Greece conjures up all sorts of images of idyllic beaches, pretty villages and delicious food. Many of the islands are quite different to one another two, so the country is perfect for exploring. So what’s the best way to travel around Greece? Well, we’ve done some research to give you the rundown on the main modes of transport to get around Greece and you can read our guide on how to get around the Greek islands for more detail on that too. So, here’s how to explore Greece: 

Trains – While the trains that do exist in Greece are great, there aren’t many of them. Trains only operate in mainland Greece, not on the Greek islands. There are a few intercity routes and suburban routes for Athens and some of the other larger cities, but that’s about it. One of the most common train routes used in the country, and sometimes by visitors too, is the Athens-Thessaloniki line, which offers great views and a comfortable train ride between the two cities in 4 hours. You can find out more information about trains in Greece on the Greek train website TrainOSE

Bus – Buses are a common way to get around Greece, between cities on the mainland, between cities and towns on larger islands and general bus networks that operate in urban areas and on most islands. They can be a very useful tool in exploring islands, especially if you’re relying on public transport. Buses and coaches are generally quite comfortable and inexpensive. You can visit and check the website for the national bus company KTEL to see timetables, prices and route information

Car – Some of the rural areas of Greece and the Greek islands are best explored by car. Cars drive on the right-hand side of the road in Greece and drivers can be a little less polite and less careful than in some European countries, so be wary of this. You must wear your seatbelt by law in Greece and the speed limit on the motorway is 130 kph. In built-up areas, the speed limit is generally 50 kph, unless indicated otherwise. On the Greek islands, you are better off renting a car on each island, than taking the same car with you on the ferry, because of the price. There are several car rental companies on most islands, so there should be no problem in renting a car quickly

Domestic flights – Flying between cities and islands is one of the most common ways to get around Greece. The national airlines in Greece operate many flights between Athens and islands with an airport, but getting flights from one island to another is much more difficult. So, if you’re planning to fly from Athens to another city or island that has an airport, you should have no problem but if you plan on flying from one island to another, you’re better off taking the ferry. You can check Skyscanner to see the various domestic flight options throughout Greece

Ferry – Travelling by ferry is one of the best and most scenic ways to get around Greece. A large number of islands in Greece means that the ferry is one of the most popular and most used forms of transport in the country. Ferries also run between islands, while flights generally do not. There are lots of ferry routes that can offer visitors the chance to see multiple islands in one trip, we’ve covered that in more detail in our article on Greek island hopping. The ferries in Greece are operated by several companies, some of which cover most areas and many which cover a specific island group. Ferries are generally quite comfortable, large and have kiosks selling food and drink on board. Sometimes they run like clockwork and sometimes there are delays, so they aren’t always reliable. We recommend booking ferries in Greece through FerryHopper, which is a great website and app covering ferry routes in Greece in a super easy format with useful tools such as the route map, which shows all of the available ferry routes in Greece