How do you recommend we get to Olympia from the ship?

[Analog187]

Obviously I can book through NCL but I'd rather not given the expense

 

I know that there is a train but I've heard that it is very iffy

 

So I'd like to go with a local company, don't need a guide, just transportation.  I found one company through Viator/Tripadvisor but it looks like they aren't doing any tours after October 31st.  Therefore, does anyone have any other suggestions?  Will there be tour companies offering transportation to Olympia outside of the cruise port?  

[CruiserBruce]

Not sure why a train would be iffy? Train systems in Europe are awesome.

 

No, there won't be tour vendors at the port. That is typically not done in Europe.

[carlmm]

Actually, in my experience, yes this is is one of the European ports with a sort of tour vendors right at the port. Tickets for a bus transfer with a basic outside tour  are sold in various offices.

Be prepared to be self guided within the archeological site.

[Analog187]

28 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Not sure why a train would be iffy? Train systems in Europe are awesome.

 

No, there won't be tour vendors at the port. That is typically not done in Europe.

 

Have you actually been there?  People that go to that area a lot would tell your otherwise.  In fact, other people on these boards have said the same thing.  

[Analog187]

16 minutes ago, carlmm said:

Actually, in my experience, yes this is is one of the European ports with a sort of tour vendors right at the port. Tickets for a bus transfer with a basic outside tour  are sold in various offices.

Be prepared to be self guided within the archeological site.

 

Ok great, and yeah, self guided is fine.  I'm just hoping that we aren't outside of tourist season and everything is closed.  Really odd that the other tour company I found doesn't have anything listed after October 31st.  

[CruiserBruce]

23 minutes ago, Analog187 said:

 

Have you actually been there?  People that go to that area a lot would tell your otherwise.  In fact, other people on these boards have said the same thing.  

Yes, I have been there. But if you already had the answers...

[Analog187]

14 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Yes, I have been there. But if you already had the answers...

 

That literally makes no sense

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, Analog187 said:

 

Ok great, and yeah, self guided is fine.  I'm just hoping that we aren't outside of tourist season and everything is closed.  Really odd that the other tour company I found doesn't have anything listed after October 31st.  

 

Most of the seasonal cruise ships leave the Mediterranean around the end of October, so yes you are outside of tourist season -- not necessarily a bad thing but you may have to dig a bit more for private agencies.  I expect some of them take a well-deserved break after the busy Med season.

 

Regarding the train -- it is a special (trunk?) line that is laid on for tourists. What's unpredictable about it is the precise schedule and number of runs on a given day. I'm not sure how they decide -- maybe they look at the number of cruise passengers expected that day.  However, I have also definitely been to Katakolon when it was NOT running. (This was during the difficult years when the Greek economic situation was extremely rocky.)

 

Here is a snap from the official website, which does not make someone like myself, who likes to have my ducks in a row prior to arrival, very happy:

 

 

However, the suggestion to make the trip by bus is a good one. I would plan on that and then, should you arrive and find the train is more convenient, you still could make the decision to do it by train.

 

I was just there again, at the beginning of October, and it's a nice time to go. Not as crowded and not as hot. Don't miss the wonderful on-site museum which houses a Praxiteles statue (or possibly a copy; experts are mixed) which is beautiful.

 

 

[John Bull]

 

As per cruisemom's post, the train isn't part of the regularly-scheduled national rail network - I've heard many comments that it's unreliable.

 

I've not seen tour operators touting there, but the Katakolon Express (a bus, not a train) usually runs when there's a cruise ship in port. Can be pre-booked or join it on-spec if it's running and has spaces.

I've heard complaints that it doesn't leave when scheduled, that it waits in the hope of selling-out - which kinda ties in with carlmm's post - transportation, not an escorted tour of the site.

But Olympia is only about 40 minutes away and it gives I think 2 hours at Olympia.

 

Or simpler to rent a car - it's only about 20 miles, there are a couple of car rental agencies near the port gate. in Katakolon.

We rented from the one on the linked street-view,   https://www.rentacarkatakolo.gr/en/

We pre-booked without payment or card details or commitment - they held a car for us until the time we booked. Return with fuel at the same level as at the start, there's a gas station on the road into Katakolon. Clean late car, very simple navigation, no worries.

 

If you spin the streetview camera left you see the ships, if you swing it right you see the Katakolon Express bus

https://goo.gl/maps/k734nHgjmSetLFCg8

 

JB 🙂

 

[Analog187]

Thank you both.  I did see the Katakolon Express and noticed it was more expensive than the other tour buses.  Thought that was odd but still cheaper than the ship tour.  Might have to do that unless I can figure something else out.  

[stldjbsh]

Last November we used Andreas Stamos for transportation to Olympia from the cruise port.  I believe I had found his information on this site from a different post.  We were very pleased with his services and found the cost was very reasonable.  We toured Olympia ( site & museum)on our own, but he could have arranged for a guide to meet us if we would have been interested in a guide.  website - www.taxikatakolo.gr   email -  olympiataxi at yahoo dot gr

[Analog187]

11 hours ago, stldjbsh said:

we used Andreas Stamos for transportation to Olympia

Do you remember how much that was?

[stldjbsh]

Sorry, I don't recall the price other than remembering my husband and I hired transportation for the entire day in port and visited everything we wanted (olympic site, museum, winery, honey farm, monastery) for much less than the cost of a ship tour.  Since we didn't hire a guide for the olympic site or museum, we made sure to research and watch videos ahead of time so we knew what we were seeing.   

[VMax1700]

In June of this year (2022) the train schedule was down to a minimum.  Below is a pic of the schedule.   

