In Thessaloniki (Greece), the airport ranks second in the country in terms of congestion. It is second only to the Athenian hub. Thessaloniki Airport serves up to four million passengers annually. However, these air gates of Northern Greece are not impressive in scale. Everything here is cozy, at home. The small size of a single terminal makes it easy to find the right reception. But the airport is constantly being built, improved, expanded. The last large-scale reconstruction took place in 2006. It is known that Greece is a country of summer holidays. Therefore, during the holidays, the airport is overloaded due to the numerous charter flights. From this article you will find out what awaits you upon arrival at the hub of Macedonia, how to get from it to Thessaloniki and how to usefully spend time in it waiting for your flight.
Short story
In 1930, an airfield was opened at this place. It was a simple airfield, without any infrastructure or even buildings. During World War II, it was used for military aviation purposes. In 1965, the runways were reconstructed so that civilian liners could land. A terminal was built. Thessaloniki Hub became known as Thessaloniki Mikra Airport (after the village near which it is located). He kept this name until 1993. Now the hub is called Macedonia Airport (Thessaloniki is the capital of this Greek province). The construction of the second terminal and a new runway that goes into the sea is currently underway. After reconstruction, the hub will be able to receive up to nine million travelers a year.
Where is the airport
Thessaloniki is a major city. Here is the second most important seaport of Greece. However, despite its large size, the city has only one airport. It is located thirteen kilometers southeast of the center, in the distant suburb of Kalamari. Many of our compatriots regard the airport of Thessaloniki as a transshipment point. From here it is convenient to fly to the Greek islands - Crete, Corfu, Rhodes. Flights from Vnukovo and Domodedovo regularly depart from Moscow to Thessaloniki . Kiev airport Boryspil is connected with northern Greece by the carrier Aerosvit. In the summer months charter flights depart from major Russian and European cities to Thessaloniki. The duration of a flight from Moscow to this Greek city is three hours and 20 minutes.
How to get to the city and to the airport
The cheapest way to overcome the fifteen kilometers between the city and the hub will be by bus. Route number 78 runs around the clock, no matter what taxi drivers tell you. The bus stop is located directly at the exit of the airport. From five in the morning until ten in the evening bus number 78 runs, and from 23.30 the night flight number 78N leaves the route. The interval between cars is half an hour. The cost of the ticket purchased from the driver is 0.45 Euro. The journey to the final stop - the new railway station - will take about forty-five minutes. A taxi ride will be shorter, more convenient, but also more expensive. Cost varies depending on distance. On average, count on ten Euros. However, in the opposite direction (from the city to Thessaloniki Airport) the trip can be twice as expensive.
Rules for baggage and passengers
In principle, they are not much different from the standards adopted in other hubs. Check-in for passengers traveling within the country begins in two hours. Those flying out of Greece can approach the racks in 2.5 hours. Check-in for all passengers is completed forty minutes before the departure of the flight. If you have a “paper” ticket, you need to present it and your passport. In the case when you bought a seat on the plane over the Internet, one document will be enough. But Thessaloniki Airport has its own, somewhat strange rules. Travelers will be surprised, but at check-in, staff will only weigh your luggage. After that, passengers with their suitcases must go to the counter number 21. After another queue, they will check in your luggage and you can go to the passport control or to the gate.
Thessaloniki Airport Scheme
Despite the periodic congestion of the hub, everything here works like a clock. If you flew to Thessaloniki and want to fly to the islands or other Greek cities by air, the offices of Olympic, Aegean, Austrian Airlines and other carriers are at your service (among them German TUIfly low-cost). There are several baggage packing points in the passenger terminal building. Thessaloniki Airport has comfortable lounges, including for VIP clients and mothers with children. You can grab a bite to eat at coffee shops, which are located both in the departure and arrival halls. After passing through passport control, passengers can look into two duty-free shops. The entire airport infrastructure is adapted to the needs of people with disabilities. Luggage storage is open around the clock. There are branches of several banks, currency exchange. If you have any questions, you can get a comprehensive answer in the help desk.