Getting to PRESPA
The closest city to Prespa is Florina where there is reliable public (bus and train) transport everyday from Athens and Thessaloniki. There is no bus connection or any other form of public transportation from Florina to Prespes.
The organization will schedule busses that will cover the distance from Florina to Prespes and opposite. The cost for that is 10 euros for each destination. The buses will be departing from Florina to Prespes on Sunday, June 30th, and From Prespes to Florida Sunday, July 7th at 14:30 in the afternoon.
When we have the final list and hours of living we will add additional busses or find alternative ways of traveling to and from Prespes to Florina.
Airports
Makedonia airport in Thessaloniki is the nearest international airport and is approximately 3 hours drive east to Prespa. Athens is approximately 7 hours. There is public transportation connecting Thessaloniki to Florina (see below). One has to consider the approx. 45min that are needed to cover the distance from Makedonia Airport to the Train and Bus stations that are located in the opposite (west) part of Thessaloniki. There is an express bus (01N, 01X) line that connects the two areas (http://oasth.gr/#en/routeinfo/list/61/12/73)
Ioannina National Airport is located also three hours from Prespes but there is no public transportation connecting Ioannina to Florina.
There are two other local airports (Kozani and Kastoria, aprox. 2 and 1 hrs respectively from Prespes) with limited number of flights per week.
In sum if someone decides to travel from Ioannina, Kozani or Kastoria to Prespes it is preferable to rent a car for the travel from these cities to Prespes.
SCHEDULES BY TRAIN AND BUSS from FLORINA to THESSALONIKI AND BACK
- Schedule by train from Florina to Thessaloniki and Thessaloniki Florina
Thessaloniki-Florina: 6:46 (arrives in Florina at 9:45), 13:21 (arrives in Florina at 15:58), 19:15 (arrives in Florina at 9:52),
Florina-Thessaloniki: 6:55 (arrives in Thessaloniki at 9:35), 10:20 (arrives in Thessaloniki at 13:06), 16:09 (arrives in Thessaloniki at 18:47)
The train tickets from Florina to Thessaloniki and vice versa cannot be issued in advance from the internet. You will buy them in the ticket booth in the stations.
https://tickets.trainose.gr/dromologia/
- Schedules by train from Florina to Athens and back
There are many itineraries as you can check in:
However the most convenient (with a change in Plati Station) and shortest ones are:
4a. Trains from Florina to Athens
6:55 (arrives in Athens at 15:24) , 10:20 (arrives in Athens at 16:24) , 16:09 (arrives in Athens at 23:24)
4b. Trains from Athens to Florina
Athens – Florina 9:22 (arrives in Florina at 15:58), 12:22 (arrives in Florina at 21:52), 15:22 (arrives in Florina at 21:52), 23:50 (arrives in Florina at 9:24)
https://tickets.trainose.gr/dromologia/
- Schedule by buss from Florina to Thessaloniki and Thessaloniki Florina
WITH ASTERISKS ONLY THOSE THAT WORK FOR THE WEEKDAYS
Thessaloniki-Florina: 7:00*, 10:30, 13:00, 15:30, 19:30
Florina – Thessaloniki: 6:30*, 9:00, 12:00, 15:30, 19:30
Duration: 2:30 hrs
https://www.ktelflorinas.gr/schedules
- Schedules by buss from Florina to Athens and back
Daily there is one buss from Florina to Athens at 8:30 am and from Athens to Florina at 11:00
Duration: 8hrs
https://www.ktelflorinas.gr/schedules
By Car From Florina: Take the road sign-posted for Prespa from the main roundabout upon entering Florina. The right turn into Prespa is a further 35 km after crossing the pass at Vigla and passing the villages of Pisoderi and Andartiko.
By Car From Thessaloniki:
1. Take the National Road ‘Thessaloniki-Athens’ until the exit for ‘Veroia – Kozani’, Egnatia Highway E90 ~20km.
2. Stay on the E90 highway, traveling west towards Kozani ~82km.
3. Take the exit for Kastoria and follow the E86 Egnatia highway, North towards Kastoria ~30km.
4. Outside Kastoria, you will see signs for the Greek-Albanian border station at Krystallopigi. ~75km.
5. Stay on the E86 highway past the turnoff for Krystallopigi and at the sign for Prespes, turn left. ~10km.
6. Follow this road winding through the hills until it ends at the ‘Vrontero – AgiosGermanos’ road. ~15km.
By Car From Athens:
1. Take the National Road ‘Athens-Thessaloniki’ until the exit for ‘Veroia – Kozani’. ~406km.
FollowtheDirections 2 – 7 Above. ~214km.
Useful Links
http://www.visitwestmacedonia.gr/el/
http://www.prespes.gr/prespa/index.php/2015-05-03-15-45-20
http://visualmarch.eetf.uowm.gr/
http://www.cityoflorina.gr/index.php/visitus