There were buses available to go to Olympia at € 15   each, however be advised that they would wait until the bus was (nearly) full. It is a 30 minute drive to Olympia and then you have 2 hours of free time. The guide appeared to have excellent english.  Also available at the end of the dock were taxis, scooters to rent, cars to rent and ATV's to rent.

 

[Analog187]

12 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

There were buses available to go to Olympia at € 15   each,

 

Wow if that was June I wonder if they'll even run the train in November.  Is that 15 euros each way or round trip?  Thanks

[VMax1700]

7 minutes ago, Analog187 said:

 

Wow if that was June I wonder if they'll even run the train in November.  Is that 15 euros each way or round trip?  Thanks

€15 round trip per person.

[Tin can]

On 10/29/2022 at 8:36 PM, Analog187 said:

Obviously I can book through NCL but I'd rather not given the expense

 

I know that there is a train but I've heard that it is very iffy

 

So I'd like to go with a local company, don't need a guide, just transportation.  I found one company through Viator/Tripadvisor but it looks like they aren't doing any tours after October 31st.  Therefore, does anyone have any other suggestions?  Will there be tour companies offering transportation to Olympia outside of the cruise port?  

 

The train and public transport systems in general are very good in Europe. What is very unpredictable in Greece from experience of land holidays there is sudden unannounced strike action.

 

 

[dani negreanu]

I've researched extensively the train and other modes of transportation to Olympia since we were interested in just visiting the site, without the added on of wineries/beaches, etc.

 

Yes, we waited until the bus was full... But we still got the full 2 hours at the site, which was enough for us. It was a mere 10 Euro return pp. The communication with them was iffy, but since cruisers before us reported that there was no train whatsoever to be found, we were satisfied with the "deal".

 

Just google "Katakolon to Olympia Bus Service".

[Analog187]

On 11/1/2022 at 6:51 PM, dani negreanu said:

I've researched extensively the train and other modes of transportation to Olympia since we were interested in just visiting the site, without the added on of wineries/beaches, etc.

 

Yes, we waited until the bus was full... But we still got the full 2 hours at the site, which was enough for us. It was a mere 10 Euro return pp. The communication with them was iffy, but since cruisers before us reported that there was no train whatsoever to be found, we were satisfied with the "deal".

 

Just google "Katakolon to Olympia Bus Service".

 

Thanks, that's what we are going to do

[melday]

We are a party of 14 who want to go to town, beach, maybe winery. Can this be done by taking the train? We aren't interested in Olympic site as some have already been. Read a review that this was doable.

[PurpleTraveller]

On June 5, 2022 the train was not running when we were in Katakolon. I have the same photo of the sign at the train station that VMax1700 posted but we never did find out why the train wasn't running or if it was running at all on other days.

 

There were not any booths or vendors at the port exit on the day we were there.

 

We ended up getting a taxi to Olympia with another couple where the driver waited for us for two hours then drove us back to Katakolon for €80.

 

When the train is running I think it just goes from Katakolon to Olympia via Prygos and I don't know if it goes to any beaches or wineries. 

 

Katakolon is very pretty with a number of shops and has lots of lovely restaurants on the waterfront.

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by PurpleTraveller

[LGinPA]

I'm resurrecting this thread to say THANK YOU to everyone who replied, and especially @John Bull for the car rental information, and @stldjbsh for the private taxi from Andreas Stamos. I've already reached out to Andreas to get a price. 

 

We'll be doing Olympia on our own but just need a ride. Thanks! 

[LGinPA]

I do have a question about tickets to Olympia. 

 

If I buy them in advance on the official site https://etickets.tap.gr/   do I have to print the tickets out or can they scan my phone? 

[LGinPA]

On 10/29/2022 at 9:26 PM, John Bull said:

 

As per cruisemom's post, the train isn't part of the regularly-scheduled national rail network - I've heard many comments that it's unreliable.

 

I've not seen tour operators touting there, but the Katakolon Express (a bus, not a train) usually runs when there's a cruise ship in port. Can be pre-booked or join it on-spec if it's running and has spaces.

I've heard complaints that it doesn't leave when scheduled, that it waits in the hope of selling-out - which kinda ties in with carlmm's post - transportation, not an escorted tour of the site.

But Olympia is only about 40 minutes away and it gives I think 2 hours at Olympia.

 

Or simpler to rent a car - it's only about 20 miles, there are a couple of car rental agencies near the port gate. in Katakolon.

We rented from the one on the linked street-view,   https://www.rentacarkatakolo.gr/en/

We pre-booked without payment or card details or commitment - they held a car for us until the time we booked. Return with fuel at the same level as at the start, there's a gas station on the road into Katakolon. Clean late car, very simple navigation, no worries.

 

If you spin the streetview camera left you see the ships, if you swing it right you see the Katakolon Express bus

https://goo.gl/maps/k734nHgjmSetLFCg8

 

JB 🙂

 

 

JB, I have a question about the car rental process. 

 

How long was it before you drove away in the rental car?  Was there a lot of red-tape, signing? And where was the car located in relation to the office? I want to know because we'll be in a bit of a hurry to get going since another ship comes into port 1 hour after us. 

 

So it's a toss up between the car rental, or the taxi that would be waiting there for us. 

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, LGinPA said:

 

JB, I have a question about the car rental process. 

 

How long was it before you drove away in the rental car?  Was there a lot of red-tape, signing? And where was the car located in relation to the office? I want to know because we'll be in a bit of a hurry to get going since another ship comes into port 1 hour after us. 

 

So it's a toss up between the car rental, or the taxi that would be waiting there for us. 

 

Bear in mind that we'd pre-booked, though no form-filling, no deposit, no credit card or driving licence etc until we arrived.

No line in the office (I guess that's a matter of luck).

Took about 5 - certainly no more than ten - minutes, car was in the parking lot almost opposite.

 

No worries

 

JB 🙂