Anyone made the trip from Hydra to Hermonie Port to Nafplio [ferry/bus] lately?

We did Ermioni to Nafplio in March 2010, so not exactly recently. We got a 9.30 bus from Ermioni and picked up an 11 o'clock from Kranidi. I think we must have then changed in Argos.

The timetable for the Kranidi buses, which may be the one you've seen, is here

http://www.ktelargolida.gr/?module=default&pages_id=11&lang=en

I'm surprised that someone told you the timetables are unreliable. We're in Greece two or three times a year - most recently in Nafplio at Christmas - and always travel by bus. I've never found the timetables to be unreliable except when there is a strike.

On a separate point if you are going to Nafplio you might be interested in our write up of the place, and especially our favourite restaurants

http://www.greekramblings.org.uk/Nafplio_restaurants.html

We've also put up some of the photos we took at Christmas

http://www.greekramblings.org.uk/Juicebox%20albums%20-%20Nafplio/Nafplio_overview_photo.html

Have a great trip.

Alan

My experience is not as recent as Alan's, nor on that route. But I would agree that bus schedules can change with little warning. The fact that this branch of KTEL has "committed" to a schedule online is probably a good sign.

My old memory of an experience on Crete still informs my general expectation about the need to be flexible in Greece. At a small port town, the bus stop displayed an ambitious summer schedule. But since it was April, at least half of those buses did not run. I asked the hotelier/restaurateur next to the bus stop which departure would work and he said 10:00. A taxi driver came by to offer me a ride and said the bus would not come until 13:00; I thought he was just a salesman. But the bus did not come until 13:00. Ferry schedules can also be affected quite a bit by weather and other delays.

Yes, busses can be delayed, and taxi service as well, but there usually is a good reason. On my Spring 2001 visit to Kea (Tzia) I wanted to take the bus up to the Kastro, but was told it was first delivering the schoolchildren to another part of the island and would be back soon. So I decided to take a taxi, and waved at the only one around, near the port. He leaned out of the window & said he'd be glad to take me, as soon as he picked up his daughter. I said fine, I'll wait, and two grey-haired mustachio-men sitting at a cafe table said, Come, Coffee. I did. They used their 20 or so words of english very imaginatively and we talked up a storm. They asked about American politics, and I used an impolite Greek word I'd learned from an Athens friend. They had hysterics, and wanted to buy me a drink. The bus arrived, but every time I walked by the cafe for the rest of my stay, my Mustache-Men called out, and told their friends. Viva public transit!

Thanks everyone--guess we'll just see what happens. Alan, thanks for the links in your post. I'll have a look!