Combined tours to Greece. Bus service in Greece Bus tour in Greece

Why should you choose excursion tours to Greece offered by the Belturist tour operator?

What benefits does a client receive by deciding to entrust the organization of a holiday in Greece to Belturist specialists?

Combined tours to Greece– the opportunity to combine several types of tours in one trip, a kind of compromise and an example of rational vacation planning, since it allows you to get to know the country most fully during the trip - have a great rest on beach resort, visit educational excursions, make profitable shopping, improve your health at thermal springs and much more.

Mouzenidis Travel has developed several options for such tours. Classic combination scheme:

• excursion program followed by a beach holiday,
• bus tours visiting several cities,
• beach holidays at several resorts,
• sightseeing and shopping tour.

Who is it suitable for?

Combined tours are ideal for those tourists who want to fit a variety of experiences into one trip. You will get a lot of positive emotions from carefree holiday at the resorts of Greece (both on the mainland and on island parts countries); visiting popular attractions; getting to know Greek cuisine, traditions and customs of the country; exciting and profitable shopping, as well as purchasing fur products in Kastoria.

What can you visit during the tour?

The most popular among Mouzenidis Travel tourists are combined bus tours to Greece with visits to several cities and resorts depending on the time of year. IN summer period excursion-beach tours are in demand, which may include, for example, an arrival in Thessaloniki, a sightseeing tour of the city, a flight to Corfu or any other Greek island on domestic flights, a beach holiday, visiting exciting excursions around the island and much more. In summer, you can also book a combined tour without internal flights, for example, from flights to Thessaloniki and a holiday on the island. Thassos, where a comfortable ferry will take you. From May to October, we recommend choosing beach holidays for combi-tours on the islands of Symi, Euboea, Chios, Samos, Tinos, etc. In the autumn-winter period, excursion and gastronomic tours are popular with visits to Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Metsovo, as well as combined tours, including an excursion program around Thessaloniki and a shopping tour to Kastoria. In winter, you can combine a sightseeing tour with a vacation at the best ski resort in Bansko.

Pros and cons

Combined tours to Greece are a real pleasure. A wonderful holiday on the coasts is combined with visits to iconic cities and regions of Greece. Often, such tours are the only possible ones if the purpose of the trip is to visit rare and remote islands of Greece, to which there are no direct flights from your region. The disadvantage of such a tour can be considered its duration, as a rule, from 7 to 20 days. In Greece, a country where winter is considered the unsuitable season for beach holiday, there are advantages of combined tours: this season is the best time to buy a fur coat in Kastoria or relax in the ski resort of Bansko, besides, winter in Greece will allow you to enjoy the colorful landscapes and relax at the thermal springs of Loutra Pozar. Another plus is that in winter prices for holidays in Thessaloniki and neighboring regions drop significantly, so combined tours will allow you to visit famous resorts much cheaper, price can drop up to 30%.

In this article we will take a closer look at issues related to buses in Athens, both in terms of connections within the city itself and trips outside of it. You will learn about city buses in Athens, express trains from the airport, the main bus stations of the city and how to find your way, which one you need and, finally, about the double-decker sightseeing buses that are so popular among tourists.

Buses from Athens airport

There are several ways to get from Athens airport to the city and port of Piraeus, and we will go into more detail. However, buses are perhaps the most accessible and convenient of them.

The airport bus stop for travel into the city is located on the ground floor of the main terminal - right outside doors 4 and 5. Even if you are flying to Athens for the first time, finding a stop will be easy.

If you are traveling from the city to the Airport, then the buses arrive on the second floor of the terminal - in the departure area. The stop is located approximately 20 meters from the entrance to the terminal.

The city is connected to the airport 4 express routes:

BusX95- most popular route for those heading to the city center. It goes directly to the main square of Athens - Syntagma and runs at intervals of 10 to 30 minutes without breaks, 24 hours a day. The journey takes about an hour one way.

BusX96– express train connecting the airport with the port of Piraeus. Like X95, it runs 24 hours a day every 20-40 minutes. Flights are more frequent during the day, less frequent after midnight. If you need to get to main port Athens to your ship, then X96 is what you need.

The route runs along the embankment, so if your hotel is located in the areas of Voula, Vouliagmeni, Glyfada or Faliron, then take a closer look at this bus. The one-way journey on route X96 takes approximately 90 minutes.

BusX93 connects the airport with both main bus stations of the city, located on Kiffissou and Lliosson streets.

