Coach services set for liberalization
This article is about the proposed "liberalization" of KTEL coaches,"which provide long-distance intercity transport services in Greece"
When I first went to Greece, I recall KTEL being synonymous with bus and coach services. It's years since I travelled on a long distance bus in Greece, but I don't often see the initials "KTEL". Perhaps I just don't notice them. Most buses (those which aren't plastered in adverts) are in the shades of cream and green that i associate with KTEL.
More about KTEL http://www.ktel.org/ (this is the Greek page; when I tried the English link wasn't working).
Greece - Kalo Taxidi! Notes from Greece and the Greek Islands.
Showing posts with label buses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label buses. Show all posts
Monday, 31 October 2011
Monday, 26 September 2011
Kalo Taxidi - Buses
Buses
I am writing this in March 2005 in a small Greek island. Unusually for the winter season, there is a printed bus timetable. The timetable shows that on weekdays a bus leaves the port for Chora, about 6 kilometres away, at 10 a.m. on weekdays. The timetable is for the week ending 18/02/05. Today is Monday. On Thursday the bus left at 11 a.m. What time will the bus leave today? [The answer? Probably 7.45 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.! The following Thursday the bus left at 11.30 a.m.]
On the same island, this time probably in the autumn, a bus was parked in the usual stopping place, with a timetable stuck on the windscreen. The timetable showed that the bus left the port for Chora at 11.30 a.m. A small cluster of people stood around the bus and waited. 11.30 a.m. came and went. 11.35 a.m. came and went. 11.40 a.m. came and went. No-one was too concerned, we were on holiday and in Greece. 11.45 a.m. came. The bus driver appeared, ripped the timetable off the windscreen and replaced it with a timetable showing the bus leaving at 1.30 p.m.
Some tips for using buses:
* always have a Plan B, both for what to do if the outbound bus doesn't leave, and for getting back to base if the return bus doesn't materialise.
* if you want to travel to another port, is there a ferry you can use for one or both legs of the journey?
* check the phone numbers of the island taxis!
An extract from my book about Greece, "Kalo Taxidi".
I am writing this in March 2005 in a small Greek island. Unusually for the winter season, there is a printed bus timetable. The timetable shows that on weekdays a bus leaves the port for Chora, about 6 kilometres away, at 10 a.m. on weekdays. The timetable is for the week ending 18/02/05. Today is Monday. On Thursday the bus left at 11 a.m. What time will the bus leave today? [The answer? Probably 7.45 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.! The following Thursday the bus left at 11.30 a.m.]
On the same island, this time probably in the autumn, a bus was parked in the usual stopping place, with a timetable stuck on the windscreen. The timetable showed that the bus left the port for Chora at 11.30 a.m. A small cluster of people stood around the bus and waited. 11.30 a.m. came and went. 11.35 a.m. came and went. 11.40 a.m. came and went. No-one was too concerned, we were on holiday and in Greece. 11.45 a.m. came. The bus driver appeared, ripped the timetable off the windscreen and replaced it with a timetable showing the bus leaving at 1.30 p.m.
Some tips for using buses:
* always have a Plan B, both for what to do if the outbound bus doesn't leave, and for getting back to base if the return bus doesn't materialise.
* if you want to travel to another port, is there a ferry you can use for one or both legs of the journey?
* check the phone numbers of the island taxis!
An extract from my book about Greece, "Kalo Taxidi".
Monday, 8 August 2011
Back in England - looking back at Greece
I arrived back in England on 3 August. Some impressions of Greece.
I have never before been to Greece in July or August. Most of my recent visits have been between February and May, and between September and November. As Greece nearer midsummer became busier, I arranged my visits more and more out of season. I like Greece when it is quieter. I had been avoiding Greece in midsummer. This year I had an opportuinity for a longer than usual break, but only in July / August.
I had heard and read about accommodation being fully booked in peak season, and people sleeping in the streets and on beaches (or was it that some visitors were not prepared to pay mid-season prices for accommodation?). And about people queuing for a table at a taverna.
I visited Athens and one larger island (Naxos), but spent most of the time on Amorgos.
