Thessaloniki 'Makedonia' Airport (SKG) — the main gateway to northern Greece — sits 15 km from the center, along the seafront. Options: Bus 01X — ~$2 (€2), 30-50 min; night bus 01N — same price; taxi — 20-30 min, $27-40. Thanks to direct Wizz Air flights from Kutaisi, SKG is one of the main Greek entry points for travelers from Georgia.
🚇 Ways into the center
- Bus 01X → center (Aristotelous) and the KTEL intercity station: 30-50 min, ~$2 (€2)
- Night bus 01N → center: 40-60 min, ~$2 (€2)
- Taxi → center: 20-30 min, $27-40 (€25-35) by day, $40-55 at night
- FreeNow / Uber (official taxis): $27-45
- Metro: doesn't reach the airport yet — the extension is only planned
🚌 Bus 01X — the workhorse
01X is run by OASTH (the city transit operator). The stop is right outside the arrivals exit, and the route passes through the center (Aristotelous Square) before terminating at the KTEL intercity bus station.
Frequency: roughly every 30 min by day; running ~05:30-23:00.
- 01X → Aristotelous / center: 30-40 min
- 01X → KTEL station (buses to Athens, Halkidiki): 45-50 min
- Ticket: €2 (~$2) from the machine at the stop or on board
- Validation is mandatory — stamp the ticket as soon as you board
Buy the ticket at the stop machine with coins — the machines often take coins only and won't change large bills.
🌙 Night bus 01N
When 01X stops, the night 01N takes over — roughly 23:00 to 05:00, every 30-40 min. The price is the same (€2), but the route covers the center via a longer night loop, so allow 40-60 minutes.
For late arrivals this is the budget pick — Wizz Air's night flights from Kutaisi often land exactly in this window.
🚖 Taxi — fast, but agree the fare first
SKG to the center takes 20-30 minutes by taxi. Day tariff $27-40 (€25-35); night (00:00-05:00) $40-55. The official blue-and-white taxis wait just outside arrivals.
Before getting in, make sure the meter is on or agree the fare upfront — inflated 'fixed' prices for tourists are not rare.
Don't follow 'Taxi?' offers inside the arrivals hall — use the official rank outside or hail via FreeNow, where the fare is locked in the app.
📱 Apps — FreeNow and Uber
Bolt doesn't operate rides in Greece — the main app is FreeNow, which hails official taxis. Uber works too, but also in taxi mode (Uber Taxi). Fares usually match the meter — the advantage is transparency and card payment.
Pickup zone: the arrivals exit, next to the official taxi rank.
💡 Tips
- Kutaisi → Thessaloniki is a direct Wizz Air route — see the full city guide in Tbilisi → Thessaloniki
- KTEL buses to the Halkidiki resorts leave from the 01X terminus
- The new metro line already runs in the center, but the airport extension is still on paper — bus or taxi for now
- ETIAS launches in H2 2026 — pre-flight online authorization will be required
Landing in Athens instead? See our Athens (ATH) transfer guide, and for a broader European comparison — Travel365's airport transfer guide.
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