If Athens is just an intermediate stop for you, and then your route lies to other cities of Greece on the mainland (outside Attica), then X93 is a better solution than X95, since it will allow you to avoid unnecessary transfers.

Airport bus tickets can be purchased at the ticket office right at the stop.

The X93 bus stop at the airport is located at exit No. 5. The route schedule provides for flights approximately once every half hour during the day and once per hour at night. The one way journey takes about an hour.

BusX97 goes to Elliniko metro station. This route is less popular among travelers and is more used by the Greeks themselves. However, if your hotel is located in the Vouliagmeni or Voula areas, then you can also use it.

X97 buses depart from the airport from 6:05 to 23:00 approximately once an hour. The one way journey takes 45 minutes.

For all express bus lines from the airport, a ticket costs 6 Euros for a one-way trip.

To pay for travel, the ticket must be presented to the validator.

Tickets can be purchased at a kiosk at the bus stop at the airport itself, at stops in the city, metro stations and from the driver (if you didn’t board at the terminal).

On the bus itself, the ticket must be attached to an electronic validator that acts as a composter.

Regional buses from the airport to the port of Rafina

In addition to express buses, flights from the regional capital operator Ktel Attikis also depart from the airport. They are more suitable for Greeks living in the vicinity of the airport, and do not need to worry about them.

The only important exception is for those travelers heading to the port of Rafina.

The route operates daily from 4:35 to 22:20, buses depart at intervals of about 40 minutes. The cost of a one-way ticket is 3 Euro. You can pay for the fare directly on the bus.

The bus stop is marked in yellow

The regional bus stop is located opposite exit No. 3 from the terminal, but not right next to it, as is the case with express trains, but about 100 meters [across the road] - at the Sofitel hotel.

From here you can go to the port of Lavrion.

Please note that regional buses have different colors than express buses. Regional buses are painted orange.

Public transport buses in Athens

Athens has a huge number of bus routes, and this, along with the metro, is one of the main modes of transport for Athenians.

Most buses operate from early morning until late evening. A 24-hour schedule is the exception rather than the rule.

A single bus ticket costs 1.4 Euro and is valid for 90 minutes. There is also a daily pass (4.5 Euros) and a 5-day pass (9 Euros). Monthly passes exist, but are rarely used by tourists.

Transport tickets in Athens can be bought at street kiosks, metro ticket offices or vending machines at stations.

During the validity period of the ticket, it can be used not only on buses, but also on other types of public transport, except for trips to the airport.

For passengers from 7 to 18 years old and over 65, there is a discount on travel on transport, but it only applies if you have a valid ID. Tickets can be purchased at metro stations and at Periptero kiosks, of which there are a huge number throughout the city.

When using a ticket for the first time, it must be validated by attaching it to a special validator. The ticket validity period begins from the moment of composting.

More details about public transport in Athens, its operating hours and tickets Grekoblog.

Buses in Attica

At the beginning of the article, speaking about transport from the airport, we mentioned regional buses operated by Ktel Attikis and its routes to Rafina and Lavrion.

However, most flights within the Attica metropolitan area do not depart from the airport, but from the regional bus station in the city center.

The bus station is located at Patision 68 - Kotsika 2 and serves about a dozen directions, covering all major settlements in the region.

Tickets can be purchased on the spot before departure or on the bus itself - their prices are quite reasonable. For example, a one-way ticket from Athens to Sounio will cost about 7 Euros.

Please note that if you are heading outside of Attica - to cities such as Patras, or, then Ktel Attikis will not help you, but you need one of the intercity bus stations, which will be discussed below.

You can find out more about Ktel Attikis regional buses.

Buses from Athens to Loutraki, Patras, Nafplio and other cities

If your destination in Greece is outside Attica on the mainland, then Athens has 2 intercity bus stations, specializing in different directions. Depending on the end point of your trip, you will need to choose one of them.

Terminal A at 100 Kiffissou Street serves buses from Athens to cities such as Loutraki, Patras, Nafplio and many other destinations in the Peloponnese and Northern Greece.

Athens-Loutraki bus at the bus station in Loutraki.

Terminal B at 260 Liossion Street focuses more on flights to Central Greece - such as Kavala and others.

More details about both Athens intercity bus stations and the directions served from each of them Grekoblog.

