Greece - Korina Miller [605]
For information on cruising the islands by yacht, Click here.
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The KTEL buses are safe and modern, and these days most are air conditioned – at least on the major routes. In more-remote rural areas they tend to be older and less comfortable.
Most villages have a daily bus service of some sort, although remote areas may have only one or two buses a week. They operate for the benefit of people going to town to shop, rather than for tourists, and consequently leave the villages very early in the morning and return early in the afternoon.
On islands where the capital is inland rather than a port, buses normally meet boats. Some of the more remote islands have not yet acquired a bus, but most have some sort of motorised transport – even if it is only a bone-shaking, three-wheeled truck.
Larger towns usually have a central, covered bus station with seating, waiting rooms, toilets and a snack bar selling pies, cakes and coffee. It is important to note that big cities like Athens, Iraklio, Patra and Thessaloniki may have more than one bus station, each serving different regions. Make sure you find the correct station for your destination.
In small towns and villages the ‘bus station’ may be no more than a bus stop outside a kafeneio (coffee house) or taverna that doubles as a booking office. In remote areas, the timetable may be in Greek only, but most booking offices have timetables in both Greek and Roman script. The timetables give both the departure and return times – useful if you are making a day trip. Times are listed using the 24-hour clock system.
When you buy a ticket you may be allotted a seat number, which is noted on the ticket. The seat number is indicated on the back of each seat of the bus, not on the back of the seat in front; this causes confusion among Greeks and tourists alike. You can board a bus without a ticket and pay on board but, on a popular route or during high season, this may mean that you have to stand. Keep your ticket handy for checking.
It’s best to turn up at least 20 minutes before departure to make sure you get a seat, and buses have been known to leave a few minutes before their scheduled departure. Buses on less-frequented routes do not usually have toilets on board and they don’t have refreshments available, so make sure you are prepared on both counts. Buses stop about every three hours on long journeys. Smoking is prohibited on all buses in Greece.
Costs
Fares are fixed by the government and bus travel is very reasonably priced. A journey costs approximately €5 per 100km. Some major routes include Athens–Patra (€17, three hours), Athens–Volos (€25, five hours) and Athens–Corfu (€48 including ferry, 9½ hours).
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CAR & MOTORCYCLE
No one who has travelled on Greece’s roads will be surprised to hear that the country’s road fatality rate is the highest in Europe. More than 2000 people die on the roads every year, with overtaking listed as the greatest cause of accidents. Ever-stricter traffic laws have had little impact on the toll; Greek roads remain a good place to practise your defensive-driving techniques.
Heart-stopping moments aside, your own car is a great way to explore off the beaten track. The road network has improved enormously in recent years; many roads marked as dirt tracks on older maps have now been asphalted, particularly in more remote parts of Epiros and the Peloponnese. It’s important to get a good road map (for more information, Click here).
There are regular (if costly) car-ferry services to almost all islands. For more information and sample prices for vehicles, Click here.
Automobile Associations
Greece’s domestic automobile association is ELPA (Elliniki Leschi Aftokinitou kai Periigiseon; 210 606 8800; www.elpa.gr in Greek; Leoforos Mesogion 395,