Greece
General train travel information for GREECE. Rail travel tours, accommodation, sightseeing.
Brief History
The railway transport in Greece dates back to 1869, when the then Athens and Piraeus Railway was completed. Between the 1880s and the 1920s, most of the railway network was built, reaching its peak in 1940. From the 1950s a period of decline of the railway network began, culminating in a reduction in traffic in 2011. Since the 1990s, the network has been continuously modernised, but is still smaller than in its heyday. The operation of the Greek rail network is divided between the Organisation of Greek Railways (OSE), which owns and maintains the rail infrastructure; GAIAOSE, which owns the construction infrastructure (including stations) and the former OSE rolling stock, Hellenic Train; and other private companies that operate trains on the network. Greece is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC).
General Information and Statistics
The Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) is the Greek national railroad company that owns, maintains and operates all railway infrastructure in Greece, with the exception of the rapid transit lines in Athens. Passenger traffic reached 653.00 million passenger-kilometers in 2021.
There are 2,552 km kilometres of railway lines in Greece (2021). About 210 railroad stations are located throughout Greece.
1.601 (62%) km of railroads electrified in Greece.
What connections to other countries there are.
In the past, there were international trains connecting Greece to Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, and Istanbul but nowadays these trains have stopped working.
Are trains fast in Greece in general? How much time to cross the country?
P.A.Th.E./P (Greek: Π.Α.Θ.Ε./Π., Πάτρα - Αθήνα - Θεσσαλονίκη - Ειδομένη/Προμαχώνας), which stands for Patras–Athens–Thessaloniki–Idomeni/Promachonas is a higher-speed rail line in Greece which is partly completed and partly under construction. The section between Athens and Thessaloniki is completed and allows a travel time of 3 hours 20 minutes.
The journey from Korinthos to Thessaloniki takes 6:25 hours.
What railway companies are available?
The running of the Greek railways is divided between the Hellenic Railways Organisation and GAIAOSE which owns and maintains the infrastructure, and Hellenic Train, and smaller other companies which run the trains on the network.
What train types are available in Greece
There are two types of trips in Greece, InterCity, which run on the following routes: Athens - Larissa - Thessaloniki, Larissa - Thessaloniki, Larissa - Volos, Athens - Kalambaka
Advance booking is required (but free of charge).
Also Suburban trains connect major urban centers with the suburbs.
Available in Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras.
Ticket reservations are not required.
Are there high-speed-trains available?
"Silver Arrow" is a new high-speed electrified passenger train that started running in 2022
It runs on the route Athens - Solonaki - Athens
The ETR 470 train reaches speeds of up to 250 km/hour and can reach Thessaloniki in 3 hours 55 minutes.
The nine-car ETR trains are accessible for people with disabilities, include first class cabins, a restaurant and bar, luggage storage, Wi-Fi, and allow small pets on board.
Most important train stations / hubs.
The main railway hubs in Greece are Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras.
Websites to buy train tickets for Greece?
https://tickets.hellenictrain.gr/dromologia/?lang=gr
Mobile apps to buy train tickets in Greece?
The Hellenic Railways Organization has a nice app “Hellenic Train App”.
Possible to buy a ticket at a railway station in Greece?
Tickets may be purchased:
• At physical sale points: Ticket Offices at the railway Stations
• Online, through the Hellenic Train website: tickets.hellenictrain.gr
• Via the mobile ticketing application.
Tickets may be purchased up to 5 minutes before the train's departure.
You can buy a ticket on the train. On the train, tickets are only issued for a specific service (there are no return tickets). If the passenger boards at a station where there is an operating ticket office, a surcharge will be applied to the final ticket price.
Can I buy my ticket by phone?
It is not possible to buy tickets by phone.
Return the ticket.
Passengers have the right to cancel their ticket prior to travel, and refunds will be made depending on the time of application as follows:
- In the case of a cancellation request up to 48 hours prior to the scheduled departure time from the boarding station, 100% of the face value of the original ticket will be refunded.
- In case of a cancellation request between 48 hours and 2 hours before the scheduled departure time of the route from the boarding station, 80% of the face value of the original ticket will be refunded.
- If the ticket is canceled less than 2 hours before the scheduled time of departure from the boarding station and before the closing of the issuing system, 50% of the nominal value of the original ticket will be refunded.
When canceling a ticket purchased at the ticket office, the passenger must apply to the ticket office with the ticket, and the refund is made by issuing a personal voucher valid for one year.
