| | Must Visits | Need to Know | Capital City Athens | | Tipping 12- 15% | | Electricity 220 V
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How to get there by Air
Being the major tourist destination that it is, Greece has 16 international airports, which is a lot for a country of its fairly diminutive size. The busiest airport is Athens International Airport, which has frequent flights connecting it to major destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and America. The national airline, Olympic Airways, is the chief carrier on Greek routes, although a number of other international airlines- including Delta, Alitalia, KLM, Lufthansa and British Airways also fly to Greece. Other than Athens International Airport, the other major airports in Greece include Thessalonica, Heraklion (Crete) and Rhodes.
With the right research, you could also get a really great deal on a charter flight to Athens from a number of European locations such as London and Paris.
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How to get there by Rail
You can get to Greece by train through the Eurail or InterRail, although trains tend to be usually slow and none too comfortable. There are trains to Athens from countries like Italy, Bulgaria or neighbouring Hungary, and the rail fare will usually include ferry passage. There are rail connections to most major European cities, such as Munich and Paris- but the train journey can be as much as three days long.
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How to get there by Road
The Greek Railway Organisation (OSE) operates a daily bus between Athens and Tirana via Loannina and Gjirokastra, arriving in Tirana the following day. The OSE also operates Athens – Sofia buses and Thessaloniki-Sofia buses daily.
If you're anywhere near Turkey, Bulgaria, Albania or Macedonia, you could drive to Greece across the border.
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How to get there by Sea
There are regular ferries between the Greek coast and ports along the Mediterranean coast. Italy is best connected to Greece; the Italian ports of Ancona, Brindisi and Bari have daily ferries to Corfu and Patras. Israel, Turkey, Egypt and Cyprus also have ferries to Greece. All companies offer discounts for return travel and prices are 30% less in the low season.
In most cases, ferries include passenger and car ferries, so taking a vehicle across is not a problem.
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Getting Around
By Air
The national airline, Olympic Airways, operates flights between many cities and islands, including Athens, Rhodes, Crete and Thessalonica. Two other airlines- Cronus Airlines and Aegean Airlines- also operate flights between popular tourist destinations, although on a smaller scale. Flights tend to be much more expensive than other means of transportation- for instance, a flight from the mainland out to one of the islands can cost as much as three times the ferry fare. Landing by that little aircraft on napkin sized airstrips is quite an experience, though.
Note that reservations must be made well in advance, especially during the summer.
By Road
Buses in Greece are the most popular form of public transport since the train system is not as extensive. Operated by KTEL, a wide network of long-distance buses covers nearly all of Greece, linking even fairly obscure towns and villages to the main urban centres. In addition to the KTEL buses, there are special intercity express services. Bus travel in Greece can be a very varied experience- slow, overcrowded buses and long routes is something you should be prepared for. In the tourist season be sure to buy your tickets in advance.
Taxis are a good alternative to buses, especially in and around large cities. They're usually quite affordable, and many tourist-savvy cabbies are good at giving you a guided tour of all the sights.
You could, of course, hire a car- there are plenty of rental agencies in all the important tourist destinations. But be warned: it's not easy (and not much fun!) driving a car through a crowded and narrow street in a Greek city. Mountain roads, if not crowded, are equally treacherous and are often not in too good a condition.
By Ferry
An extensive ferry network connects the mainland to the islands and this is a popular and convenient way of getting around the Aegean Sea. Most ferry routes include a four or five port route and if you buy a round ticket you can split the ticket - meaning get off at the port of your choice and spend a day or two and get on to the ferry again a couple of days later and continue. The only problem here is that ferry services are irregular and often delayed so you have to be patient.
`Flying Dolphins' or hydrofoils are the express vessels which travel between the islands and the mainland ports. Though more expensive than the regular ferries, the Flying Dolphins are a great deal faster and more comfortable.
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