Getting around · Getting around
To Thessaloniki & Athens
South to Greece
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Nikos Kitsakis · CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout To Thessaloniki & Athens
No passenger trains cross the border into Greece at present, so the first leg is by coach: Skopje to Thessaloniki takes from about three and a half hours (FlixBus, October 2026), depending on the border. From Thessaloniki, Hellenic Train runs two InterCity trains a day to Athens in about five hours and ten minutes, under a reduced timetable in force during engineering works since September 2025; between Katerini and Larissa the line runs below Mount Olympus. Flights also link Skopje with Athens. Greece is in the EU and Schengen, so expect passport checks at the border. Our sister guide, the ULTIMATE Athens City Guide, covers the Greek capital and the islands.
Why it's on our list
- Coach to Thessaloniki, about 3½ hours
- Train on to Athens, about 5 hours
- Flights to Athens
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with To Thessaloniki & Athens before you go.