Rhodes / The verdict
Rhodes airport to Rhodes town: which way?
For most arrivals the pick is the RODA bus: a small cash fare and about 30 to 40 minutes to the central terminal by the New Market, a short walk from the Old Town gates. The rank taxi is the runner-up at the posted 27 to 29 EUR flat fare, and the only way in after the last bus.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Rhodes story
Rhodes is the Dodecanese flagship and the most complete island in Greece for a first visit: a walled medieval old town that works as a living city rather than a museum set, the acropolis-crowned white village of Lindos, a serious beach strip along the east coast, and ferries that put Symi and even Turkey inside a day trip. The Knights Hospitaller left the island its spine, and the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Master and the circuit of walls add up to Europe's best-preserved crusader city.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: RODA bus to the New Market terminal (runner-up: Rank taxi)
For most arrivals the pick is the RODA bus: a small cash fare and about 30 to 40 minutes to the central terminal by the New Market, a short walk from the Old Town gates. The rank taxi is the runner-up at the posted 27 to 29 EUR flat fare, and the only way in after the last bus.
Go if
- You arrive in daylight with a bag you can roll the last 5 to 15 minutes
- You are keeping island costs down
- Your hotel sits near the New Market terminal or the west gates
Skip if
- You land after about 23:30, when only taxis and transfers still run
- You are 5 to 8 people splitting a minivan transfer
- Your hotel is in Faliraki or Lindos rather than Rhodes Town; different buses leave the airport for the east coast
The options
RODA bus to the New Market terminal Go
Nearly every arrival on a budget who can roll a bag the last stretch to the Old Town gates.
Good
- Cheapest way in: reports put the fare at roughly 2.50 to 3.50 EUR paid to the driver in cash
- Runs about every 30 minutes through the day in season and reaches town in about 30 to 40 minutes
- The stop sits between the old and new terminal buildings, a short signed walk from arrivals
- Drops you at the central bus hub, handy for onward KTEL services the same day
Watch out
- Last town-bound departures run around 23:30 in season and earlier off-season and on Sundays
- The operator does not publish the fare, and mid-season timetable changes land without notice
- No bus enters the walled Old Town; you finish with a short walk on cobbles
Rank taxi Go
Night arrivals, families with luggage, and anyone who wants a posted flat fare with zero planning.
Good
- Municipal flat fare of 27 to 29 EUR for up to 4 passengers is posted, so there is nothing to negotiate
- The rank sits in front of the Terminal 1 arrivals hall and serves every arriving flight
- About 20 to 25 minutes to the town gates, the fastest option by road
- Luggage loads in the trunk rather than under your feet in a full bus
Watch out
- Roughly ten times the bus fare for the same stretch
- Queues build when a bank of flights lands together
- Drivers may add small posted surcharges for the airport pickup, port pickups or bags over 10 kg
Pre-booked private transfer It depends
Groups of 5 to 8 splitting a minivan, and arrivals who want a driver waiting with a name sign.
Good
- Driver meets you in arrivals with flight tracking, so a delayed landing is covered
- The price is prepaid and fixed before you leave home
- Minivan options fit families and bulky gear that strain a standard taxi
Watch out
- Costs more than the flat taxi fare for a solo traveler or a couple
- Requires booking ahead, so it cannot rescue a spontaneous late arrival
- Same gate drop as a taxi; it buys peace of mind rather than a closer stop
See fixed transfer pricespartner site
Rental car picked up at the airport Skip
Nobody, for the transfer alone; a rental only pays off when island touring is already the plan.
Good
- Counters sit inside the arrivals hall and pickup is quick
- One pickup can serve the whole trip if you plan to drive the island
Watch out
- Cars cannot enter the walled Old Town, so you still end the ride on foot at a gate
- You pay rental and parking to solve a 14 km hop a flat-fare taxi covers in 25 minutes
- Summer parking outside the walls fills early and costs extra on top
| Criterion | RODA bus to the New Market terminal | Rank taxi | Pre-booked private transfer | Rental car picked up at the airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official price, one way | Not published; reports say 2.50 to 3.50 EUR | 29 EUR flat fare for up to 4 passengers | Prepaid and fixed at booking | Not applicable for the transfer alone |
| Time to the town edge | About 30 to 40 minutes | About 20 to 25 minutes | About 20 to 25 minutes | About 25 minutes plus finding parking |
| Runs after midnight | No; last departures around 23:30 in season | Yes, the rank serves all arrivals | Yes, timed to your flight | Yes, if the counter is still staffed |
| Booking needed | No | No | Yes, before you fly | Yes, and early booking is advised in season |
| Where it drops you | Terminal by the New Market, then a 5 to 15 minute walk | At or near the Old Town gates | Same gate drop as a taxi | A paid lot outside the walls |
| Payment | Cash to the driver, per reports | Cash or card; the fare board is posted | Prepaid online | Card, plus fuel and parking |
What it costs
- Taxi flat fare, airport to Rhodes town, up to 4 passengers: €29 (the municipality table lists 27 to 29 EUR depending on the zone; posted surcharges include a 4 EUR airport pickup and double fare 00:00 to 05:00). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Taxi flat fare, airport to Rhodes town, 5 to 8 passengers: €37 (same municipal flat-fare table). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- KTEL line 25 bus, airport to Faliraki: €3.50 (one way per the operator's timetable PDF; this is the east-coast airport bus and does not go to Rhodes Town). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 14 traveler reports (Mar 2025 to Oct 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 0 were negative.
