Thessaloniki / The verdict
Thessaloniki airport to the city: which way?
Bus 1X is the default: a 2 EUR special-route ticket covers the ride from outside arrivals to the center, the railway station and KTEL Makedonia, with night line 1N on the same fare. Bus 2X plus a 0.60 EUR metro ticket suits stays on the metro line; a taxi is a flat 28 EUR by day and 38 EUR at night to the center.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Thessaloniki story
Thessaloniki is Greece's other city, and travelers describe the difference in one word: appetite. The waterfront promenade runs from the port to the [White Tower](/thessaloniki/white-tower-thessaloniki/), the [Byzantine walls of Ano Poli](/thessaloniki/thessaloniki-old-town/) climb the hill behind, and the density of tavernas, ouzeries and pastry shops makes it the food capital of the country by near-universal report.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: Bus 1X or 1N (runner-up: Taxi)
Bus 1X is the default: a 2 EUR special-route ticket covers the ride from outside arrivals to the center, the railway station and KTEL Makedonia, with night line 1N on the same fare. Bus 2X plus a 0.60 EUR metro ticket suits stays on the metro line; a taxi is a flat 28 EUR by day and 38 EUR at night to the center.
Go if
- Arrivals who want a one-seat 2 EUR ride into the center
- Anyone continuing by coach from KTEL Makedonia or by train from the railway station, both on the 1X route
- Groups and late-night arrivals who prefer the flat 28 to 38 EUR taxi fare to the center
Skip if
- Your hotel sits far from the 1X stops and you carry heavy luggage, in which case a taxi door to door makes more sense
- You are heading straight to Halkidiki: the airport buses go to the center or the IKEA interchange on line 79, so plan the onward coach first
The options
Bus 1X or 1N Go
Most arrivals: a single 2 EUR ticket covers a one-seat ride through the center to the railway station and the KTEL coach terminal.
Good
- 2 EUR special-route fare, a fraction of the flat taxi rate
- Serves the center, the railway station and KTEL Makedonia, so most stays need no change
- Night line 1N covers late hours on the same fare
- Bus terminal is in the arrivals area in front of Exit 4
Watch out
- A logged traveler put the ride at 40 to 50 minutes depending on traffic
- Regular 0.60 EUR city tickets and the day ticket are not valid
- A logged traveler found it packed
Airport page on the city portal: buses, times and the 2 EUR fareAirport authority bus page: lines, stops and the arrivals bus terminal
Bus 2X plus metro It depends
Stays along the metro corridor: the eastern districts, the university area or anywhere near a Line 1 station from Kalamaria to Dimokratias.
Good
- 2X links the airport to the Nea Elvetia metro station, and X3 runs to the Mikra interchange
- 2 EUR for the bus plus a 0.60 EUR metro ticket keeps the full trip under 3 EUR
Watch out
- Involves a change and a second ticket, which is awkward with heavy bags
- Nea Elvetia sits east of center, so western stays gain little over the direct 1X
- The airport fare applies on the 2X too; the ordinary urban ticket is not accepted
OSETH fare table: the 2 EUR special-route ticketMetro tickets and prices
Taxi It depends
Groups of three or four, travelers with lots of luggage, and anyone landing on a night flight who wants a door-to-door ride at a known price.
Good
- Flat 28 EUR by day and 38 EUR at night to the center under the September 2026 decision
- Door to door, which helps with heavy bags or a late arrival
- Rank sits in arrivals between Terminals 1 and 2
Watch out
- 14 times the bus fare for a solo traveler
- The flat rate covers only the airport to city center run; other destinations go on the meter
Airport authority taxi page: the arrivals rankMinisterial decision text with the 28 and 38 EUR flat fares
Pre-booked transfer It depends
First-time visitors, families arriving at awkward hours, and groups who want an English-speaking driver waiting inside arrivals with a name sign.
Good
- Price agreed before you land
- Driver meets you in arrivals rather than at a rank
- Larger vehicles can be booked for bigger parties
Watch out
- Usually costs more than the bus for a solo traveler or couple
- Needs booking ahead, so it suits planned arrivals
Pre-book a fixed-price airport transferpartner site
| Criterion | Bus 1X or 1N | Bus 2X plus metro | Taxi | Pre-booked transfer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official fare | 2 EUR special-route ticket | 2 EUR airport bus plus 0.60 EUR metro | Flat 28 EUR day, 38 EUR night, to the center | Not published |
| Journey time | 40 to 50 minutes, per a logged traveler | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Service window | 1X by day, 1N at night; check the OASTH timetable | Check the OASTH timetable | At the arrivals rank | When booked ahead |
| Where it leaves you | Center, railway station and KTEL Makedonia | Nea Elvetia or Mikra, then the metro | Any address | Any address |
| How to pay | Booth or OSETH machine at arrivals | Airport ticket for the bus, station machine for the metro | Flat fare to the center, meter elsewhere | Prepaid when booking |
| Luggage and groups | Can be packed, per a logged traveler | A change plus a second ticket is awkward with big bags | Best for heavy bags and fare-splitting groups | Larger vehicles on request |
What it costs
- Airport bus ticket, lines 1X, 1N and 2X, single: €2 (special-route ticket valid 70 minutes, reduced 1 EUR; the 0.60 EUR urban ticket and the 2.50 EUR day ticket do not cover the airport lines). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Metro basic ticket for the onward hop from Nea Elvetia or Mikra: €0.60 (basic metro ticket for one journey, reduced 0.30 EUR, children up to 6 free with an adult; needed on top of the 2 EUR airport bus fare when continuing by metro). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Taxi flat fare, airport to city center, day tariff 05:00 to 24:00: €28 (fixed by ministerial decision 147620/2026 (Government Gazette B 5674, 18 September 2026) for the airport to city center run, either direction). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Taxi flat fare, airport to city center, night tariff 00:00 to 05:00: €38 (same September 2026 decision; outside the flat-fare run the meter charges 0.90 EUR per km on tariff 1 and 1.25 EUR per km on tariff 2). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 5 traveler reports (Mar 2025 to Dec 2025) and the official sources linked on this page. 0 were negative.
