Train katakolon to ancient Olympia

[rahrah50]

According to our cruise documents, we will arrive in Katakolon at 8 am. The train to Olympia leaves at 8:25 am. Is there any chance we can make that train??? Is there any chance the ship arrives earlier than the stated time??? Is there any resource, website, that gives a time of arrival?? Thanks for any help!!!!

[JimandStan]

According to our cruise documents, we will arrive in Katakolon at 8 am. The train to Olympia leaves at 8:25 am. Is there any chance we can make that train??? Is there any chance the ship arrives earlier than the stated time??? Is there any resource, website, that gives a time of arrival?? Thanks for any help!!!!

 

Rahrah, I hope that you will take our advice on this because we just got back from Greece and have done the research.

 

If you're only in Port until 2PM, virtually the only way to do Olympia is through the ships excursion. Remember that you need to be back on the ship no later than 1PM.

 

The train is nice enough (and empty enough) that Oceania would probaby use it for their excursions if it could be made to sync with a 6 hour stop.

 

The price of the excursion may chafe, but this is a situation where Oceania has organized the tour via bus to maximise your time in Olympia.

[rahrah50]

Thank you for the info. I was thinking the same thing and appreciate you confirming that. Less than 30 days to go!!!!!!!!

[CAG]

We just returned from the Nautica and had planned on taking the train. We thought it departed at 8:25 but the local destination person that was on board said 9:22 and that was confirmed by the hand written schedule posted on the door of the ice cream stand at the station. Some cab drivers told us the train was on strike, but of course we didn't believe them. When the train had not arrived by 9:40am, the lady operating the ice cream shop made a phone call and confirmed that the train was indeed on strike. We joined another couple and rented a car from the Avis company for 40 euros and did Olympia on our own with the help of Rick Steves. We were fortunate in that we arrived at the site just as the tours from the 2 ships in port were exciting and we were on our way back before the tour of the third ship to arrive in port for the day arrived. The Costa ship in port left about 1:30 and we were told the MSC shipped arrived around 11:30. We were in port from 8:00 until 6:00 so we had ample time to rent the car. FYI, cab drivers were asking 70 euros for a round trip and a 1 hour wait. I can tell you, that 1 hour is not sufficient especially if you also visit the museum.

[LAexNY]

We just returned from the Nautica and had planned on taking the train. We thought it departed at 8:25 but the local destination person that was on board said 9:22 and that was confirmed by the hand written schedule posted on the door of the ice cream stand at the station. Some cab drivers told us the train was on strike, but of course we didn't believe them. When the train had not arrived by 9:40am, the lady operating the ice cream shop made a phone call and confirmed that the train was indeed on strike. We joined another couple and rented a car from the Avis company for 40 euros and did Olympia on our own with the help of Rick Steves. We were fortunate in that we arrived at the site just as the tours from the 2 ships in port were exciting and we were on our way back before the tour of the third ship to arrive in port for the day arrived. The Costa ship in port left about 1:30 and we were told the MSC shipped arrived around 11:30. We were in port from 8:00 until 6:00 so we had ample time to rent the car. FYI, cab drivers were asking 70 euros for a round trip and a 1 hour wait. I can tell you, that 1 hour is not sufficient especially if you also visit the museum.

 

Thanks for that info. Can I ask about how long it took you to drive there and how the driving was? Much traffic? Easy to find?

[CintiPam]

Great, I have another opportunity to disagree today with Jim. (Just kidding; you know I love you.)

 

I concur strongly with CAG that renting a car is a great way to go, and the way we did it when we visited there for 1/2 day only on Nautica two years ago (so the train could not work for us either). I drive automatics only so reserved in advance with rent-a-car katakalo, located right across the street from the very small port. I believe it was 40 Euros plus 8 Euros to refill gas on the way back right before town.

 

The rental place provides you with a small map, and you have two turns only to drive right to the easy parking in front of the excellent museum at Olympia, which I strongly suggest you visit before you visit the actual ruins to enhance the experience.

 

The drive itself takes 30 minutes total (it took us 40 on the way to Olympia because we obeyed the speed signs but wised up when every single car passed us by). There is very little traffic, the road is good, and even very huge museum goers like us spent about two hours at this marvelous museum, and another hour plus at the ruins themselves.

 

BTW, be sure to get an international driving permit from AAA (costs $15) before you go. If the police in Greece pull you over for any reason and you cannot produce this, you will have to pay a hefty three-figure fine.

 

Enjoy!

[CAG]

Like CintiPam says, it was very easy to find. The guys in Avis gave us an easy to use map and it is just 3 turns and takes about 30 minutes each way. Of course, you can always just follow the cabs and tour buses. Ideally, if you can get there before the tour buses arrive or just as they are leaving and you will then have a much nicer visit. I do strongly suggest you get the Rick Steves Athens book and follow his walking tour, otherwise get a guide. It won't make a lot of sense to you unless you know what you are looking at and why. We spent about 2 1/2 hours visiting the site and the museum. We did not the visit the History of the Olympic games museum. Another very important point...you can not take back packs or large purses/bags into the site. They do have a bag check hut or you can just hang your bag on the fence as you enter and hope it is still there when you return. That is what we did, took out anything of value, and we were fine upon return