Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
certain which companies are currently flying from the airport website. Then visit a travel
agent or book online.
The Makedonia Airport ( www.thessalonikiairport.com ), 16km southeast of town, is
served by local bus 78; a taxi costs around €15 to €25.
BOAT
The poor ferry connections of Greece's second-largest city is disappointing. At time of
research, Nel Lines ( www.nel.gr ) boats were going only once weekly to the Northeast Ae-
gean islands of Limnos (€20, eight hours), Lesvos (€30, 14 hours), Chios (€32, 19 hours)
and Samos (€40, 20 hours); the old Sporades ferry remained scuttled. Double-check with
port-area travel agencies such as Karacharisis Travel & Shipping Agency (
2310 513
005; b_karachari@tincewind_techpath.gr ; Navarhou Koundourioti 8;
8am-8.30pm) .
BUS
Domestic
Thessaloniki's main bus station ( 2310 595 408; www.ktelmacedonia.gr ; Monastiriou 319) ,
KTEL Makedonia, is 3km west of centre. Each destination has its own specific ticket
counter. However, for Athens only , avoid the trip by going to Monastiriou Bus Station (
2310 500 111; Monastiriou 69) - an easy-to-miss office opposite the train station - where
all Athens-bound buses start before calling in at KTEL Makedonia. Additional discounts
to regular fares apply for kids, students, special-needs travellers, retirees and soldiers
(well, Greek ones, anyway).
For Halkidiki , first reach the eastern Thessaloniki Halkidiki bus terminal ( 2310
316 555; www.ktel-chalkidikis.gr ; Karakasi 68) via city buses 45A or 45B, which from the main
bus station stop en route at the train station, Plateia Aristotelous and Kamara. With wait-
ing and traffic, this 'express' service can take over an hour. Then there's the trip to
Halkidiki itself. The whole production can take three to six hours; it's much wiser to rent
a car.
International
KTEL offers twice-daily international services to Sofia (five hours, €26) and Tirana (nine
hours, €30).
Currently, small bus companies opposite the courthouse (Dikastirion), serve Skopje,
İstanbul, TIrana, Sofia and Bucharest. Here, try Simeonidis Tours ( 2310 540 970;
www.simeonidistours.gr ; 26 Oktovriou 14; 9am-9pm Mon-Fri, to 2pm Sat) . From the Kolom-
vou bus stop on Egnatia, walk west and then down to the left on 26th Oktovriou.
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