How to Get to Corinth From Athens: Car, Train, Bus or Tour

Corinth is about 50 miles (80 km) west of Athens, an easy trip overland. You can drive, take the train, ride the KTEL bus, or join a guided tour. A rental car or a guided tour is a popular choice for first-timers, and the train can work nicely for travelers packing light and watching their budget.

How do you get to Corinth from Athens?

You leave the city behind, cross the Corinth Canal, and an hour or so later you're standing among ruins with a huge rocky hill rising behind them.

First, be clear about which Corinth you mean. Modern Corinth is a working city. Ancient Corinth, with the Temple of Apollo and the museum, sits about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of it, at the foot of the fortress hill of Acrocorinth. Unless you drive or join a tour, the last stretch is a short taxi or local bus ride.

By car

Driving gives you plenty of flexibility, and it makes it easy to fit the canal, the ruins and Acrocorinth into one day. Take the A8/E94 highway west out of Athens toward Corinth, then follow the Corinth Canal Road (EO8) to the archaeological site. Plan on about an hour behind the wheel, or up to an hour and a half in heavy traffic. Parking at the site is free.

On the way, stop at the canal. A pedestrian bridge on the old national road gives you a straight-down view of the sheer rock walls, and five to ten minutes is plenty. You'll find a small place to park nearby, along with a couple of cafes for a coffee break.

By train

Trains leave from Athens' Larissa station, and the ride takes about an hour. Departures run through the day, so check the current timetable before you go.

You arrive at Corinth Railway Station, on the main road between the modern city and the ancient site. Taxis wait at the station, and the ride to the ruins takes about 10 minutes. A bus is the other option.

By bus

KTEL buses leave from Kifissos Terminal A, at 100 Kifissou Street in the Academy of Plato area of Athens. They run roughly every 30 minutes to every hour, from early morning into the evening. The ride usually takes about an hour, a little longer with traffic. Allow up to two hours if you have to transfer. Coming straight from Athens airport, the X93 city bus runs to Kifissos Terminal, so you can skip downtown entirely.

The bus also stops in modern Corinth, but that stop is no closer to the ruins, while from Isthmos station the canal is only about 328 feet (100 meters) away and easy to reach on foot.

2026 prices: the KTEL fare between Athens and the Isthmus of Corinth is around €9.50, and between Athens and Corinth around €10.20. Each fare covers one leg, so double it for a round trip.

By guided tour

Half-day tours cover the canal and Ancient Corinth, and some add Acrocorinth. Full-day tours pair Corinth with Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio. A tour is the easiest choice if you'd rather not drive or arrange taxis.

Is it better to drive, take the train, or take the bus?

• First trip, comfortable pace: rent a car if you're confident driving in Greece, or book a tour if you're not.
• Family with luggage: a car or a tour. Hauling bags from a station to a taxi gets old fast.
• Tight budget: the bus or the train, both far cheaper than a taxi or a tour.
• Fastest: driving, at about an hour, with the train close behind.

How do you get from the station to the ruins?

• From Corinth Railway Station: about 10 minutes by taxi. Taxis are also plentiful at the ruins for the trip back.
• From Isthmos bus station: a 15 minute taxi ride.
• From modern Corinth by car: about 10 minutes.
• By local bus: buses to Ancient Corinth leave from the KTEL terminal in the center of New Corinth.

Acrocorinth, the fortress above the ruins, is a separate step about ten minutes away. Buses don't go up, so you need your own car or a taxi hired at Ancient Corinth. Allow about three hours for Ancient Corinth and Acrocorinth together. The hilltop is open to the sun and the ground is uneven, so pack water and wear sturdy shoes, and many visitors avoid it during the midday heat of summer. If you want both sites in the cold months, start at the ruins early in the morning.

How do you book a trip to Corinth?

• Train: buy tickets at the station in Athens.
• Bus: check schedules and buy tickets on the KTEL website.
• Car: rent in Athens, and book online ahead of time.
• Tour: book online, choosing a half-day tour for Corinth alone or a full-day tour that adds Nafplio.

Whichever you choose, leave Athens early to beat both the crowds and the heat, and check the train or bus timetable the day before.

What should Americans know before going?

Greek law requires you to carry both a valid U.S. driver's license, and insurance companies may require an international driver’s permit. Greece has one of the highest traffic fatality rates in the European Union, so drive defensively. Thieves target rental cars for passports, valuables and luggage, so take those with you when you park at the canal or the ruins. On buses and trains, validate your ticket: riding without the right one can cost you up to 60 times the basic fare. Forest fires are common in the dry summer months and occasionally close roads. Transportation strikes can also halt trains, buses and taxis, so check the local news the evening before you set out.