Olympia transfers are private car, minivan and taxi rides that collect travellers at Katakolo cruise port, Athens, Patras, Kalamata or a hotel and drive them to Ancient Olympia and the village of Archaia Olympia, or back. Bookable routes also run onward to Athens Airport and Piraeus. Greece Tours lists the transfers that start in Greece.
This page covers the pickup points, each route, journey times, vehicles, booking, the train, bus and hire car options, the day trips that include the transfer and the winery and beach stops, with links to the rest of Olympia. The transfers below are checked on GetYourGuide and Viator.
What are Olympia transfers?
Olympia transfers are private door-to-door rides in a car, minivan or taxi linking an airport, port, station or hotel with Ancient Olympia. Only your party rides in the vehicle, and the driver meets you with a name sign and drives straight to the village.
The town’s official name is Archaia Olympia, meaning “Ancient Olympia”, and it lies in Elis in the western Peloponnese. The name covers both the modern municipal unit and the ruins, so Olympia transfers serve the hotels of the village as well as the gate of the archaeological site.
Olympia transfers suit travellers who arrive without a car: cruise passengers at Katakolo, ferry passengers at Patras and visitors who fly into Athens or Kalamata. The driver loads the luggage and knows the route, so nobody in the party has to navigate.
Olympia transfers run at a fixed fare agreed before the trip, which already covers VAT and legal extras such as the night charge. Passengers therefore skip the taxi queue at the port or airport and the risk of overcharging, and they know the final cost before they set off.
Where do Olympia transfers pick up and drop off?
Olympia transfers pick up and drop off at village hotels, at the main gate of the archaeological site, at Olympia railway station and at the village bus stop. The passenger names the point when booking, and the driver waits there at the agreed time.
The village of Archaia Olympia is small enough to cross on foot, and Olympia transfers stop at the door of each of its hotels. Hotel Kronio and Neda Hotel, for example, are a short walk from the archaeological site, so guests there use the car only on arrival and departure.
At the archaeological site, Olympia transfers set passengers down outside the main gate. The village lies north-west of the ruins, the Kladeos river runs along the west side of the site, and visitors cross a bridge on foot to reach the entrance. Private vehicles cannot enter the grounds, so the ride ends at the gate.
Olympia railway station, the eastern end of the line from Pyrgos, is the meeting point for passengers who come in on the regional train from Katakolo. Travellers who arrive on a KTEL bus from Pyrgos meet their driver at the village bus stop instead, and Olympia transfers then continue to any address.
Which Olympia transfers run from Katakolo cruise port?
Olympia transfers from Katakolo cruise port run as private rides to Ancient Olympia or as roundtrips that return passengers to the ship. Viator lists both kinds, GetYourGuide lists two roundtrips, and one of those is timed to get passengers back before the cruise departs.
Katakolo, also spelt Katakolon, sits on a headland over the Ionian Sea, 11 km west of Pyrgos, and its port is a regular cruise call for passengers bound for Olympia. Olympia transfers leave the quay, run east to Pyrgos and then follow the EO74 inland to the village.
On GetYourGuide, “From Katakolo: Private Transfer to Ancient Olympia and back” lasts 4 hours, runs in English or Greek and leaves free time in the village. “Katakolo Cruise Port: Roundtrip Transfer to Ancient Olympia” lasts 5 hours and lets passengers tour the site independently before the ride back to the ship.
On Viator, one product drives you one way from the Katakolon pier to the site, and two more make the round trip, one of them as a private ride. Our Katakolo port transfers page lists rides from the same quay to other places, while Olympia transfers suit passengers whose one goal ashore is the site.
Which Olympia transfers run from Athens and Athens Airport?
Olympia transfers from Athens collect passengers at Athens Airport, Piraeus port, Rafina port, Larissis railway station or any city hotel for the 269 km drive from Athens to Olympia. Viator lists the reverse ride, from Ancient Olympia back to Athens, Piraeus and the airport.
Eleftherios Venizelos, the Athens airport, sits roughly 20 km east of the city centre and joins the tolled Attiki Odos. Olympia transfers from the airport start at the arrivals level, and operators that serve both Athens and Kalamata airports also offer private rides to Ancient Olympia.
The coastal route follows Olympia Odos, the toll motorway between Athens and Pyrgos. It starts at Elefsina, runs along the Gulf of Corinth past Corinth to Patras and continues south-west to Pyrgos, where Olympia transfers turn east onto the EO74. An inland option takes the A7 from Corinth to Tripoli, then the EO74 west through Levidi and Vytina to Olympia.
GetYourGuide lists a 12-hour private roundtrip from Athens to Ancient Olympia, with pickup and a meal included, for travellers who return the same day. Olympia transfers from Athens suit visitors who land in the capital and want to reach the Peloponnese without driving; onward rides from the terminal are on our Athens Airport transfers page.
Which Olympia transfers run from Patras and its port?
Olympia transfers from Patras start at the ferry port or any city address and take the Olympia Odos motorway south-west to Pyrgos, then the EO74 east to Olympia. The route suits ferry passengers from Italy and the Ionian Islands travelling without a car.
Called the Gate to the West, Patras moves more than half of all international sea passengers in Greece, and its car ferries link the city with Igoumenitsa, Kefallonia and Kerkyra and with the Italian ports of Venice, Trieste, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi. Ferries to and from Italy use the new south port, where Olympia transfers meet arriving passengers.
The new port was built in the south of the city to take port traffic out of the centre, and two link roads run beside the Glafkos river from the port to the Patras bypass, part of Olympia Odos. The stretch of the motorway between Patras and Pyrgos is 75 km long, and Olympia transfers stay on it until Pyrgos.
Viator lists a private ride from Patras to Olympia that adds a two-hour sightseeing stop on the way, while standard Olympia transfers drive straight through. Rides from the ferry terminal to other places in the Peloponnese are on our Patras port transfers page.
Which Olympia transfers run from Kalamata and its airport?
Olympia transfers from Kalamata start at Kalamata International Airport (KLX) or at any address in the city and head north out of Messinia to Olympia. The airport has no rail link and little public transport, so a private car suits arrivals with luggage.
The airport, named after Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos, stands on the EO82 between Kalamata and Messini, and that road connects with the A7 motorway and the EO7. Summer brings the bulk of its flights, including charter and scheduled services from European cities, and passengers leave it by car, taxi or bus only. Olympia transfers track each flight and wait at the terminal.
Olympia lies north of Kyparissia, and the EO9 coastal road links Kyparissia with Pyrgos along the west coast of the Peloponnese. The airport is about 120 km south of Pyrgos. Booking platforms also list Olympia transfers between the village and Pylos, Gialova or the Costa Navarino resort.
Fares for Olympia transfers on this route include tolls, taxes, luggage, child seats and a licensed driver, which suits families with young children on summer flights. Rides from the terminal to other towns of the Peloponnese are on our Kalamata Airport transfers page.
Which Olympia transfers run to Pyrgos and the Kyllini ferries?
Olympia transfers to Pyrgos follow the EO74 west from the village to the capital of Elis, and rides for the Kyllini ferries continue to the port, 39 km north-west of Pyrgos. From Kyllini, ferries cross to the Ionian islands of Zakynthos and Cephalonia.
Pyrgos lies on flat land 4 km back from the Ionian Sea. It has a railway station, the KTEL Ileias bus terminal and the junction of the EO74 with the EO9 coastal road. Olympia transfers collect passengers at the station, the bus terminal or any hotel in the city.
The port town of Kyllini, part of the Kastro-Kyllini municipal unit, is 11 km west of Andravida, with Zakynthos 28 km away to the south-west. The railway from Kavasila that once ended at Kyllini has been dismantled, so travellers reach the quay by road, and booking platforms list it as a cruise port as well as a ferry port.
Olympia transfers to Kyllini suit visitors who pair the site with a stay on Zakynthos or Cephalonia, since the driver drops them at the ferry quay with their luggage. In the other direction, drivers wait at the port gate for passengers coming off the ferry. For trips around the port town, see our Kyllini tours.
Which Olympia transfers run to Nafplio, Delphi and Meteora?
Private Olympia transfers run to Nafplio, Delphi and Meteora as door-to-door rides by taxi, minivan or minibus, since Athens operators drive from Olympia to any place in Greece that a car can reach, one way or as a round trip.
Nafplio sits on the Argolic Gulf in the north-east of the Peloponnese, while Olympia lies in the Alfeios valley on the western side, so Olympia transfers to Nafplio cross the peninsula by road. One Athens operator runs a two-day private tour that drives on from Nafplio to Olympia for dinner and the night. For rides into the town itself, see our Nafplio transfers page.
Delphi stands on the south-west slope of Mount Parnassus in central Greece, outside the Peloponnese, and Olympia transfers to Delphi follow the road via Patras, the route that a hotel in Archaia Olympia maps for its guests. The same Athens fleet that drives to Olympia runs Delphi pickups from and to any address in Athens or the rest of Greece.
Meteora rises between Kalabaka and Kastraki, at the north-west edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pindus Mountains, so Olympia transfers to Meteora leave the Peloponnese and head north through the mainland. The same operator pairs Delphi and Meteora in a two-day private tour, and our Meteora transfers page covers the Kalabaka end of the trip.
How long do Olympia transfers take?
Olympia transfers from Athens cover 269 to 331 km, depending on the road, and the full-day trips that include the ride last 12 to 13 hours. A private round trip by road between Katakolo port and Olympia lasts 3 to 3.5 hours.
- Via Tripoli and Langadia: 280 km
- Via Tripoli, Megalopolis and Allagi: 296 km
- Via Patras: 331 km
The Patras road is the longest, yet the majority of travellers take it because it runs close to the sea. The Langadia road crosses the Arkadia mountains with more twists and turns, and the Allagi road grows demanding between Allagi and Kalo Nero. One Peloponnese operator puts its Olympia transfers from Athens at 269 km.
Hours depend on the product. The private full-day trip from Athens lasts 12 hours and the guided full-day trip lasts 13 hours, each with the drive out and back and the visit in one day. Olympia transfers from Katakolo port stretch to 5 hours as a private tour with extra stops.
Which vehicles do Olympia transfers use?
Olympia transfers use premium cars, Mercedes taxis, minivans, minibuses, limousines and coach buses, sized to the party, from a car for up to 3 passengers to minibuses with 50 seats. Every booking comes with a professional driver, and operators list drivers who speak English.
One Athens fleet that runs Olympia transfers lists Mercedes taxis, limousines and minibuses with 7, 9, 10, 12, 15, 20, 36 or 50 seats. Its drivers are non-smoking professionals with years of experience who speak English, and the company carries full insurance on every private transfer.
A second Athens operator sorts its fleet into a minivan for up to 8 passengers and a minibus for up to 16, plus sedans, limousines and coach buses. On GetYourGuide, Olympia transfers from Katakolo port use luxury vehicles with English-speaking drivers and take bookings of up to 40 passengers, while the private Athens day trip takes up to 14 guests and the private Katakolo tour up to 8.
How do you book Olympia transfers?
You book Olympia transfers online, through an operator’s booking form that asks for the pickup point, the destination, the passengers and the time, or as a fixed product on GetYourGuide or Viator. Listings on GetYourGuide ask for advance notice before each ride.
One Athens operator’s form for Olympia transfers runs in a fixed order: choose a private transfer or a private tour, set the start and end points, enter the passengers and the pickup time, tick the round-trip box for a return, then request rates. Another Athens operator takes bookings through a secure online system with real-time availability.
On GetYourGuide, the Katakolo port transfer needs at least 4 hours’ notice, the private Katakolo tour 10 hours and the private full-day trip from Athens 20 hours. Viator sells Olympia transfers as fixed products, from round trips at Katakolo port to a one-way ride from Ancient Olympia to Athens and a Patras transfer with a sightseeing stop.
The first operator advises booking Olympia transfers ahead so the driver is in place on time. On the day, the driver waits at the pickup point holding a sign with your name, and for departures collects you from your hotel or another meeting point. To pick a base in the village, see where to stay in Olympia.
Are Olympia transfers better than a hire car, the train or the KTEL bus?
Olympia transfers beat the train, the KTEL bus and a hire car for door-to-door travel, because the only trains at Olympia run the line to Pyrgos and Katakolo, the bus needs a change at Pyrgos, and a hire car leaves the driving to you.
Olympia station stands in the centre of the town, close to the ancient site, but Hellenic Train runs only regional services from it to Katakolo via Pyrgos. The platform has outside seating and no departure screens or timetable boards. Olympia transfers need no connection and drop you at your hotel door or any other address.
The KTEL bus leaves the Kifissos terminal in Athens for Pyrgos and runs via Patras. At Pyrgos you buy a second ticket for the last 20 km and wait between 20 minutes and an hour for it. Hotel Pelops advises against the bus for travellers with children or heavy luggage, and Olympia transfers carry both groups straight to the door.
A hire car puts you behind the wheel on one of the three roads from Athens, while on Olympia transfers you sit back and leave the route to the driver, who takes you straight to the destination. With a driver at the wheel, every passenger is also free to taste wine at a winery stop. Read more in how to get to Olympia.
Which Olympia day trips include the transfer?
Two full-day trips from Athens and two Katakolo port products include Olympia transfers: a guided group trip, a private trip with a meal, a private tour with a bee farm and a winery, and a port round trip. Viator adds three Katakolo transfers.
The guided trip from Athens crosses the Peloponnese and offers an optional audio guide, with language options from English and French to Korean and Japanese. The private trip lists pickup and a meal for a private group. Both fold Olympia transfers from Athens and back into one long day; for the day itself, see our Ancient Olympia day trip from Athens page.
At Katakolo port, the private round trip covers the ride to Olympia and back, and the private tour adds a Greek bee farm and a winery to the site and the museum, with pickup available and the tour run in English or Greek. Viator lists two Katakolo round trips and a one-way ride from Katakolon port, so Olympia transfers from the port come in both formats.
Can Olympia transfers stop at a winery, a bee farm or a beach?
Yes, private Olympia transfers stop at a winery, a bee farm or a beach: the private Katakolo tour builds in a bee farm and a winery, and the Ilia beaches of Kaiafas, Kato Samiko, Zaharo and Kourouta lie within 40 km of Olympia.
Klio’s Honey Farm, in Ancient Olympia itself, opens a garden of fruit trees and vegetables, a collection of beekeeping tools in a building about a hundred years old and a showroom of honey, jams, spoon sweets and cosmetic creams made on the farm. Diples, a honey pastry, are prepared in front of guests, and the farm slots into the start or end of Olympia transfers.
Longer runs add food and sightseeing stops. On the Athens road, one Peloponnese operator builds stops at local restaurants halfway into its private Olympia transfers, and a private Patras transfer on Viator includes a 2-hour sightseeing stop on the way to Olympia.
Public transport serves the Ilia beaches poorly, so a car or a taxi is the recommended way to reach them, and Hotel Pelops arranges either one at its reception. Olympia transfers booked as private rides can end at the beach instead of the hotel, since the driver takes you to any destination you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Olympia transfers help with luggage?
Yes. Drivers on Olympia transfers help with your luggage and look after your safety and comfort on the road. One operator’s booking form carries a luggage field next to the passenger count, and another Athens operator sells luggage transport as a separate service, alongside its port, wedding and group transfers.
Do Olympia transfers include site tickets?
The Katakolo port transfer lists a luxury vehicle and an English-speaking driver, with no entry ticket in its summary, so buy the ticket apart from Olympia transfers of this kind. The two full-day trips from Athens carry a skip-the-line label instead. Ticket types for the site and the museum are on our Olympia tickets page.
Are Olympia transfers wheelchair accessible?
The private Ancient Olympia tour from Katakolo, with the site, the museum, a bee farm and a winery, carries a wheelchair-accessible label on GetYourGuide. For other Olympia transfers, mention the wheelchair when you request rates, since fleets run from premium cars and minivans to minibuses and coach buses.
Can you cancel Olympia transfers booked online?
Yes. On GetYourGuide, the Katakolo port transfer, the private Katakolo tour and both full-day trips from Athens carry a free-cancellation label, so Olympia transfers booked there can be cancelled without a fee under each listing’s terms. Bookings made on Viator or straight with an operator follow that seller’s own terms.