Tourist and excursion buses in Athens

In Athens, as in many other cities in the world, open double-decker buses with an audio guide (there is a Russian language) travel around the city, in which you can sit by the window and take a ride to all the main attractions.

In total, there are 3 main routes in the city, and the number of stops is more than 40.

By purchasing a 24 or 72 hour pass, you can use the buses without restrictions, getting off and on at any of the stops.

Tourist buses are very popular in Athens.

During the season, buses run from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The interval between flights is about 15 minutes.

Among the main attractions covered by the routes are the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the National Archaeological Museum and many others.

More details about bus routes and current price tickets can be found at the links below.

For those who want to spend time usefully and at the same time acquire an attractive bronze tan, we offer holidays in Greece, which has not lost popularity among tourists around the world for many years. Bus tours to Greece are distinguished by a rich cultural program, because there really is something to see in this country.

Which specific tour to Greece to choose depends on you. We, in turn, can say with confidence that you will certainly find the right one in our catalog. Studying this country can be combined with visiting others European countries. You can concentrate on one of its largest cities, or you can visit several. In any case, you will certainly enjoy your holiday in Greece.

Route

Traditionally, tour operators offer two types of routes - via Brest and by plane to Athens. The first is different in that you will travel part of the way to Brest by train, and then continue your journey by transferring to a bus. By choosing the second type, you will travel to the Greek capital by plane, which will save time. However, the cost of such an offer is by no means small.

Thus, the first and main advantage of bus tours to Greece is the quite reasonable price. In addition, travelers who choose them have the opportunity to study in detail the cultural characteristics and traditions of the country and admire the local landscapes to their fullest.

In addition, modern buses designed for traveling between cities are equipped with everything necessary for a long, trouble-free and comfortable trip: a minibar, TV and toilet.

Attractions

Of course, it is difficult to find someone who has never heard a single story about the Olympian gods. Greek legends are included in the school curriculum, and therefore bus tours to Greece organized by our specialists will be useful for both adults and children. For example, on the island of Crete there is the world-famous labyrinth of the Minotaur. And in the northern part of the country is Mount Olympus. Anyone can climb to its top during a holiday in Greece. The paths leading to it are equipped with signs, so you can find your way without any problems.

The Athenian Acropolis also deserves a separate discussion. Similar structures are present in every major greek city. However, it is Athenian that impresses with its scale and majesty. Its view is especially good at night.

For those who want to improve their health, we suggest visiting resort town Loutraki, famous for its medicinal mineral springs. A ten-minute bath in any of them greatly eases the course of osteochondrosis, arthritis and arthrosis, and drinking water inside helps with gastrointestinal diseases.

Hotels

Most Greek hotels are classified according to the traditional five-star system. But if you are planning to go on a bus tour to Greece, then you should know that along with this generally accepted classification, the outdated lettering has also been preserved. So, for example, class “L” corresponds to hotels with 5 stars, and class “E” has no category at all. However, in practice, such classification is imperfect. Because even among E-class hotels there are many whose level of service is no different from the level of service of three-star hotels.

Local hotels do not suffer from a lack of popularity, so when preparing for a holiday in Greece, you need to book rooms in advance. The cost of a single room is approximately two-thirds of the cost of a double room.

Kitchen

What components does it consist of? greek cuisine It's not hard to guess. First of all, these are vegetables and olive oil, seafood and meat. In addition, feta cheese is an integral part of many dishes. They add it to the familiar Greek salad and appetizers. At all times, the Greeks loved to eat delicious food and cooked well. During your holiday in Greece you will have the opportunity to evaluate their culinary abilities.

During the cooking process, only fresh products are used and large number spices During a bus tour to Greece, we recommend that you try moussaka. This hearty and easy-to-prepare dish is simply the quintessence of its virtues. It is prepared from meat, potatoes, cheese and vegetables. All ingredients are finely chopped and laid out in layers. Rate local cuisine Tours to Greece presented on this site will allow you.

Perhaps the most popular question when traveling is “How to get to this or that place?” Therefore, we decided to describe public transport Greece, so that you can at least have a general idea of ​​how to get there.

Let us immediately note that Greece has a well-developed transport network: intercity communication is carried out by buses, ferries and trains; urban public transport is represented by trams, trolleybuses, buses, electric trains, and in Athens there is also a metro. Of course, you can find a taxi everywhere, or rent a car in advance.

City public transport.

