Athens to Meteora: is a private driver worth it over the train?

The monasteries of Meteora stand on sandstone pillars above the town of Kalambaka in Thessaly, about 341 km (212 mi) by road from Syntagma Square by our routing. On a clear road that is roughly four hours each way, so a day trip from Athens means eight hours in a vehicle before you have climbed a single monastery staircase. It can be done, but for most travellers it is the wrong way to see Meteora.

The rail route is not a straight run either. Hellenic Train states that on its Central Greece network the Palaiofarsalos to Kalambaka section is currently served by replacement buses, so the journey is a train from Athens and then a bus for the last stretch. A private driver is worth the money when you are a family or a group, when you want to combine Meteora with Delphi, or when you would rather not change from a train to a bus with your luggage. For one or two light travellers staying a night in Kalambaka, the train is a sensible, cheap option.

Is it better to go from Athens to Meteora by train or by car?

The deciding question is time. By car Meteora is four hours from Athens; by rail it is a train, a change and a bus, on a timetable you do not control. Neither makes a comfortable return day trip. The best plan, whichever you choose, is at least one night near Meteora, and the best plan by car is usually a loop through Delphi.

See Athens prices and reserve

The rail option, as it stands

Trains for the north leave from Larissis station, the central railway station of Athens, which the official City of Athens airport guide notes is also linked to the airport by the suburban railway. The Central Greece network of Hellenic Train includes the Athens to Larissa line, and the operator lists the Palaiofarsalos to Kalambaka section among the connections currently substituted by bus services.

In practice that means:

• a train from Athens to Palaiofarsalos, a junction on the main line;
• a change to a replacement bus for the branch to Kalambaka;
• a walk or taxi from where the bus sets you down to your hotel in Kalambaka;
• the same in reverse on the way back.

It works, and it is far cheaper than a car. Its weak points are the change with luggage, the fixed timetable, and the fact that disruption on the line, including occasional strikes that Hellenic Train announces on its site, affects the whole journey. Check the timetable and any service notices on the operator's site close to your travel date.

Once you are in Kalambaka, you still need to get up to the monasteries, which are spread along a road that climbs well above the town. Local taxis and tours cover this, or you walk the footpaths if you are fit and the weather is kind.

The car option: three ways to do it

A one-day dash. Leave Athens at dawn, reach Meteora late morning, see two or three monasteries, and drive back in the evening. It is about 682 km (424 mi) round trip by our routing, roughly eight hours of driving on clear roads. We will book it if you want it, but we only recommend it for travellers who have no other day and accept a very long day.

A one-way transfer. The car takes you from your Athens hotel to Kalambaka, you spend one or two nights, and you return by train and bus, or the other way round. This halves the cost of a driver while removing the most awkward leg, usually the outbound journey with all the bags. Quote it in the web booker as a one-way trip.

A two- or three-day loop with Delphi. This is how we would do it. Day one, Athens to Delphi with stops at Osios Loukas and Arachova. Day two, Delphi to Meteora across the mountains, arriving in time for an afternoon at the monasteries and sunset over the rocks. Day three, the morning at Meteora and the drive back to Athens. Our guide to Athens to Delphi by car covers the first day in detail.

The distances and times are our routed estimates on clear roads. Summer traffic leaving Athens, roadworks and weather in the mountains add time.

What a private driver to Meteora costs

Meteora is not on the fixed Athens price list, because the right booking depends on how many days and which route. The web booker gives an instant fixed price for a one-way transfer or a multi-day itinerary, all-in per vehicle and charged in US dollars.

For reference, the published Athens day rates are a fair guide to the scale of the cost. The full-day chauffeur costs from US$630 in a business sedan, US$810 in a business SUV, US$960 in a First Class SUV, US$1,035 in a First Class Sedan and US$1,255 in an Executive Sprinter, and the hourly chauffeur from US$85 an hour in a business sedan with a 3-hour minimum. Both are on the Athens fares panel. Fares include the chauffeur, taxes and standard gratuity; tolls and parking are billed at cost.

