala: There are bus departures nearly every hour from 5:20-22:15, even on weekends with fewer departures.
Trikala –>Ioannina: There are two bus departures, one at 8:00 and the other at 15:00, daily.
Ioannina–>Zagorohoria: There are two bus departures, one at 7:30, the other at 14:45, daily.

The first two schedules were available from KTEL Trikala in Greek, which is on my list. I don’t see a more direct way of getting there, though I’m open to anyone who has suggestions.

Kat Reply:
May 25th, 2010 at 12:16

The ktel.org link is referenced because that’s where KTEL schedules were originally stored, when it was the “official” site. It was always a private company given care of information by KTEL to make free to the public but then went for profit when other events unfolded, as I say above.

The ktelbus.com link — not ktelbus.gr, which simply forwards to ktelbus.com — is linked in “KTEL phone numbers in Greek” and “KTEL contact list in English,” so this is info I already knew and had available. Most of my readers don’t speak/read Greek, and the website and phone numbers aren’t helpful. I translate relevant info here (cities, links), so they at least know what schedule to look at if it’s not in English.

I’m more than happy to edit down this article when the English version is ready, in fact I welcome it because this post takes several hours to update and I’d rather use my time to create new material. But for two years, the service I provide has filled a gap for a lot of people.

Thank you!

Kat Reply:
May 31st, 2010 at 23:18

Hi Gary, thank you for leaving a note. I’m glad I was able to help in some small way, as I understand that independent travelers can have a challenging time figuring out transport within Greece. Have a wonderful time at the wedding and on Corfu!

Kat Reply:
June 26th, 2010 at 11:00

I found the answer to your question by following the instructions I give under ‘Tip.” Use the browser, go to ‘Edit’–> ‘Find’ then enter ‘Parga.’ Under KTEL Thesprotia, Thessaloniki and Parga are both listed.

The website is in Greek, but you can copy the link I gave and put it into Google Translate to see it in another language. Look at schedules: 1) Thessaloniki –> Igoumenitsa and 2) Igoumenitsa –> Parga. All best.

Kat Reply:
July 1st, 2010 at 17:10

I found the answer to your question by following the instructions I give under ‘Tip.’ Use your browser, go to ‘Edit’ then ‘Find’ and type in ‘Lefkas.’ By doing that, it highlights KTEL Lefkada on the list, and Igoumenitsa, Lefkas and Preveza are all listed. Click the link to see schedules.

I also gave this answer on July 16, 2008 in Comments, in response to ‘Mara’ who asked the same question.

Kat Reply:
July 3rd, 2010 at 19:40

I found the answer to your question by following the instructions I give under ‘Tip.’ Use your browser, go to ‘Edit’ then ‘Find’ and type ‘Pyrgos.’

This highlights KTEL Ilia on the list, and Kyllini is also in the same group. The website is only in Greek, but I believe you can read Greek. For those who cannot, this is the direct link to KTEL schedules for “Pyrgos-Kyllini and Kyllini-Pyrgos“; copy/put the link into Google, babelfish or another translation program.

The Tripoli-Pyrgos schedule is under KTEL Arkadia.

Thanks for stopping by and have a nice trip.

Kat Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 13:13

If it’s not on the list, you need to follow the advice given above under ‘Tip.’

Kat Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 23:57

This is Greece. Unfortunately, schedules can be inconsistent and change seasonally, daily or for other reasons.

Yes, I’m saying you can call and reserve a seat by giving your name. Most don’t allow you to pick a seat, however.

Kat Reply:
August 7th, 2010 at 18:16

Yes. You should have found the answer by using the search advice I give under “Tip,” which shows you the Rhodes schedule/link on the list. The Rhodes Town – Lindos bus picks up passengers in Faliraki.

Kat Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 23:57

Stats show that people recommend this post in the Lonely Planet, Frommer’s, Fodor’s and TripAdvisor forums; thank you for saying so.

My suggestion is to take Lefkada/Preveza to Nafpaktos (schedule under KTEL Etoloakarnanias) and Nafpaktos to Delphi (schedule under KTEL Fokida). It’s the most straightforward route I can see, plus Nafpaktos is a nice place to visit should you not want to make the trip in one day. All best.

Kat Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 02:27

The answer is in the article, under “Practical Info about Traveling by Bus in Greece.”