Typically, ground public transport in Greek cities is represented by buses, and in the capital also by trolleybuses, trams, by commuter train and metro. Buses and trolleybuses major cities Most of them are comfortable and equipped with air conditioning; at the same time, in rural areas there are also “museum exhibits”.

Tickets for public transport in cities are usually purchased at newsstands; in resort areas (on islands) they can also be purchased from the driver or conductor. Costs vary greatly depending on location and length of trip. For example, the cost of travel in Athens is 1.4 Euro (for 90 minutes). There are also tourist passes, but not everywhere. When boarding, tickets must be validated - the fines are quite significant.

By the way, stops in Greece are made “on demand”. If you are standing at a bus stop and see a bus, you need to raise your hand, otherwise it will pass by. Likewise, when disembarking, you need to signal the driver. If you don’t know where to get off, ask the driver or conductor in advance.

A few words about the metro in Athens. Athens Metro– these are only 3 lines, with a total length of about 78 km. Tickets can be purchased at the metro ticket office or from special machines. The cost for 2017 is 1.4 €. There are discounts for students, and children under 6 years old are completely free. Before boarding, the ticket must be validated in a special machine installed at the entrance. A non-validated ticket is considered invalid and you will be fined 60 times the ticket price.

Intercity buses in Greece.

Ground intercity public transport in Greece is mainly intercity buses of the KTEL organization. In fact, this is an association of private carriers subordinate to the state. Regional bus companies are named according to their service area. For example, KTEL Attica serves the region. In this regard, there is no single ticket sales office. Even at the bus stations of Athens and Thessaloniki, where buses from all over Greece arrive, you need to find a KTEL ticket office in the exact area where you are going to go.

KTEL buses are modern, comfortable cars. It is better to purchase bus tickets in advance, at least 20-30 minutes in advance. By the way, you can buy a return ticket with an open date. Unfortunately, you can buy tickets online only on some routes; more often, for pre-booking you still need to come in person to the KTEL ticket office - this is a feature of Greece, where Internet services are still poorly developed. The fare varies, but for reference, here is the price for the Athens-Thessaloniki bus: one way – 45 €, round trip – 65 €.

Detailed information about intercity buses We described KTEL in the article: "". Schedule, phone numbers and websites.

Sea transport: ferries in Greece.

Greece is a country of a thousand islands. And without a developed network maritime transport the very existence of Hellas would be impossible.

Maritime transport in Greece is usually called the general term “ferries”. But in fact, ferries operate between the islands like regular ferries ( ferry), and catamarans ( catamaran), and hydrofoils ( hydrofoil). Most islands are served by cargo-passenger ferries, on which you can travel with your own car.

When planning your travel route around Greece, so as not to get into trouble, consider a couple of very important points:

• Ferry service in Greece is limited to the sea. This means that sea ​​routes The Ionian Sea does not intersect with the routes of the Aegean Sea.
• Ferries in Greece have a pronounced seasonality. This means that in the autumn-winter period the number of flights decreases significantly and routes also change. At the same time, very often flights are completely canceled due to bad weather.

Domestic airlines.

Although the size of the country is very modest, the network of domestic air flights is very well developed here: every more or less large island and almost all administrative centers of the regions of Greece have their own airfields. According to various sources, there are about 45 airports in Greece serving passenger flights, 15 of which are international.

The lion's share of international flights falls on , from where the country's two main air carriers, Olympic Airlines and Aegean Airlines, operate their domestic flights. At the same time, most local flights are planned taking into account connections with international ones.

Find and buy air tickets to domestic flights you can do it in the same way as tickets to Greece: either by using a metasearch engine (for example, we use Aviasales), or directly on airline websites. The only advice that is appropriate to give here is early booking air tickets, especially in the “high season” (from May to October).

• Athens - Thessaloniki - Alexandroupolis;
• Athens - Corinth - Kalamata;
• Athens - Corinth - Patras;
• Athens - Lamia - Kalambaka;
• Thessaloniki - Larissa - Kalambaka;

But when you travel between major cities, then the train in some cases - especially for night crossings - may turn out to be more convenient option. For example, train Athens – Thessaloniki. The fare depends on the category of train, which are divided into:

• “Basic” - ordinary passenger trains;
• "InterCity" - fast trains;
• "InterCity Express" - express trains;

As of 2017, the cost of a one-way ticket for the Athens - Thessaloniki train is 55.4 €, the travel time is just over 5 hours. By the way, tickets for the night train are much cheaper. You can purchase tickets online on the website trainose.gr.