Thessaloniki Airport to City Centre: Bus, Taxi & Transfer Prices 2026

The cheapest way from Thessaloniki Airport to the city centre is OASTH bus 01X, which runs to Aristotelous Square, the new railway station and the KTEL Makedonia coach station for a €2 airport ticket, taking around 40–50 minutes. A taxi is quicker, at around 20–30 minutes, and charges a fixed €25 by day or €35 at night to the city centre. If you would rather have a driver waiting with your name, compare operators on our Thessaloniki Airport transfers page.

Thessaloniki Airport to the city centre: quick comparison

Option	Price	Journey time	Runs	Best for
Bus 01X (day) / 01N (night)	€2 airport ticket	Around 40–50 min to the centre	01X roughly every 25–30 min from early morning to about 22:40; 01N overnight	Budgets, the centre, railway and coach stations
Bus 02X / 03X + metro	€2 bus + €0.60 metro	Depends on connection	Daytime	Kalamaria, eastern districts, metro users
Taxi (fixed fare)	€25 day / €35 night (00:00–05:00)	Around 20–30 min	24/7 from the rank outside Arrivals	Families, luggage, door-to-door
Uber (taxi via app)	Taxi fare, shown in the app	As taxi	24/7	App users, card payment
Pre-booked private transfer	Fixed price agreed in advance	As taxi; longer to Halkidiki	24/7	Groups, child seats, Halkidiki resorts

Bus and metro fares are per person; taxi and transfer prices are per vehicle, so for three or four people a taxi costs little more than the bus.

Thessaloniki Airport bus 01X to the city centre

City buses at Thessaloniki are run by OASTH under the OSETH transport authority. The bus stop is in the Arrivals area, in front of Exit 4 of Terminal 1. The airport lists four lines:

• 01X / 01N: airport – city centre – new railway station – KTEL Makedonia (the main intercity coach station). 01X is the daytime express, roughly every 25–30 minutes until about 22:40; 01N covers the night, roughly every 30 minutes until early morning.
• 02X: airport – Nea Elvetia, the eastern terminus of the metro.
• 03X: airport – Mikra, the new metro interchange in Kalamaria.
• 79: airport – the eastern bus interchange at IKEA, useful for connections towards KTEL Halkidiki.

For most visitors 01X is the one to take. It runs along the seafront side of the city and stops near Aristotelous Square, which is the stop for the Ladadika, Ano Poli and most central hotels. Allow around 40–50 minutes to the centre, more at rush hour, and about an hour to the railway station and KTEL Makedonia at the far end of the route.

Thessaloniki Airport bus ticket price

The airport lines use a special ticket that costs €2.00 (reduced €1.00 for those entitled, on a personalised ThessCard), valid for 70 minutes. The ordinary €0.60 city ticket and the €2.50 day ticket are not valid on the airport lines. Buy your ticket from the ticket booth in the terminal or from the OSETH machines at the stop, or from the machine on board the 01X and 01N buses. Validate it as soon as you board. Fares and timetables are on the OSETH fares page.

Space for big suitcases is limited, especially when 01X is busy with students and commuters. With a lot of luggage, the taxi is the more comfortable choice.

Thessaloniki metro: does it go to the airport?

No, not yet. Thessaloniki’s metro opened in November 2024, and the Line 2 extension to Kalamaria, ending at Mikra, opened on 27 August 2026. Mikra is the closest station to the airport, but there is no rail connection to the terminal itself. An eastern extension to the airport is planned, with no confirmed opening date.

You can combine bus and metro: take 03X to Mikra or 02X to Nea Elvetia, then the metro into the centre. A metro ticket costs €0.60 and is separate from the €2 airport bus ticket, as tickets do not transfer between bus and metro. This route makes sense if you are staying near a metro station, for example around Kalamaria, Syntrivani or Venizelou, or if traffic on the coast road is bad. Check that 02X or 03X is running before relying on it at night.

Thessaloniki Airport taxi price to the city centre

Licensed Thessaloniki taxis are dark blue and white and wait at the rank outside Arrivals. Trips between the airport and the city centre have regulated fixed fares:

• €25 on tariff 1 (daytime, 05:00–24:00);
• €35 on tariff 2 (night, 00:00–05:00).

