When I visited Greece this Sep, I really didn’t want to drive alone, yet I wanted to see both the Delphi archaeological site and Meteora. I found some 3-day group tours, but I dislike the feeling of being tied to a fixed schedule. There were also options like a 2-day Meteora tour from Athens plus a separate Delphi day trip from Athens—but Delphi is literally on the way back from Meteora to Athens, which means a lot of unnecessary backtracking.

By chance, I discovered that it’s possible to travel from Meteora to Delphi by bus. It requires three transfers and a long travel time, but overall it’s still more sensible than returning to Athens in between. So my final 4-day, 3-night route was:

Athens → Meteora (Kalambaka, 2 nights) → Delphi (1 night) → Athens

Here’s a breakdown of the transportation details and all the important tips.

Athens ➝ Meteora: Train + Bus

Train booking：http://www.hellenictrain.gr/en

There used to be a direct train from Athens to Kalambaka, but after a landslide damaged the tracks years ago, it still hasn’t been restored as of 2025. Currently, you take a train to Paleofarsalos, then transfer to a bus to Kalambaka.

Just search Athens → Kalambaka on the official Hellenic Train website and you can book both the train and bus in one go. There are 1–2 connections per day.

When you get off at Paleofarsalos, you’ll see the connecting bus waiting right outside the station.

Meteora ➝ Delphi: Bus

Meteora bus station:：https://maps.app.goo.gl/ienKFK52Lp4ZRQ5L9?g_st=ipc

Buy the ticket in person and tell the staff you’re going to Delphi. Card payment is accepted. You’ll receive two tickets:
Kalambaka → Trikala and Trikala → Delphi.

This leg is the final boss of the whole trip. You actually need three transfers (Trikala, Lamia, Amfissa), but the staff will only tell you about Trikala and Lamia, and the tickets only show those two.

Here’s my exact journey:

• 08:45–09:30 Kalambaka → Trikala
• 10:00–11:30 Trikala → Lamia
• 12:30–13:45 Lamia → Amfissa
• 14:30–15:10 Amfissa → Delphi

The Amfissa transfer was never mentioned during ticket purchase. When the bus arrived, the driver simply shouted “Delphi” and gestured for us to get off. He didn’t speak English, but thankfully the station staff did, so I was able to confirm the platform and departure time for the next bus.

A useful tip: there’s a large Lidl right next to the Lamia bus station, so you don’t need to worry about lunch.

Delphi ➝ Athens: Bus

Online booking: https://ktelbus.gr/fok/ticketweb/
Delphi bus stop: https://maps.app.goo.gl/z89SVE6Kz2BykNnCA?g_st=ipc

The Delphi “bus station” is basically just a sign—no staff and no ticket office. Google Maps reviews say you can buy tickets at the nearby In Delphi Cafe, but booking directly on the KTEL website is much easier. Search Delphoi bus station → Athens bus station. Just show the driver your e-ticket; no printing needed.

Important:
The stop for Athens-bound buses is on the same side as the road toward the archaeological site, which is the side opposite In Delphi Cafe. The stop next to the cafe is for buses heading toward Kalambaka/Trikala.

If you’re connecting to the Athens metro afterward, you don’t need to ride all the way to the final stop at the main bus terminal. Once you reach Athens, there’s a stop next to the metro (I believe it was Aghios Nikolaos), which may save you quite a bit of time.