Getting around Meteora

Meteora is reached in two steps, and the second is harder. The first is the KTEL coach from Athens to Kalambaka, about 4 h 30 for €32.50. The second is the way from Kalambaka to the monasteries themselves, which has had no public bus since July 2024.

From Athens to Kalambaka

The only public transport is the KTEL coach, about 4 h 30 for €32.50. The train isn't an option: the Athens–Kalambaka line has been out of service since Storm Daniel in 2023, and a restoration is announced for late 2026 or mid-2027, unconfirmed. The coach stops in Kalambaka, from where Kastraki is 15 min away on foot along the main road, which has a pavement and lighting.

Where to stayKalambaka or Kastraki, depending on where you stay:Where to stay in Meteora →

The public bus to the monasteries ended in July 2024, because KTEL is no longer allowed to run outside the town, and there is no confirmation it will return. Today the options are a car, a taxi, an organised tour, an e-bike and the walking paths. The monasteries are scattered across the mountain and the roads wind, so a car or a tour gives the most freedom; the paths and an e-bike are for those with time.

2 daysThe day-by-day plan that counts on a car or a tour:Meteora in 2 days →

What spoils the journey

• Counting on the train. There is no direct train from Athens; the coach is the only public transport.
• Counting on a bus to the monasteries. There isn't one, so the ride to them is arranged before setting off.

When to goWhich months keep the road to the monasteries less crowded:The best time to visit Meteora →