Mistakes everyone makes in Thessaloniki

Most mistakes in Thessaloniki are about transport, since the metro is new and its rules are not yet common knowledge — not for visitors, and not in older writing about the city. These five usually cost either a fine or lost time getting to and from the city.

Riding without a validated ticket

The ticket is validated the moment you board or step onto the metro platform, even if it was already bought. An inspection without a validated ticket means a fine sixty times the €0.60 fare — under the official rules of Thessaloniki's transport operator — and having the ticket in a pocket does not help. Left unpaid, the fine grows fivefold after sixty days.

BudgetHow much money a day in the city actually needs:What Thessaloniki costs →

A new ticket for every transfer

One validated ticket stays valid 70 minutes, and within that time it covers a transfer from bus to metro or back, with no new purchase needed. Buying a fresh ticket at every stop instead of using that window means paying twice for the same ride.

Getting aroundEverything about tickets, in one place:Getting around Thessaloniki →

Expecting the metro to reach the airport

Thessaloniki's metro never leaves the city. Only the 01X bus by day and 01N at night run to and from the airport, and that is a separate line with its own fare — the regular city ticket does not work on it. Head for the metro expecting it to reach the airport, and the time is lost at a station that line does not serve.

Where to stayWhich area sits closest to that route:Where to stay in Thessaloniki →

A fare from older guides

A fair amount of writing about the Thessaloniki metro still lists 0.90€ a ride. The current fare is €0.60, per the official pages of the transport operator and the metro itself; the difference is small, but it changes the loose change worth setting aside in advance.

2 daysWhere the metro sits in day one of the plan:Thessaloniki in 2 days →

Expecting a direct train from Belgrade

There has been no direct train between Belgrade and Thessaloniki since 2020 — the route was first cut to summer only, then dropped completely, and never restored. The regular link is the bus, around seven hundred kilometres and over fourteen hours; plan on the train without checking first, and there is no train.

Day tripsOnce you've arrived, how to reach the places around it:Day trips from Thessaloniki →

Planning a day around winter hours and Sunday

• Not allowing for winter opening hours. From November to March the White Tower and the Museum of Byzantine Culture close at 15:30, and the museum is shut outright on Tuesdays — arrive after that and the doors are locked.
• Planning lunch at Kapani on a Sunday. The market is closed that day; Modiano or Ladadika stand in instead.
• Climbing to Ano Poli on foot at midday in summer. The climb is all cobbles with no shade; bus 23 goes up, and walking stays for the way down after sunset.

2 daysThe day-by-day plan that already allows for these three:Thessaloniki in 2 days →

The rest of the pages, if you haven't already:

FoodWhat to eat and where:What to eat in Thessaloniki →

When to goWhich month to pick:The best time to visit Thessaloniki →

Hidden gemsWhat the guides skip:Thessaloniki, past its six main sights →