Getting to Alonnisos through Thessaloniki

If you fly into Thessaloniki, typically your only option for reaching Alonnisos is to take a coach bus to the port of Volos where there are departures to the Sporades. If money isn’t an issue for you, there is also the option of hiring a taxi to take you to Volos (approximately 2.0 – 2.5 hours travel), and the price for that trip could be as high as 200 Euros or more.

There are typically 3 – 4 departures from Volos to the Sporades each day during the summer season, with the latest leaving sometime in the evening. So it may be possible for you get to Alonnisos the same day if your bus from Thessaloniki arrives in Volos prior to that last boat departure of the day.

Once you get your luggage squared away at the Thessaloniki airport you’ll need to hail a taxi to take you to the KTEL bus station in the city. The airport in Thessaloniki is quite small all told, so finding the taxi line is quite simple. You just walk out the arrivals door and you’ll quickly spot the line of folks waiting. If the taxi driver speaks English, just tell him you need to go to the KTEL bus terminal to catch a long distance bus to Volos.

KTEL Bus Station in Thessaloniki

The KTEL bus station can be a bit confusing as there are numerous ticket counters. Look for the one that has the city of Volos listed. After buying your ticket(s), ask the counter person precisely what number departure area the bus will leave from as there are many buses in the barn-like structure. Once you have your tickets, be sure to proceed to the boarding area about ten minutes before departure. If you have a long wait and are interested in something to eat, there are some fast food places in the terminal that offer a pretty good selection of Greek food. Once you’re on the bus, you can figure it will take about two and half hours to reach Volos. When you arrive in Volos, please note that the bus station is just a few blocks from the departure pier for boats to Alonnisos, so if you take a taxi the fare should be inexpensive.

Making a Boat Reservation from Volos to Alonnisos

If you do intend to reach Alonnisos by boat from Volos, then prior to your trip you need to reserve and pay for boat tickets in advance. The Ferryscanner.com site is fairly easy to navigate, just choose your departure and arrival points and then follow the prompts. In the summer there are typically two (or perhaps three or four in high season) departures per day from Volos to the Sporades islands (including Alonnisos).

Staying in Volos

If the arrival time of your bus is such that you are unable to connect with the last boat of the day to Alonnisos, please check the Category Archives (to your right) under “Hotel in Volos” for information regarding the properties I recommend.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

This entry was posted in Getting to Alonnisos from Thessaloniki. Bookmark the permalink.