Getting Around Patras: An Overview
Patras is a walkable port city with a compact centre, but its wider urban area spreads out to include the university, the Rio hospital and dock area, and neighbouring suburbs and villages. Visitors generally rely on a mix of walking, city buses, the suburban railway, and taxis. A useful tool before you arrive is the Moovit app, which has accurate information and itineraries for urban and some suburban transport in Patras.
Walking
Much of central Patras is practical on foot, and the port, the main train station and the intercity bus station (KTEL) all sit close together near the corner of Zaimi Street and Othonos Amalias Street, so arrivals by sea, rail or coach put you within easy walking distance of the centre. For anything beyond the centre — the university, the Rio hospital, or outlying villages — you will want a bus, train or taxi.
City Buses
Patras has a city bus service connecting most of the city and reaching places outside it, including the Rio Hospital, the University of Patras, the Rio Docks (handy because many intercity buses from Athens stop there) and several villages.
- Where to buy tickets: at many shops and kiosks throughout the city, and at bus company ticket offices in the city centre and at other points such as the hospital and the university.
- Buying on board: possible, but more expensive than buying in advance, and payment can be made by both cash and card.
- Zones: trips inside the city are cheaper than trips outside it, so tell the driver or vendor where you are going.
- Crowding: the lines serving the two universities can get very crowded when classes are in session, so allow extra time or consider another mode.
- Practical tip: where a KTEL coach or the train serves your route, those are generally the better choice — the city bus is slow and comparatively expensive.
Suburban Railway
A suburban railway serves the wider Patras region, running on the metric-gauge tracks of the old Peloponnese Railway. It is the most comfortable option for longer hops along its route.
- Frequency: roughly one train per hour; check timetables on the Hellenic Train website before you travel.
- Comfort: trains are air conditioned and offer a much more comfortable and faster trip than buses.
- Tickets: priced by the number of zones you cross, and can be purchased at the Kato Achaia, Agios Andreas, Patra and Rio stations, as well as at some shops near the train stops.
- Connections: some stations are reached by bus rather than directly — Agios Vasileios and Aktaion are served by bus with a change at Kastellokampos, and the Kaminia–Kato Achaia stretch is served by bus with a change at Kaminia.
- University and hospital link: a shuttle bus connects the railway to the University of Patras and the Rio Hospital at Kastellokampos station. Waits are minimal because the shuttle and train timetables are arranged so that arrivals coincide.
Taxis
Taxis are easy to find at cabstands around the city and are a straightforward option for reaching the university, Rio, or outlying areas.
- How to spot them: Patras taxis are maroon.
- Costs: fares start at a base charge for urban routes and rise for longer trips to places such as Rio, Agios Vasileios and Vrachneika.
- Calling ahead: ordering a radiotaxi by phone adds a surcharge to the fare.
- Local operator: Taxi Express Patras can be reached on 2610 450000.
Arriving by Air
Patras Araxos Airport sits on the military base of Araxos to the south of the city and receives only seasonal charter flights from various locations in Europe, so it is not a year-round gateway.
For regular flights, Patras is served by Athens International Airport, well to the east. The practical overland option from Athens is the train: a new railway line from Athens Airport towards Patras is under construction and operational as far as Aigio. From Athens you can take the suburban railway to Kiato and change there for the rail replacement bus onward to Patras. This route is comfortable and fast, and has the advantage that you avoid going to the Intercity Bus Station in Athens, which is located far from the city centre and is not connected to the metro network.
Arriving by Coach
The intercity bus station, known as KTEL, lies near the port and main train station at the corner of Zaimi Street and Othonos Amalias Street. KTEL buses connect Athens and other towns in Achaea with Patras. Note that many intercity buses from Athens stop at the Rio Docks, which the city bus network also serves.
Arriving by Ferry
Patras is linked by ferry to the Italian ports of Brindisi, Bari, Ancona and Venice, with numerous sailings daily year-round; service to Trieste has been discontinued. Local ferry services also offer daily sailings from Patras to the Ionian Islands, and Corfu is served by the international ferries on their way to and from Italy. Because the port sits beside the main train station and the KTEL bus station, onward travel into the city or the wider region is simple once you disembark.