What people like
- 1 logged traveler confirms the 1X gets you to the center as promised, about every 30 minutes and in 40 to 50 minutes depending on traffic.
- 1 logged couple found the airport well organized, with quick passport control.
- The taxi flat fare to the center removes meter worries: 28 EUR by day and 38 EUR at night under the September 2026 decision.
What people complain about
- 1 logged traveler found the 1X packed and called it a poor airport bus experience.
- 1 logged visitor boarded on the wrong 0.60 EUR city ticket; the airport lines need the 2 EUR special-route fare.
- 1 logged traveler warns that lines 01 and 01A look similar to 01X but do not serve the airport.
- There is no metro or rail service to the terminal, so the options are bus or car.
How to do it right
- The bus terminal is in the arrivals area in front of Exit 4 of Terminal 1; buy the 2 EUR special-route ticket at the booth or an OSETH machine.
- Board line 1X toward the center, the railway station and KTEL Makedonia, or night line 1N later; check the OASTH timetable for first and last departures, and do not confuse them with the ordinary lines 01 and 01A.
- For the metro, ride line 2X to Nea Elvetia or X3 to the Mikra interchange, then buy a separate 0.60 EUR metro ticket.
- The official taxi rank is in the arrivals area between Terminals 1 and 2 (between exits 3 and 4); the fare to the city center is a flat 28 EUR by day and 38 EUR at night.
The trap to avoid
The classic mistake is boarding the airport bus with the regular 0.60 EUR city ticket or the 2.50 EUR day ticket, both of which the transport authority excludes from the airport lines; one logged visitor did exactly that. The second trap is assuming the metro reaches the airport: it does not, so buses 2X and X3 bridge the gap to it.
Why this verdict
Thessaloniki’s Makedonia airport sits southeast of the center, and for most arrivals the transfer question answers itself. Bus 1X leaves from a terminal in the arrivals area, in front of Exit 4 of Terminal 1, and serves the city center, the railway station and the KTEL Makedonia coach terminal on a 2 EUR special-route ticket. Night line 1N covers the late hours on the same fare. A logged traveler put the ride at 40 to 50 minutes depending on traffic and found the bus packed, but it delivered them to the center as promised.
Timing and tickets
What catches people out is ticketing. The airport lines take a special 2 EUR ticket valid 70 minutes; the ordinary 0.60 EUR urban ticket and the 2.50 EUR day ticket do not count. One logged weekend visitor boarded with the cheap ticket by mistake, and a Polish traveler warns that the similarly numbered lines 01 and 01A do not go to the airport at all. Buy at the arrivals booth or an OSETH machine before you board.
The second assumption to drop is that the metro reaches the airport. It does not. Line 2X links the terminal to Nea Elvetia station and X3 to the Mikra interchange, so a bus plus metro trip works for stays along the metro at 2 EUR plus a separate 0.60 EUR metro ticket. Line 79 runs to the eastern bus station at IKEA, useful if you are heading east.
For door-to-door travel, the taxi rank sits in arrivals between Terminals 1 and 2. A September 2026 ministerial decision fixed the fare between the airport and the city center at 28 EUR by day and 38 EUR at night, with the meter running for other destinations. That is 14 times the bus fare for one person, but it narrows fast for a group or a late arrival with heavy bags. One logged traveler who took a cab in found the traffic heavy on the way, so the taxi is not a guaranteed fast ride at busy times. A pre-booked transfer adds a driver waiting in arrivals at a price agreed in advance.
Take the 1X or 1N unless your hotel sits on the metro, and take the taxi when the luggage, the group size or the hour argues for it.
Book or check times
Airport page on the city portal: buses, times and the 2 EUR fareAirport authority bus page: lines, stops and the arrivals bus terminalOSETH fare table: the 2 EUR special-route ticketMetro tickets and pricesAirport authority taxi page: the arrivals rankMinisterial decision text with the 28 and 38 EUR flat fares
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Pre-book a fixed-price airport transferpartner site
Questions
How much is the bus from Thessaloniki airport to the center?
2 EUR one way on the airport lines, reduced 1 EUR. It is a special-route ticket valid 70 minutes, sold at the arrivals booth or OSETH machines; the ordinary 0.60 EUR urban ticket and the 2.50 EUR day ticket do not cover it.
Is there a night bus from Thessaloniki airport?
Yes. Line 1N serves the airport at night on the same 2 EUR special-route fare as the daytime 1X; check the OASTH timetable for current hours.
Does the Thessaloniki metro go to the airport?
No. The metro does not reach the airport. Bus 2X links the terminal to Nea Elvetia station and X3 to the Mikra interchange, where you buy a separate 0.60 EUR metro ticket.
How much is a taxi from Thessaloniki airport to the city?
A flat 28 EUR by day and 38 EUR at night for the run between the airport and the city center, under a ministerial decision published on 18 September 2026. Other destinations go on the meter.