Prices are per vehicle, never per person. As arithmetic for comparison only, a business SUV at US$810 shared by five people works out at US$162 each for a day's driving, which is the kind of figure to set against five train and bus tickets plus taxis at each end.

What you see at Meteora

UNESCO describes Meteora as a region of almost inaccessible sandstone peaks where monks settled from the 11th century, and records that twenty-four monasteries were built there, many at the height of the eremitic revival of the 15th century, with 16th-century frescoes that mark a key stage in post-Byzantine painting. The UNESCO listing is the best short introduction before you go.

UNESCO notes that four monasteries, Aghios Stephanos, Aghia Trias, Varlaam and the Meteoron, still house religious communities, and that the monasteries control the number of visitors. Opening days and visiting rules are set by the monasteries themselves and vary across the week and the seasons, so expect steps, dress rules and closures on certain days. The chauffeur knows the road and the parking areas at each monastery; the desk can suggest an order of visits once you tell us the day you will be there.

Sunset is the famous moment at Meteora, and it is also when the viewpoints along the road are busiest. Staying the night lets you see the rocks at sunset and again in the quiet of the early morning, which is the strongest argument against a day trip.

Is a private driver worth it? A fair verdict

Take the train and bus if you are one or two people, you travel light, you are staying at least one night in Kalambaka, and you are relaxed about a change and a timetable. It is the economical answer, and there is no reason to pay for a car if those conditions hold.

Book a driver if you are four or more, you have children and want child seats, you have a week of luggage, you want to see Delphi on the same trip, you want to stop where you like, or you simply do not want to stand on a platform at Palaiofarsalos after a long day. The fixed price per vehicle also becomes competitive with rail as the party grows.

Consider the one-way car if you want the comfort of a car with the bags but the price of rail on the return.

Avoid the one-day dash unless you have no other option. Eight hours on the road is too much for most travellers, especially in the first days after a transatlantic flight. If you are fighting jet lag, our guide to Athens airport to the city centre covers a gentle first day in the city, and the guide to Athens day tours with a private driver suggests shorter days out while you adjust.

Practical points

Hotels. Kalambaka, the town directly below the rocks, has most of the hotels. Book them before the car, then give the desk the hotel names so each day starts and ends at the right door.

The chauffeur's day. On a multi-day itinerary the desk plans each day's driving within sensible limits for the chauffeur, which is another reason a loop through Delphi works better than a single long run.

Cash and cards. The car is charged in US dollars to your card when you book. Monastery entries, meals and any local taxis are paid in euros.

Who drives. Rides in Athens are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer; see the fleet and our chauffeur vs car rental comparison if you are weighing driving yourself.

Fitting Meteora around the islands. Many North American itineraries run Athens, the mainland, then a ferry or a short flight to the Cyclades. If you are doing Meteora first, ask the driver to finish the loop at your Athens hotel the evening before the ferry, not at the port on the same day; four hours on the road plus a ferry check-in is a tight day. If you are coming back from the islands first, the desk can meet you at the airport or at Piraeus and drive straight north, with a night in Delphi on the way. Our Athens to Piraeus guide explains how port pickups work.

Luggage on the way. When one car is booked for the whole loop, cases you will not need at Meteora can usually stay in the vehicle; ask the desk to confirm when you book. It is one of the quiet advantages of a multi-day booking. On the train and bus, every bag travels with you through each change.

Longer trips. For long road journeys between cities, read how our city to city car service works. Groups of eight or more should look at an Executive Sprinter with driver.

How to book

1. Route. Enter your Athens hotel and Kalambaka, or each night's hotel for a loop, with the dates.
2. Vehicle. Choose the vehicle for your party and bags.
3. Reserve. Use the web booker for the fixed price and pay in US dollars. Confirmation arrives by email, and the desk confirms the daily pickup times.

Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% applies at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, with refunds to the original card. See the cancellation policy.

Book any address

Elly8.net books the car only; flights and hotels go through our travel partner BookingWorldwide.net. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory. Heading to the islands afterwards? See Mykonos and Santorini.