Bus, Ferry and Train from Athens to London
Overview
Detailed itinerary
Option 1: via Patras, Bari, Bologna and Paris |
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Sample itinerary: Take the 0845 bus from Athens and you'll arrive in Patras with plenty of time to make the 1800 crossing to Bari. Upon arrival the next day, take the 1329 service to Bologna. You can then transfer to the 2231 sleeper service, which arrives in Paris at 0916, giving you enough time for a spot of French breakfast before catching the 1113 Eurostar back to St Pancras.
Price: Booking an InterRail pass is recommended.
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| Leg 1: | Athens to Patras (bus) Buses depart daily from Superfast Ferries' Central Office at 30 Amalias Avenue at 0845 and 1200. |
Frequency of service: Twice daily
Operator:
Superfast Ferries Journey time: The company do not specify but it is timed to coincide with ferry departures.
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| Transfer | It's an easy transfer from ferry to bus, or bus to ferry at Patras port. Both are run by Superfast Ferries and if in doubt, you can ask a member of staff. |
Short hopTransfer time: Allow 30 minutes
Book a stopover hotel in Patras
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| Leg 2: | Patras to Bari (ferry) Ferries depart Patras daily at 1800. |
Frequency of service: Daily
Operator:
Superfast Ferries Journey time: 15 1/2 hours
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| Transfer | It's a short (20-30 minute) walk or quick taxi journey from Bari's port to the main train station. Alternatively, bus number 20 goes from the port to Piazza Moro, outside the station. |
Long hopTransfer time: Allow 45 minutes
Book a stopover hotel in Bari
Book a stopover hotel in Bari
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| Leg 3: | Bari to Bologna First train departs at 0729, with subsequent trains at 0810, 0829, 1113, 1129, 1202, 1212, 1329, 1405, 1529, 2022, 2100, 2124, 2259 and 2338. |
Frequency of service: Up to 15 trains a day.
Operator:
Trenitalia Journey time: from 5 hours 45 minutes
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| Transfer | A quick same-station change of platform at Bologna Centrale |
Change of platformTransfer time: Allow 20 minutes
Book a stopover hotel near Bologna Centrale
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| Leg 4: | Bologna to Paris (sleeper) Train departs Bologna Centrale daily at 2231, arriving in Paris the next morning at 0916. |
Frequency of service: Daily
Operator:
EuroNight Journey time: 10 hours 45 minutes
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| Transfer |
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Long hopTransfer time: Allow 50 mins.
Book a hotel near Gare de Bercy
Book a hotel near Gare du Nord
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| Leg 5: | Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras International in the heart of London. Don't forget check-in time for Eurostar is at least 30 mins before departure. |
Frequency of service: About 15 trains a day
Operator:
Eurostar Journey time: From 2 hrs 16 mins
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| Destination | Welcome to London. St Pancras International now has lots of lovely shops, restaurants and gastro pubs... and free wifi throughout the station. If you're planning to stay in the capital, there are over 60 hotels within a one mile radius of St Pancras (by the way, the new spectacular St Pancras Midland Grand Hotel - a 5-star Marriott hotel - has now opened!). From St Pancras, there are mainline rail connections to Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, as well as First Capital Connect trains on the cross-London Thameslink route which continues north as far as Bedford or south to Gatwick Airport and Brighton. Across the street is Kings Cross station, which has rail connections to the north of England and Scotland, and it's a 15-minute walk (in the opposite direction, heading west) to Euston Station for connections to the West Midlands, the West Coast (including Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester) and Glasgow (including the Scotrail sleeper service). |
Book a hotel near St Pancras
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Option 2: via Thessaloníki, Bucharest, Munich and Paris |
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Sample itinerary: The 1928 from Athens arrives in Thessaloníki at 2355, giving you plenty of time to transfer to the 0028 to Bucharest. Upon arrival in the Romanian capital at 1830, get dinner and bed down early so that you can be up for the 0530 train, which arrives in Munich the next day at 0615. Here you have the option to make a very swift transfer to the 0620 to Paris, then relax over lunch in the French capital before taking the 1513 (1507 at the weekend) Eurostar back to St Pancras; or alternatively spend a full day enjoying Munich before taking the sleeper service at 2243, arriving in Paris at a civilized 0930. Treat yourself to a croissant before heading to Gare du Nord to catch the 1113 or 1213 Eurostar to St Pancras.
