Getting from Thessaloniki to Elafonisos

If you are heading to Elafonisos from Thessaloniki you are making your way from the second largest city in Greece to a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast, on the opposite side of the country. It has pink-tinged sand beaches that are among the finest in Greece and a setting of extraordinary natural beauty.

Getting there by air

Elafonisos has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Thessaloniki has an international airport with daily connections to Athens. Flying from Thessaloniki to Athens and then driving south through the Peloponnese via Corinth, Tripoli and Sparta to Pounta, which takes around 4 to 4.5 hours from Athens, followed by the short 10 minute ferry to Elafonisos running every 30 minutes in summer, gives a total journey time of around 7 to 8 hours.

Take the train, bus or drive

Thessaloniki is connected to Athens by train, taking around 4 to 5 hours, and by KTEL bus, taking around 5 to 6 hours. From Athens the drive south to Pounta takes around 4 to 4.5 hours. The drive from Thessaloniki to Pounta takes around 8 to 9 hours via the E75 motorway and Athens. Having a car is essential as the KTEL bus connection to Pounta is complicated and infrequent.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Thessaloniki to Elafonisos. Elafonisos is accessible only by the short local ferry from Pounta on the southern Peloponnese.

Your best option

Fly from Thessaloniki to Athens and drive south through the Peloponnese to Pounta for the short ferry across to Elafonisos. Having a car is essential for this route. If you are traveling with a car, drive from Thessaloniki to Pounta via the E75 motorway and Athens, which takes around 8 to 9 hours, and take the short ferry across to Elafonisos. Plan the journey over two days if possible, stopping in the Peloponnese along the way.