Generally there were fewer people on Amorgos than I expected, fewer than I have seen in May. But when I was in port when ferries were due, I was amazed at the number of people around. At ferry time the harbour seemed as busy as at ferry times around Easter. So perhaps many people were staying with friends and family, and did not often venture out. One Saturday afternoon, when the Big Blue Star 1 or 2 was heading back to Piraeus, there were 100s of people arriving and departing. The Superjet came in at the same time, adding to the crowds. On one side of the ferry cars were parked five deep waiting to depart, and there were more cars parked on the other side of the ferry.
Some ferries were full - filling up at Naxos or Paros. And the Superjet, that called in at Katapola every day, was full on the date I wanted a ticket for. So even though tourist numbers may be down, you cannot rely on getting a place on the vessel you want.
In Chora on Amorgos, I expected to see Chora congested with tourists, but I saw far fewer tourists than I expected. Perhaps many more people head for the beaches in midsummer, leaving the villages emptier of tourists than they are in the spring and autumn.
But apart from ferry times there were fewer visitors to be seen than I expected. There were more room "touts" lined up to meet ferries than I had seen before, so there was plenty of accommodation available. In the evenings some tavernas were busier than others, but there were always tables available. In Katapola the road by the port was closed to traffic in the evenings, so taverna tables were spread out into the roadway when needed.
Calling in at Koufonissi on the way to Naxos, I noticed large numbers of people getting on and off the Artemis.
I only spent two nights in Naxos, but there were fewer tourists in the town than I have seen in May. There was usually a free table on the balcony of my favourite taverna. In May it is usually much harder to get a balcony table.
I booked a hotel in Athens using Booking.com. There were rooms available in all my favourite hotels - sometimes in low season there are no free rooms. I stayed in Athens last Tuesday night. The taxi strike was then on. The taxi strike ended on Thursday - I checked Booking.com then - far fewer rooms were avaiable. So I guess the lack of taxis was deterring people from goint to Athens.
In recent years I had been lazy and got a taxi from the hotel to the airport. the taxi strike gave me an opportunity to see how good the Athens bus service is. There were buses every 8-10 minutes from Synatagma Square to the airport, And the journey took about an hour, perhaps a bit less. As soon as one bus pulled away at Synatgma, there was another waiting to take its place.
The protestors left` Synagma befroe I arrived. The only "trouble" I noticed in Athens was from the bus to the airport. The taxi strike was still on, but the ofdd taxi driver had gone back to work. Near Syntagma I saw a chap carrying a large cardboard poster standing in the road waving the poster. He was waving at a taxi, the first taxi I had seen. No violence, just a placard being waved. I saw a few more distinctive yellow taxis cars on the way to the airport. One had "Radio Car" written on the rear windscreen. None of the others yellow cars had the roof top "taxi" sign.
I have never before been to Greece in July or August. Most of my recent visits have been between February and May, and between September and November. As Greece nearer midsummer became busier, I arranged my visits more and more out of season. I like Greece when it is quieter. I had been avoiding Greece in midsummer. This year I had an opportuinity for a longer than usual break, but only in July / August.
I had heard and read about accommodation being fully booked in peak season, and people sleeping in the streets and on beaches (or was it that some visitors were not prepared to pay mid-season prices for accommodation?). And about people queuing for a table at a taverna.
I visited Athens and one larger island (Naxos), but spent most of the time on Amorgos.
Generally there were fewer people on Amorgos than I expected, fewer than I have seen in May. But when I was in port when ferries were due, I was amazed at the number of people around. At ferry time the harbour seemed as busy as at ferry times around Easter. So perhaps many people were staying with friends and family, and did not often venture out. One Saturday afternoon, when the Big Blue Star 1 or 2 was heading back to Piraeus, there were 100s of people arriving and departing. The Superjet came in at the same time, adding to the crowds. On one side of the ferry cars were parked five deep waiting to depart, and there were more cars parked on the other side of the ferry.
Some ferries were full - filling up at Naxos or Paros. And the Superjet, that called in at Katapola every day, was full on the date I wanted a ticket for. So even though tourist numbers may be down, you cannot rely on getting a place on the vessel you want.
