Thessaloniki Sightseeing Bus No. 50

Following the success of the Athens hop-on hop-off tourist bus service, the Organisation of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki (OASTH) in September 2009 introduced its own version of a sightseeing bus (the No 50, aka ‘Thessaloniki on the Go!’ or the ‘Cultural Route Bus’).

The start and end point of Bus’ No 50 cultural route is the famous White Tower which is by the seaside promenade (paralia) in the SE edge of city centre. The bus stops next to the tower at an opening designated for tourist buses and the duration of the circular route is 50-60 min if taken without a stop. It is easy to follow the route as all buses are equipped with a verbal and visual system that announces every stop.

The official bus guide highlights 3 suggested walks as well as all the points of interest throughout the route. A good place to find the guide would be the GNTO information office at 136 Tsimiski Str. (Behind the YMCA building and next to the TIMES café-bar).

Thessaloniki Cultural Route Bus Stops and Sights

The bus makes 16 official stops from which you can explore 43 points of interest.

The official stops are:

WHITE TOWER
MUSEUMS
PALACE OF GALERIUS – ESPEROS
CHURCH OF AGIA SOFIA
ARISTOTELOUS SQUARE
TOWN HALL
DIIKITIRIO
AGIOS DIMITRIOS
KOULE KAFE
TAXIARCHON
UPPER CITY – KELADIS
TRIGONIO TOWER – AG. ANARGYRI
VLATADON MONASTERY – PLATANOS
PASHA GARDENS – AGIOS PAVLOS
EASTERN WALLS – HOSPITAL
ROTONDA – UNIVERSITY

The 43 points of interest that you can visit are:

White Tower
Society of Macedonian Studies
Archaeological Museum
Museum of Byzantine Culture
Thessaloniki Christian Youth Brotherhood (YMCA)
HELEXPO & Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art
Ippodromiou Square
Navarinou Square
Church of Agia Sofia
Museum of The Macedonian Struggle
Aristotelous Square
Ladadika
Port – Warehouses – Cinema Museum – Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
Modiano Market – Louloudadika
Skepasti Agora (Bezesteni)
Alkazar
Church of Panagia Halkeon
Diikitirio – Diikitiriou Square
Ancient Agora
Ancient Baths – Bei Hamam
Tsinari
Church if Agios Dimitrios (and catacomb)
Aigli – Geni Hamam
Alatza Imaret
Church of Panagia Lagoudianis
Koule Kafe
Church of Profiti Ilia
Church of Osios David
Church of Taxiarches
Old City
Byzantine Walls
Trigonio Tower
Eptapyrgio
Vlatadon Monastery
Pasha Gardens
Eastern Walls
Church of Agios Nikolaos Orfanos
University – School of Philosophy
Rotonda
Arch of Galerius
Church of Agios Panteleimo
Church of Panagia Dexia
Fountain

Bus No. 50 Tickets & Timetable

The price of the ticket is 2 euros (1 euro concessions). The ticket is valid for 24 hours and during this period it can also be used on unlimited trips within all OASTH routes. When the ticket is bought from an OASTH ticket office it has to be validated on the Cultural Route Bus. When ticket is issued on the bus, further validation is not necessary. When using other normal routes validation is not necessary until your last trip before the end of the 24 hours. Other travel and unlimited journey cards are not valid on this route.

Thessaloniki Bus No. 50 Timetable
PERIOD	TIME TABLE	FREQUENCY
JUNE – SEPTEMBER	08:00 – 21:00	every hour
OCTOBER – MAY	09:00 – 16:00	every hour

Thessaloniki’s Cultural Route Bus, not just for tourists!

Walking the town has always been a favourite pastime for locals and visitors alike, but this bus makes it easier to reach the northern city areas which are a considerable hike uphill and to see more sites in a shorter time. Bus No 50, although it is painted a pretty light blue, is not a tourist designated bus, so be prepared to mingle with the locals!

Thessaloniki Bus No. 50 Map – click here for a printable pdf version.