Istanbul to Athens by bus
Athens lies 560 km (348 mi) south-west of Istanbul, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
A coach takes about 10 h 18 min including stops, over roughly 684 km (425 mi) of road.
| Istanbul | Athens | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Turkey | Greece |
| Population | 15.7 million | 664,046 |
| Elevation | 39 m (128 ft) | 84 m (276 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+3 (Europe/Istanbul) | UTC+3 (Europe/Athens) |
What changes when you arrive in Athens
Crossing from Turkey into Greece: money changes from the Lira to the Euro (EUR); the dialling code becomes +30; the emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648793.
Where to book buses from Istanbul to Athens
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in Athens
Our booking partner lists 10,516+ places to stay in Athens (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 804 with a star rating, the largest group is 4-star (571), and 50 are five-star. Across 865 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.9 out of 10. Guests have left 1,036,770 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Athens
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Athens from Istanbul?
560 km (348 mi) in a straight line, south-west of Istanbul; by road roughly 684 km (425 mi).
How long does it take to get from Istanbul to Athens by bus?
About 10 h 18 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Istanbul and Athens?
No, both are on the same offset at the moment.
What currency do I need in Athens?
The Euro (EUR).
Where can I stay in Athens?
Our booking partner lists 10,516+ places to stay in Athens, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.