In Chora on Amorgos, I expected to see Chora congested with tourists, but I saw far fewer tourists than I expected. Perhaps many more people head for the beaches in midsummer, leaving the villages emptier of tourists than they are in the spring and autumn.
But apart from ferry times there were fewer visitors to be seen than I expected. There were more room "touts" lined up to meet ferries than I had seen before, so there was plenty of accommodation available. In the evenings some tavernas were busier than others, but there were always tables available. In Katapola the road by the port was closed to traffic in the evenings, so taverna tables were spread out into the roadway when needed.
Calling in at Koufonissi on the way to Naxos, I noticed large numbers of people getting on and off the Artemis.
I only spent two nights in Naxos, but there were fewer tourists in the town than I have seen in May. There was usually a free table on the balcony of my favourite taverna. In May it is usually much harder to get a balcony table.
I booked a hotel in Athens using Booking.com. There were rooms available in all my favourite hotels - sometimes in low season there are no free rooms. I stayed in Athens last Tuesday night. The taxi strike was then on. The taxi strike ended on Thursday - I checked Booking.com then - far fewer rooms were avaiable. So I guess the lack of taxis was deterring people from goint to Athens.
In recent years I had been lazy and got a taxi from the hotel to the airport. the taxi strike gave me an opportunity to see how good the Athens bus service is. There were buses every 8-10 minutes from Synatagma Square to the airport, And the journey took about an hour, perhaps a bit less. As soon as one bus pulled away at Synatgma, there was another waiting to take its place.
The protestors left` Synagma befroe I arrived. The only "trouble" I noticed in Athens was from the bus to the airport. The taxi strike was still on, but the ofdd taxi driver had gone back to work. Near Syntagma I saw a chap carrying a large cardboard poster standing in the road waving the poster. He was waving at a taxi, the first taxi I had seen. No violence, just a placard being waved. I saw a few more distinctive yellow taxis cars on the way to the airport. One had "Radio Car" written on the rear windscreen. None of the others yellow cars had the roof top "taxi" sign.
Monday, 4 April 2011
Buses
I am writing this in March 2005 in a small Greek island. Unusually for the winter season, there is a printed bus timetable. The timetable shows that on weekdays a bus leaves the port for Chora, about 6 kilometres away, at 10 a.m. on weekdays. The timetable is for the week ending 18/02/05. Today is Monday. On Thursday the bus left at 11 a.m. What time will the bus leave today? [The answer? Probably 7.45 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.! The following Thursday the bus left at 11.30 a.m.]
On the same island, this time probably in the autumn, a bus was parked in the usual stopping place, with a timetable stuck on the windscreen. The timetable showed that the bus left the port for Chora at 11.30 a.m. A small cluster of people stood around the bus and waited. 11.30 a.m. came and went. 11.35 a.m. came and went. 11.40 a.m. came and went. No-one was too concerned, we were on holiday and in Greece. 11.45 a.m. came. The bus driver appeared, ripped the timetable off the windscreen and replaced it with a timetable showing the bus leaving at 1.30 p.m.
Some tips for using buses:
- always have a Plan B, both for what to do if the outbound bus doesn't leave, and for getting back to base if the return bus doesn't materialise.
- if you want to travel to another port, is there a ferry you can use for one or both legs of the journey?
- check the phone numbers of the island taxis!
- There are often fewer buses on Sundays.
- But also watch out for changes to bus times on Saturdays.
- And national holidays.
- And if the bus you want to catch is a school bus, or heading to a school on one leg of the journey, the time may not be the same every weekday. The school may close earlier on Friday than on other days. If you have an up-to-date timetable, you should be OK. But don't assume that a bus that leaves at, say, 2p.m. on one day wiull lave at the same time every day.
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Buses on Amorgos in winter
The only bus timetable I have seen is that in Paros Life and Naxos Life . Only the school buses are running.
Last October I don't remember seeing a bus timetable. At the bus stop in the car park in the centre of Katapola Bay there were a lot of adverts for taxis!
Last October I don't remember seeing a bus timetable. At the bus stop in the car park in the centre of Katapola Bay there were a lot of adverts for taxis!
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