Where is Lefkada?
Lefkada is located in the top half of the western coastland of mainland Greece, between Corfu and Kefalonia and is the fourth in size Ionian Island. Lefkada’s landscape combines scenery both idyllic and rugged, inviting the visitor to roam in the history of the Ionian Islands while giving the satisfaction of discovering exciting secrets in every corner of the island. Here you will find out in which ways you can reach this amazing island by car or bus.
Lefkada by car
This year you can wake up any time you like, take your car, play your music and arrive on the island easily and safely before you know it because Lefkada is the only island accessible by car, without the cost of a ferry. It is connected to the Akarnanian mainland by a floating pontoon for a constant flow of vehicle traffic, and is also a swinging bridge.The bridge is fully rotating every hour from 08:00 p.m to 22:00 a.m in order for the boats to enter. During the night, from 23:00 a.m to 07:00 p.m the bridge rotates whenever there is a ship.
The Rio-Antirrio suspension bridge, as well as the Aktion tunel under the sea makes access to the island much easier. Likewise, the new road axes Igoumenitsa-Alexandroupoli, Egnatia Odos Motorway, makes the journey from Northern Greece and Thessaloniki faster and easier. The Ionian odos motorway facilitates acess to the island from the rest of Greece.
How to get to Lefkada from Central Europe
If you are driving from Central Europe to Lefkada via Italy you have four options
option 1. Drive your car to Ancona (280 km to the north east of Rome) and then catch the ferry boat to Igoumenitsa (trip duration: 16 hours). Then you have to drive from Igoumenitsa to Lefkada (road distance: 110 km).
option 2. Drive your car to Brindisi (Adriatic Sea coast in the Apulia region) and then catch the ferry boat to Igoumenitsa (trip duration varies from 7hrs 30min to 10hrs depending on the ferry operations). Then you have to drive from Igoumenitsa to Lefkada.
option 3. Drive your car to Bari (Adriatic Sea coast) and then catch the ferry boat to Igoumenitsa (trip duration varies from 8hrs 30min to 12hrs 30min depending on the ferry operations). Then you have to drive from Igoumenitsa to Lefkada.
option 4. Drive your car to Venice (in the north east of Italy) and then catch the ferry boat to Igoumenitsa (trip duration varies from 25hrs 30min to 28hrs 30min depending on the ferry operations).Then you have to drive from Igoumenitsa to Lefkada.
If you are driving from the Balkans to Lefkada
You have to drive to Northern Greece and then take the newly constructed Egnatia Motorway until Ioannina. When you reach Ioannina you head to Preveza and then through the Aktio-Preveza undersea tunnel. After 20kms you will reach your destination.
Toll Post
Rent a car in Lefkada
*Driving Licenses
*E.U. Member-State citizens may use their own national driving license, while citizens of other countries must have an international driving license together with their own valid national driving license.
How to come to Lefkada by bus
There are 4 departures daily from/to Athens (378 km) by coach (KTEL of Lefkada) and twice weekly from/to Thessaloniki (420 km). It takes about 5 hours to arrive to the island from Athens and 4.40 hours from Thessaloniki. There are also regular itineraries from/to Igoumenitsa (115 km) which take about 1 hour and a half to Lefkada and also two scheduled trips from/to Patra (187 km) which are 2 and a half hours away.
Athens Central Bus Station - Kifisos/ Tel: +30 210 5150108
Thessaloniki Central Bus Station/ Tel: +30 2310 595412
Patras Central Bus Station/ Tel: +30 2610 623 888
Preveza Central Bus Station/ Tel: +30 26820 22213