In September 2026 the transport ministry announced a rise to €28 by day and €38 at night, which takes effect once published in the Government Gazette, so you may be charged the new rate. Outside the city centre, for example to Kalamaria, Panorama or Thermi, the meter is used. Agree the fare before setting off and ask for a receipt.

The airport is about 15 km south-east of the centre, and the drive normally takes around 20–30 minutes along the coast road or the ring road. Most taxis are saloons; a family of four with large cases is better off booking a minivan.

Arriving with children or lots of luggage

Families usually find the taxi or a pre-booked car easier than the bus. The fixed fare is per vehicle, not per person, so four people pay the same €25 by day. Standard taxis do not normally carry child seats, so if you need one, book a transfer and ask for the right seat for your child’s age and weight. Larger groups, or anyone carrying golf bags, bikes or several large suitcases, should book a minivan in advance rather than trying to fit everything into two taxis from the rank. On the bus, keep luggage out of the aisle and be ready for a crowded ride at rush hour, when the 01X also carries commuters and students.

Uber and taxi apps at Thessaloniki Airport

Uber operates in Thessaloniki, but, as in the rest of Greece, it books licensed taxis rather than private drivers. That means the price is the taxi fare, and the fixed airport–centre fare applies. The benefits are card payment in the app and a booking record; it will not usually be cheaper than walking out to the rank.

Pre-booked private transfers from Thessaloniki Airport

Taxis are easy to find for a short hop into the city. A pre-booked transfer is worth it when:

• you are heading to Halkidiki, where a taxi from the rank is expensive and you want a price agreed in advance;
• you are a group or family needing a minivan or several child seats;
• your flight lands late and you want a driver waiting in Arrivals with your name;
• you have bulky luggage, golf bags or a pushchair.

Our Thessaloniki Airport transfers page lists local operators that you book directly, including Taxivan9 Thessaloniki, Flexi Transfer Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki Taxi Transfers and HellasChauffeur. For trips around the city, see Thessaloniki transfers. Confirm the price, vehicle size and meeting point in writing before you fly.

Thessaloniki Airport to Halkidiki and beyond

Thessaloniki Airport to Kassandra and Sithonia

Halkidiki’s beaches begin under an hour from the airport. Rough driving distances from the airport are about 90 km (around 1 hour 20 minutes) to Nikiti at the start of Sithonia and about 130 km (around 2 hours) to Neos Marmaras or Sarti. Kassandra’s resorts, such as Kallithea and Pefkochori, are closer to the airport than central Sithonia. Taxi and transfer prices to Halkidiki are not regulated fixed fares, so get a quote first; compare local operators on our Halkidiki transfers page.

Halkidiki by bus (KTEL)

There is no direct public bus from the airport to Halkidiki. KTEL Halkidiki coaches leave from their own station on the south-eastern edge of Thessaloniki, near IKEA, not from the airport or KTEL Makedonia. From the airport, take bus 79 to the IKEA interchange and change to bus 36 for the KTEL Halkidiki station, or take 01X into the centre and bus 45 out to the station. A taxi from the airport to the KTEL station costs roughly €10–15. Coach fares depend on the destination; check the KTEL Halkidiki timetable before travelling, especially outside the summer season, when there are fewer services.

Athens, Skopje and Bulgaria

Thessaloniki is a common entry point for North Macedonia and south-western Bulgaria, both of which are reached by road through land border crossings; allow time for border checks. For trips to Athens, the train from Thessaloniki’s railway station is an alternative to a domestic flight, and our Athens Airport to city centre guide covers arrivals there.

Tips for arriving at Thessaloniki Airport

• Night arrivals: after about 22:40 the 01X is replaced by the slower 01N. The taxi rank works all night, with the €35 night fixed fare between midnight and 05:00.
• Use the official rank: take a licensed taxi from the rank or a car you have booked, rather than accepting offers inside the terminal.
• Buy the right bus ticket: only the €2 airport ticket is valid on 01X and 01N, and inspectors do check.
• Payment: cards are widely accepted, including in most taxis, but have some euros in cash as a back-up.
• Tipping: rounding up the taxi fare is appreciated but not expected.
• Summer traffic: on summer weekends the roads towards Halkidiki are very busy, especially on Friday evenings and Saturday changeover days. Allow extra time for return trips to the airport.