Price: Booking an InterRail pass is recommended.
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| Leg 1: | Athens (Larissa Station) to Thessaloníki The first train departs Athens Larissa Station at 0650, with subsequent services at 0753, 0921, 1051, 1321, 1453, 1928, 2039, 2255 and 2359. |
Frequency of service: Up to 10 trains a day
Operator:
Trainose S.A. Journey time: from 4 hours 27 minutes
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| Transfer | A quick same-station change of platform at Thessaloníkí station |
Change of platformTransfer time: Allow 20 minutes
Book a stopover hotel in Thessaloníkí
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| Leg 2: | Thessaloníki to Bucharest (Bucuresti Nord) Train departs Thessaloníki daily at 0028, arriving in Bucharest at 1830. |
Frequency of service: Daily
Operator: n/a
Journey time: 16 hours 2 minutes
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| Transfer | A quick same-station change of platform at Bucuresti Nord Station. Alternatively it's just a short walk to catch a bus from outside the station (or vice-versa). |
Change of platformTransfer time: Allow 20 minutes
Book a hotel near Bucuresti Nord
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| Leg 3: | Bucharest (Bucuresti Nord) to Munich (overnight) Train departs Bucharest daily at 0530, arriving in Munich the next day at 0615. |
Frequency of service: Daily
Operator:
Euronight Journey time: 25 hours 45 minutes
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| Transfer | A quick same-station change of platform within Munich Hauptbahnhof |
Change of platformTransfer time: Allow 20 minutes
Book a hotel near Munich (München) Hauptbahnhof
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| Leg 4: | Munich to Paris (day or sleeper) Day train departs Munich daily at 0620, arriving in Paris at 1234 (does not run March 6th & 7th). Sleeper train departs Munich daily at 2243, arriving in Paris the next morning at 0930. |
Frequency of service: 2 trains a day
Operator:
TGV/CityNightLine Journey time: from 6 hours 14 minutes
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| Transfer | A short 10-minute walk from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord. Exit Gare de l'Est, turn right along Rue de Chabrol then right along Rue du Fauberg Saint-Denis (slightly uphill) for about 400m until you reach the main intersection and then cross the road and turn left to Gare du Nord. Alternatively it is one stop on the metro line - from Gare de l'Est follow the signs for Metro line M4 to Gare du Nord (which is signposted 'direction Porte de Clignancourt'). Don't forget the 30-minute check-in for Eurostar. |
Short hopTransfer time: Allow 25 minutes.
Book a hotel near Gare du Nord/Gare de l'Est
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| Leg 5: | Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras International in the heart of London. Don't forget check-in time for Eurostar is at least 30 mins before departure. |
Frequency of service: About 15 trains a day
Operator:
Eurostar Journey time: From 2 hrs 16 mins
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| Destination | Welcome to London. St Pancras International now has lots of lovely shops, restaurants and gastro pubs... and free wifi throughout the station. If you're planning to stay in the capital, there are over 60 hotels within a one mile radius of St Pancras (by the way, the new spectacular St Pancras Midland Grand Hotel - a 5-star Marriott hotel - has now opened!). From St Pancras, there are mainline rail connections to Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, as well as First Capital Connect trains on the cross-London Thameslink route which continues north as far as Bedford or south to Gatwick Airport and Brighton. Across the street is Kings Cross station, which has rail connections to the north of England and Scotland, and it's a 15-minute walk (in the opposite direction, heading west) to Euston Station for connections to the West Midlands, the West Coast (including Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester) and Glasgow (including the Scotrail sleeper service). |
Book a hotel near St Pancras
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Your route back from Athens
The lines on the map are for illustrative purposes only - they don't show the exact route taken by the train.