Train ticket prices
Hellenic Train encourages advance purchase with a discount of 5 to 15% off
• 15% discount: Valid for tickets issued 60 days in advance.
• 10% off: 10% off: Valid for tickets issued 30 days in advance
• 5% discount: For tickets issued 15 days in advance.
The price of a ticket from Athens to Thessaloniki starts from 43 euros.
Cheapest train to the closest nearby country?
As of July 2023, there are no international trains running in Greece.
Where to find timetables.
Find train schedules on https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/train-schedules
Buying tickets in advance or right before the train
Discounts from 5 to 15 % are available if tickets are purchased in advance.
Types of tickets.
The travel cards offered by Hellenic Train (TrainOSE) provide passengers with fare discounts and convenient travel options on certain routes or during certain time periods. The cards allow multiple journeys within a specific area or time period for which the card is valid.
Multi-trip cards: These cards are valid on specific routes and provide discounted fares for frequent travellers.
Unlimited-route cards: Passengers holding these cards can make an unlimited number of journeys on a given route within a certain time period. The cards are valid on trains without the need to reserve seats.
Journey number cards: These cards are issued for a certain number of return journeys on a certain route and at certain times.
Expiry Period and Refunds: Cards have a specific expiry date and unused journeys or days may be refunded or extended depending on the terms and conditions. Passengers can go to the ticket office to surrender the card and receive a cash refund for the unused portion of the card value.
Interrail/Eurail Passes in Greece
The Eurail and Interrail Pass is available for Greece. The best option is to buy your Eurail or Interrail Pass on the official website.
Saver price.
The most favourable ticket purchase will be if you book your ticket 60 days in advance, you will receive 15%.
Discounts are applied either in combination or individually, depending on the route chosen by the passenger. In any case, the total price reduction due to the discounts offered cannot exceed 40% of the original ticket price.
Is it cheaper to buy round-trip?
20% discount on return tickets, (return discount is given on tickets that do not contain any other discount, to passengers over 65 years old and to military/military personnel. The return discount is always given on tickets with a closed return date).
Flexible tickets.
There are no flexible tickets in Greece.
Rules of boarding.
No information was found about something other than a ticket needed on the train.
Discounts for group travel.
In cases of group travel (6 or more passengers) a discount on the full price of one-way journey is granted. Tickets are issued only at a ticket office of HELLENIC TRAIN.
Ticket issuing and payment for group travels:
• on Saturdays, Sundays and Official Holidays, ticket issuing, and payment must be made
up to 7 days x 24 hours before the journey date,
• for any other days, ticket issuing, and payment must be made up to 2 days X 24 hours
before the journey date
Non early payment of the fee results in the release of the seats. Group tickets after their issue are
not cancelled.
50% discount for multi children families (4 children and more), upon presentation of the family or individual identity card of large families, issued by the Supreme Confederation of Large Families or Association of Large Families.
Age groups and discounts.
Children up to age of 4 travel free if a separate seat is not required.
Children up to age of 4 who travel with a separate seat and children from 4 to 12 years old are entitled to 50% discount.
25% discount for the young passengers (up to the age of 24).
Age limitations for minors.
Children from 12 years old can travel unaccompanied, the ticket price is 75% of the regular ticket price.
Handicapped passengers.
Discount for persons with disabilities:
• HELLENIC TRAIN provides a discount on tickets for persons with disabilities and their accompanying persons.
• The discount is available upon presentation of a Special Pass for Persons with Disabilities and up-to-date validation.
Carriage of persons with disabilities:
• HELLENIC TRAIN trains have specially equipped carriages for persons with disabilities.
• There are restrictions on the size of wheelchairs accepted on long-haul trains.
Trip Confirmation:
• To receive boarding/disembarkation assistance, persons with disabilities must confirm travel at least 48 hours prior to departure by contacting HELLENIC TRAIN at 2130 121 121 or by completing the appropriate form on their website.
Seat reservations in trains in Greece.
When purchasing tickets, passengers have the opportunity to choose their seat. It is not always necessary to reserve a seat. For example, the Athens suburban train service does not require you to reserve a seat when purchasing an electronic ticket.
Comfort classes on the trains.
By ETR trains on the route Athens - Thessaloniki - Athens. They offer comfort classes such as: Class A and Class B. For passengers with A Class tickets, complimentary offering of soft drinks / coffee, water and snacks at the passenger seat.
Food and drink in trains / train restaurant in Greece.
Restaurant - Bar: Services are provided in the upgraded area of the ETR train restaurant & in the rest of the train (at passenger seats) at regular intervals.
Night trains in Greece?
As of July 2023, there are no night trains in Greece. There used to be a Hellas Express Night Train connecting Thessaloniki with Skopje in FYR Macedonia and Belgrade in Serbia.
Important train routes in Greece.
Athens- Thessaloniki / 4:41 hours / from 43,00 EUR / 4 trains a day
Athens -Larissa / 3:02 hours / from 32,50 EUR / 4 trains a day
Thessaloniki - Larissa / from 1:35 hours / from 17,40 EUR / every 2 hours
Athens -Kalambaka / from 4:21 hours / from 30,00 EUR / 4 trains a day
Larissa – Volos / 0:51 hours / from 3,60 EUR / every 3 hours
International train routes.
Currently, there is no international train traffic from Thessaloniki to North Macedonia, Bulgaria or Turkey. At the moment, it is not known yet when services will start running again.
Tourist / scenic routes in Greece.
Stavroupoli to Toxotes
The journey from Stavroupoli to Toxotes is a good option for a first train journey in Greece.
The journey from Stavroupoli passes through the high mountains of Greece and the narrow straits of the Nestos River. It is home to the region's national park, which is home to waterfowl, otters, wild horses, eagles and rare fauna.
Yet the shortest part of the journey is the most magical, as it follows old stone tunnels in the countryside past a stream. This is also where the abandoned village of Livera is located. Nature lovers can go horse riding, kayaking and trekking in Toxotes.
Diakopto - Kalavrita
The Peloponnese is one of the most picturesque regions of Greece, and Diakopto and Kalavrita are two of its most beautiful towns. Travelling by car or train is the only way to visit both the countryside and the seaside villages and towns of this region. Travelling by train, however, is much more romantic.
There is also a unique train ride called Odonototos, meaning "toothy", and it is one of the last of its kind. The rack and pinion railway located in Arcea is indeed one of the most unique in the Balkan region. Its cogwheels date back to 1889.
Twenty-two kilometres of track run along the Vouraikos Gorge. It passes through stone tunnels, fragrant pine and oleander forests, past majestic waterfalls. Although the journey takes just over an hour, it is definitely worth the time spent.
Olympia-Pyrgos-Katakolo
The harbour town of Katakolo is as charming as its name suggests. Located in the Western Peloponnese, it is home to Ancient Olympia, which is now a popular archaeological site.
The forty-five minute drive through Pyrgos is perhaps the second most romantic and unforgettable journey, as it is home to the birthplace of the Olympic Games, the temple of Zeus and the sacred ruins of Olympia, the home of the gods.
Luggage information.
Hand baggage intended for personal use during the journey is free of charge. Checked-in luggage and small parcels are subject to additional charges. Checked-in baggage costs €5 per 2 pieces of baggage with a total weight of up to 40kg (per passenger).
Bicycle on the train.
You can take your bicycle with you. On certain types of commuter trains, passengers with a bicycle may travel by placing the bicycle in a handicapped seat, provided that there are no handicapped persons in that seat and that the capacity of the train allows it. No more than three (3) bicycles may be carried on each train. On long-distance routes on trains with a baggage car, passengers may take their bicycles as baggage and a special charge will be made for the bicycle. No more than five (5) bicycles are allowed per train. More information on train travel for persons with bicycles is available on the relevant web page.
Ski or snowboard on the train.
It is no problem to take your skis or snowboard with you on a Deutsche Bahn train at no extra charge. Put them in a baggage area, not in the aisle.
Luggage lockers on the stations in Greece.
There's no official information.
Lost and Found Items.
Hellenic Train can be contacted about lost items via the Lost Items feedback form on the Contact Us web page.
Customer Service will search for the lost item and contact the customer to inform them that the item has been found.
Pets on the trains.
Small pets (weighing up to 10 kg) can be transported on HELLENIC TRAIN trains provided they are in a safe portable container with maximum dimensions of 50 x 40 x 70 cm.
Large animals may be accepted on trains with a special carriage for luggage. Animals must be in a special portable container with maximum dimensions of 118 x 76 x 88 cm. No more than 2 animals are allowed per route.
Assistance dogs can be transported without a muzzle, being on a leash next to the owner. They do not require a portable container or other packaging.
The conditions applicable to assistance dogs also apply to dogs officially trained for this purpose. An ID card containing the dog's and trainer's details is required.
select city
Do you have further questions and need assistance? Do not hesitate to ask in our friendly forum where you always get detailed help.