What people like
- The bus is the cheap and easy default, with reports describing on-time departures and seats free outside peak hours.
- The taxi flat fare is posted and fixed, so nothing needs negotiating at the rank.
- The hop is short however you ride: about 20 to 40 minutes to the town edge.
- Rank taxis keep waiting for the last arrivals after the buses stop.
What people complain about
- The airport bus fare is not published by the operator, and reports quote 2.50, 3.50 and 2.60 EUR depending on when they rode.
- Timetables shift with the season, and the sheet posted at the shelter can differ from the airport's version by a few minutes.
- Buses fill when the midday bank of arrivals lands, and there is no service after about 23:30.
- Departure days clog the terminal: news coverage and video both document check-in and security queues in season.
- The taxi rank queues when several flights arrive together.
How to do it right
- From arrivals, turn left toward the old terminal; the bus stop is the shelter between the two terminal buildings, by the café.
- Board the RODA bus for the West Coast Bus Station; in season departures run about every 30 minutes and the ride takes 30 to 40 minutes.
- Pay the driver in cash and keep the paper ticket; travelers report paying 2.50 to 3.50 EUR.
- For a taxi, step out of arrivals at Terminal 1; the municipal flat fare to town is 27 to 29 EUR for up to 4 passengers.
- Landing after about 23:30 or with heavy bags: take the rank taxi or a pre-booked transfer, since the bus has stopped for the night.
The trap to avoid
Do not confuse the two airport buses. The KTEL line 25 leaves the airport for Faliraki on the east coast and never reaches Rhodes Town; only the RODA services run to the city terminal.
Why this verdict
The bus is the pick for most arrivals because the ride is short and the fare is trivial. Reports describe on-time departures, roughly half-hourly service in season, seats free at mid-morning and a painless walk from the terminal to the Old Town gates. The negatives in the log are real but small: the operator never publishes the fare, the shelter timetable can drift a few minutes from the airport’s version, and buses fill when the midday bank of flights lands. None of that changes the math for a traveler with a rollable bag.
The rank taxi takes the runner-up slot because it covers the cases the bus cannot. The municipal table fixes the fare at 27 to 29 EUR for up to 4 passengers, the rank stands in front of arrivals and serves every flight, and the drive is about 20 to 25 minutes. Reports flag queues when several flights land together, which is the price of skipping the wait for a bus.
A pre-booked private transfer is the depends case. It adds a prepaid price, flight tracking and a driver holding a sign, which matters at midnight or for a family needing a minivan. For a solo traveler or couple it buys little the flat-fare taxi does not already deliver.
Renting a car just for the airport leg is the skip. The walled town is pedestrianized, so the car ends up parked outside the gates anyway, and a day’s rental plus parking costs more than the whole transfer. Rent at the airport when island touring is the plan and the same pickup covers both.
Timing and tickets
In season the RODA airport services run about every 30 minutes, with town-bound departures stretching to around 23:30 and thinner service on Sundays and in winter. Pay the driver in cash and keep the ticket. The timetable posted at the shelter and the one on the municipal site can disagree by a few minutes, so arrive for the earlier of the two. After the last bus, the rank taxi or a pre-booked transfer is the only way in.
Book or check times
Airport bus informationMunicipal bus routesMunicipal taxi fare table
We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict. How this works
See fixed transfer pricespartner site
Questions
How much is the bus from Rhodes airport to the town?
The operator does not publish the fare. Travelers report paying about 2.50 to 3.50 EUR in cash to the driver, and the ride to the New Market terminal takes 30 to 40 minutes.
How much is a taxi from Rhodes airport to Rhodes town?
The municipal flat fare is 27 to 29 EUR for up to 4 passengers, or 37 EUR for 5 to 8, posted at the rank outside arrivals. Small posted surcharges apply for the airport pickup and bags over 10 kg, and metered fares double between 00:00 and 05:00.
Does the airport bus go into the Old Town?
No vehicle enters the walled Old Town. The RODA bus ends at the West Coast Bus Station by the New Market, a 5 to 15 minute walk from the gates, and taxis or transfers drop at the same gates.
Does Uber work at Rhodes airport?
Only as a booking front for licensed taxis. There is no separate rideshare fleet on Rhodes, so the app dispatches a regular taxi at taxi prices.
What runs from Rhodes airport late at night?
The last town-bound buses leave around 23:30 in season and earlier off-season. After that the taxi rank serves all arrivals, or a pre-booked transfer meets your flight.
Is there a bus from the airport straight to Faliraki or Lindos?
KTEL line 25 runs from the airport to Faliraki for 3.50 EUR one way. For Lindos, ride into town and change at the KTEL station on the east side.
Pack for it
Gear verdicts from our sister site, Real Buyer Experiences: