Rhodes is a medium-sized island with reasonably good bus links allowing you to travel between the airport, Rhodes Town, and the beach resorts dotted along its coast (at least in the summer).
Most bus routes radiate out from its capital, Rhodes Town , and are either run by KTEL (east coast) or RODA (west coast.
Timetables tend to change frequently throughout the season as tourist numbers ramp up and then down again. Paper copies of the most recent schedule are usually put up in bus shelters and at the main bus station in Rhodes Town. The website is usually up to date too, but it’s nearly impossible to find out the changes in advance.
Most of the beach resorts and popular destinations are in one long row along the east coast of Rhodes, making it easy enough to figure out which direction you need to go. But distances and times can be deceptive. Rhodes is big for a Greek island but not huge – you can drive from one end to the other in an hour but buses take a lot longer. There aren’t necessarily buses back to the resorts from Rhodes Town late in the evening, and smaller places off the main route may only have one or two services a day.
Travelling to/from the Airport
Rhodes Airport is on the west side of the island, the opposite side to most of the resort areas (except Ialysos and Ixia), so getting to/from the airport by public bus will usually require a change in Rhodes Town.
The journey between Rhodes Town and the Airport takes approximately 25 minutes by car, but double by bus.
To find the bus stop, go out of Arrivals and turn left, and keep walking for a few minutes until you see a covered shelter (pictured below). The ticket is €2.50, it’s easiest to pay cash directly to the driver as you board – you can find the bus schedule here. There are a couple of cafes nearby if you need snacks whilst you wait.
A taxi from the airport to the centre of Rhodes Town is around €25-30 during the day, more at night. There’s a taxi rank outside the airport, and you pay a little extra for each piece of baggage. Taxis should theoretically take card but, in Greece, I find it’s always best to check before you get in.
You can also pre-book a transfer from the airport for a fixed fee. Shared shuttle transfers are available as well as private transfers – I use Hoppa for finding these services.
Bus Stations in Rhodes Town
The main bus station in Rhodes Town is in the New Town area, close to the New Market building and not far from the Old Town Gates and Mandraki Harbour.
There isn’t really a terminal building as such. There are two bus companies serving the island and each one has a ticket kiosk.
- RODA buses (for the airport and west coast) leave from the green kiosk at the north end.
- KTEL buses for the each coast leave from bays across the road, and the KTEL kiosk is at the other end.
Most KTEL buses are coaches which have the final destination clearly displayed in the front of the bus in English. It’s a little chaotic in the summer as Rhodes is a busy place, but it’s organised chaos which works well enough for the vast numbers of tourists that use it. English is widely spoken here, and transport information is nearly always in English too.
The buses themselves can get very busy, especially on popular routes at popular times (day trippers leaving Lindos, for example, or early buses to the beach). If you don’t board at the point of origin you may find yourself standing.
Port Locations in Rhodes Town
If you’re flying into Rhodes and intend to catch a ferry onwards to another destination, just be aware that there are several different port locations in Rhodes Town:
- Mandraki – close to the New Town, used mainly for tourist/excursion boats and visiting yachts.
- Kolona – for fishermen and small passenger ferries such as Sebeco and Dodekanisos Seaways fast catamarans.
- Kolona International Terminal – for cruise ships and car ferries arriving from abroad.
- Akandia – large commercial quay for cruise ships and car ferries arriving from other ports in Greece.
For more information (including a few exceptions to the locations) see Rhodes Town – Port Map and Ferry Locations.
There’s a free parking lot at Akandia where you can pick up a free bus transfer to City Hall in the New Town – here’s more information.
Important: if you’re thinking of catching the quick and cheap ferry from Skala Kamiros to Chalki, just know that buses there from Rhodes Town are infrequent (often only once a day). A taxi to/from Rhodes Town is not cheap. I’d only recommend this route if you have a car or if you’re staying nearby.
Bus Routes
East coast
Most of the buses on the east coast are run by KTEL Rhodes – if you navigate to Bus Stops in the menu, you can look up current timetables by destination. This will show you nearby places you can reach from your destination.
KTEL buses link Rhodes Town with the following places:
- Faliraki
- Kalythies
- Psinthos
- Mantomata
- Ladiko Beach – Anthony Quinn
- Kolymbia Beach
- Tsambika Beach
- Seven Springs
- Archangelos
- Stegna Beach
- Haraki
- Vlicha Beach
- Lindos
- Lardos – Pefkos
- Laerma
- Kiotari
- Gennadi
- Prasonisi
- Asklipio – Lachania – Ktavia
- Vati – Prolifilia – Istrio – Arnitha – Apolakia
- Plimiri
- Pilona
- Malona – Massari
- Afantou
Expect reduced (or non-existent) services on a Sunday. Some services only run on certain days of the week or once a day, these tend to be services for local villagers to get into the city and back.
West coast
If your destination is one of the following on the west coast, the bus service will be run by RODA – see timetable:
- Ixia
- Ialysos
- Kremasti
- Rhodes International Airport
- Paradisi
- Pastida
- Maritsa
- Theologos Tholos
- Soroni
- Salakos
- Kamiros
- Empona
- Monolithos
- Butterfly Valley
Where to Go?
If you haven’t been to Rhodes before, here are some suggestions for places you can visit by bus:
- Rhodes Old Town – it’s one of the best-preserved medieval old towns in Europe, and a cosmopolitan spot for drinking, shopping and dining.
- Lindos – a beautiful whitewashed village with a sandy beach and a great – it’s definitely not going to be quiet, but it’s the most scenic place on the island. It has two very scenic beaches.
- Anthony Quinn Bay – picturesque rocky bay with great swimming, made famous by the film ‘The Guns of Navarone’. You can also visit on a boat trip, but if you get the bus you can visit the lovely Ladiko Beach next door.
- Kallithea Springs – an Italian Art Deco thermal baths complex now used as a wedding and events venue, but it’s also the prettiest place to swim near Rhodes Town. There are several small beaches – but bring beach shoes because it’s a mix of rocks and sharp sand!
- Tsambika Beach – my favourite beach, a big expanse of sand overlooked by a Byzantine-era monastery.
- For swimming and a lazy lunch, I like the pebble beaches at Afantou, Kiotari, and Gennadi.
- Butterfly Valley/Seven Springs – two nature spots in the interior, popular day trip destinations to beat the heat in the summer.
- Rhodes Water Park – there are free buses in the summer from Rhodes Town – see the schedule.
Buying Tickets
If you’re in Rhodes Town, you should buy your ticket before boarding from the ticket kiosk, ticket machines, or a local shop.
If you’re elsewhere on the island, you can buy tickets from a kiosk or shop, or pay on board in cash to the driver or conductor.
Technically you can also buy a ticket online but I can’t say I’ve ever dared try this, these KTEL websites don’t inspire much confidence. If you have any trouble or questions it’s always much better to call than to e-mail in Greece.
Read more about Rhodes:
How to Do Day Trips from Rhodes to Other Islands
Rhodes – Ferry Locations & Port Map
10 Most Beautiful Beaches on Rhodes
Visiting Lindos, the Most Beautiful Village on Rhodes
All images © The Mediterranean Traveller