There are two direct Intercity trains a day in each direction between Athens and Thessaloniki. The journey takes about 5 hours 10 minutes, from Athens Larissa station to the New Railway Station in Thessaloniki, with no change of train.
Athens to Thessaloniki: departures
| Leave Athens | Arrive Thessaloniki | Journey time | Train |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06:58 | 12:10 | 5 h 12 min | Intercity 50 |
| 17:58 | 23:10 | 5 h 12 min | Intercity 56 |
Thessaloniki to Athens: departures
| Leave Thessaloniki | Arrive Athens | Journey time | Train |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05:55 | 11:03 | 5 h 8 min | Intercity 51 |
| 16:49 | 21:57 | 5 h 8 min | Intercity 57 |
Times from the Hellenic Train timetable for November 2026, every day of the week.
Stops on the way
The Intercity stops at Oinoi, Thiva, Livadeia, Tithorea, Lianokladi (for Lamia), Palaiofarsalos, Larissa, Katerini and Platy. Palaiofarsalos is where you change for Kalambaka and the Meteora monasteries: see our guide to Athens to Meteora by train.
The stations
Athens: trains leave from Athens Larissa station, which has its own Metro stop on line 2 (Larissa Station). From the airport, see our guide to Athens Airport to the city.
Thessaloniki: trains arrive at the New Railway Station, on the western side of the city centre. Taxis and city buses leave from outside the station.
Tips before you go
- Take the morning train for a full day. The 06:58 from Athens arrives at 12:10, leaving the afternoon to explore Thessaloniki.
- Book early. With only two direct trains a day, seats sell out in summer and around Greek holidays.
- Buy tickets from Hellenic Train. Tickets are sold on the Hellenic Train website and at the stations.
- Check before you travel. Works, strikes or faults can change the timetable at short notice, so confirm the times on the Hellenic Train website the day before.
The full timetable for the next 7 days is on our Athens to Thessaloniki page (in Greek, the times are easy to read).
Airporika.gr is an independent travel guide and is not affiliated with Hellenic Train.
Last updated: 8 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.