The metro terminal outside Thessaloniki's New Railway Station, the arrival point for trains from Athens.
Photo: Elymperis / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)Athens to Thessaloniki by Train
A domestic route within Greece.
Reviewed by Eurotraintrip on 2026-07-30
- Duration
- 4h 30m – 5h 12m
- Price from
- 20 EUR
- Distance
- 499 km
- Operators
- Hellenic Train
- Frequency
- Around 4 direct Intercity (IC 50) trains a day between Athens and Thessaloniki - the exact daily count and stopping pattern have been changing through 2026 due to ongoing corridor works, so treat published timetables as provisional close to travel.
Compare and book Athens–Thessaloniki tickets
Check pricesWhat makes Athens to Thessaloniki different
- This corridor is mid-reconstruction, not a finished high-speed line: the Larissa-Thessaloniki section has been upgraded for 200 km/h running, but full double-track signaling, centralized traffic control and ETCS automatic braking across the whole route are only targeted for completion by summer 2026 - work accelerated after the fatal Tempi collision of February 2023 exposed how far behind the line's safety systems had fallen.
- Storm Daniel in autumn 2023 damaged roughly 120km of this line, and Hellenic Train has since scheduled extended bus-replacement periods - including a planned roughly 20-day full suspension in summer 2026 - specifically to accelerate the repair work rather than run it around live traffic indefinitely.
- A fleet of 23 new Alstom Coradia Stream electric trains is being introduced on the Greek network, with 12 earmarked for this exact Athens-Thessaloniki mainline; once they and the signaling upgrades are certified, journey times are expected to fall from today's roughly 4.5-5-hour range to under 3.5 hours.
Athens station
Departs from Athens's Larissa Station (Stathmos Larisis), inaugurated 29 June 1904 as the southern terminus of the line to Larissa and Thessaloniki; the Metro Line 2 stop directly beneath it, opened 28 January 2000, is decorated with the 'Human Crowds' artwork by Giorgos Gaitis.
Thessaloniki station
Arrives at the New Thessaloniki Railway Station on Monastiriou Street, inaugurated 12 June 1961 to a Modernist design by architect Hans Kleinschmidt, with 7 platforms (one disused) across 2 levels; it connects directly to the New Railway Station stop on Thessaloniki's metro, which entered service in 2024.
Train vs. other options
At around 499km, this is Greece's longest domestic rail corridor and too far for most travelers to drive comfortably as a same-day trip; the more realistic comparison is with domestic flights on the route, which currently have a real time edge given how far the train's own upgrade programme still has to go - that gap is expected to narrow once the ETCS signaling and new Coradia Stream fleet are both certified, but as of these works still being underway in 2026, it hasn't closed yet.
Booking tips
- Book on Hellenic Train's own site or app rather than a reseller if possible - advance 2nd-class fares start from around EUR 20, but the cheapest allotments on the core morning and late-afternoon departures sell out first.
- Check Hellenic Train's 'Important Information' service-alerts page before you travel, not just your ticket confirmation - the Athens-Thessaloniki line has had repeated temporary bus-replacement sections in 2026 (for example Lianokladi-Thessaloniki in June) while storm-damage repairs and signaling works continue.
- If your dates fall in late June or July 2026, double-check whether the extended full-line suspension planned for that window is still in effect - Hellenic Train had been scheduling roughly 20 days of Athens-Thessaloniki bus replacement to accelerate repairs from 2023's storm Daniel damage.
Good to know: Because sections of this specific line have been running rail-replacement buses on and off through 2026 (passengers changing at Lianokladi during one such period), a ticket bought online doesn't guarantee an all-the-way train ride - check Hellenic Train's current service-alert notices for the Athens-Thessaloniki axis before locking in onward plans at either end.
While you're in Thessaloniki
The Arch of Galerius, built 298-299 AD and dedicated in 303 AD to mark a Roman military victory.
Photo: Armineaghayan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Greece's second city trades the Acropolis-scale crowds of Athens for a genuinely lived-in waterfront, a university-driven café culture, and a food scene serious enough that National Geographic has called it a city of gastronomy.
Full Thessaloniki travel guide →Frequently asked questions
How long does the train from Athens to Thessaloniki take?
Hellenic Train's Intercity (IC) services currently take roughly 4h30m-5h12m depending on the exact train and any ongoing works, though the corridor is being upgraded with a target of under 3h30m once ETCS signaling and the new Alstom fleet are both certified.
Is the Athens-Thessaloniki train currently running normally?
Not entirely - the line has had repeated temporary rail-replacement-bus sections through 2026 tied to storm-damage repairs and signaling works, including a planned multi-week full suspension in summer 2026. Check Hellenic Train's service alerts before booking around a specific date.
How much does the train from Athens to Thessaloniki cost?
Advance-purchase 2nd-class fares start from around EUR 20; walk-up or later-booked fares run higher, roughly EUR 35-55 depending on train and class.