Greece’s two largest cities, joined by the A1 motorway. North past Thermopylae, Lamia and Larissa, past Mount Olympus and into Thessaloniki — a private car from your Athens hotel, Piraeus port or the airport to your door in Thessaloniki, with the stops you choose.
About 499 km and 5h 45m of driving from central Athens to central Thessaloniki, without traffic or stops. Private transfer priced on request per vehicle, door-to-door — and on a drive this long you can break it at Thermopylae, Litochoro, Dion or the Vale of Tempe.
Pickup anywhere in Athens, at Athens railway station, at Piraeus port or at Athens Airport. The route joins the A1 Athens–Thessaloniki motorway and stays on it almost all the way north.
The ancient pass lies beside the A1 after Thebes. A stop adds about 9 minutes of driving, plus time for the visit.
The A1 bypasses the capital of Thessaly; a break in the city centre adds about 16 minutes of driving.
The motorway bypasses the gorge in northern Thessaly; seeing it means taking the old road, about 27 minutes of extra driving.
Mount Olympus rises west of this stretch of the A1. The town of Litochoro adds about 15 minutes of driving; the Archaeological Park of Dion about 25 minutes.
The A1 meets the Egnatia motorway and the route enters Thessaloniki from the west. Drop-off at your hotel or address in the city.
Per vehicle, not per person. Every quote includes tolls, fuel, assistance with loading and unloading luggage, and child seats available on request.
Picked up and dropped off at your exact address
Motorway tolls covered, no extras
Short photo stops may be included where operationally possible
Professional, local, English-speaking driver
Athens Airport (ATH) lies east of the city, about 35 km by road from central Athens, so starting at the terminal adds that leg to the drive north. You can still go straight from arrivals to Thessaloniki without stopping in the city. Mention the airport pickup and your flight number in your request. Airport pickups include 60 minutes of free waiting.
From Thessaloniki we also drive west to Meteora, about 226 km on the Egnatia and A3 motorways.
Heading south instead? Thessaloniki to Athens covers the drive from Thessaloniki to your Athens hotel, Piraeus port or the airport.
Thessaloniki → Athens →By road, Athens to Thessaloniki is about 499 km, almost all of it on the A1 Athens–Thessaloniki motorway. From central Athens the route heads north past Thebes, Thermopylae and Lamia, bypasses Larissa, runs through northern Thessaly past Tempi and Katerini, then joins the Egnatia for the western entrance to Thessaloniki. Allow about 5h 45m of driving without traffic or stops; with a break or two it becomes a full day.
Hellenic Train runs direct trains between Athens and Thessaloniki, and KTEL coaches link the two cities; check the current timetable before travelling. A private transfer is the option when you want to stop on the way — Thermopylae, Dion or the Olympus side of the road — when you have a lot of luggage, or when you want to go from your hotel door in Athens to your hotel door in Thessaloniki.
This is a domestic journey inside Greece with no border, on motorway almost the whole way. The times on this page are free-flow driving times, so allow for traffic leaving Athens and entering Thessaloniki. On a drive this long a comfort stop can be planned on request; tell us which stops you would like and we build them into the quote.
We collect you from hotels and addresses in Athens, from Athens railway station, from Piraeus port (about 508 km from Thessaloniki by road) or from Athens Airport (ATH). Address pickups include 15 minutes of free waiting, airport pickups 60 minutes. In Thessaloniki we drop off at your hotel or address; send the exact address with your request.
Everything specific to this route.
About 499 km, roughly 5h 45m of driving on the A1 motorway almost the whole way, without traffic or stops.
Yes. Hellenic Train runs direct trains between Athens and Thessaloniki; check the current timetable before travelling.
Yes. KTEL coaches link the two cities; check the current timetable before travelling. A private transfer takes you from your address in Athens to your door in Thessaloniki.
Yes. Thermopylae adds about 9 minutes of driving, Litochoro on the Olympus stretch about 15, Larissa about 16, the Archaeological Park of Dion about 25 and the Vale of Tempe about 27. Add the time you spend at each and name the stops in your request.
Almost. The route follows the A1 Athens–Thessaloniki motorway from Athens to the Egnatia at the western entrance to Thessaloniki; only the city streets at each end are off the motorway.
Yes. From Piraeus port to Thessaloniki is about 508 km by road. Tell us your ferry or cruise arrival and we plan the pickup around it.
This route is priced on request. We quote per vehicle, not per passenger, for your date, group and any stops, and you receive the quote in writing before anything is confirmed.
Request this transfer with your date, pickup point or flight number in Athens, your address in Thessaloniki, group size and the stops you would like. We reply during our working hours with a written quote per vehicle.
More from Athens: See all Athens private transfers →