Corfu Airport: useful information

The focus of this article will be the airport in Corfu (Greece). You will find a lot of interesting information about the air gates of the island, as well as useful tips on how to get from the airplane to the place of rest and how best to pass the time before departure. Despite the fact that this hub receives regular flights, during the tourist season (and this is from April to October), its work is especially strained due to the large number of charters. In order not to get lost in the crowd, it is useful to have an idea of the structure of the airport.

How to get to Corfu Island

The airport of Corfu after John Capodistria, unfortunately, does not accept regular flights from Russia. You have to fly through Athens. Without transfers to the island of Corfu can be reached only at the height of the tourist season on one of the charters that depart from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan. But Corfu airport is connected by frequent regular flights with the capital of the country Athens. Of the major cities of Western Europe, you can also fly to the island without a change. In Greece, there are several major airlines, so tickets are most convenient to buy by meta-search engines, such as Aviasales. Sometimes the prices there are lower than at the ticket offices of the direct carriers.

History

The first airport on the island of Corfu was built in 1937 for military aviation. During the Second World War, it was especially used not for peaceful purposes. There was a base of Italian and German air forces. And only in 1949 from Corfu airport went to Athens first passenger flight. It was carried out by the Greek company TAE Greek National Airlines. For a long time, the hub could not take civil aircraft to full extent, because it had not a sufficiently long runway. This obstacle was eliminated in 1959, and in 1962 the first passenger terminal was built. In 1965 he was awarded the title of "International Airport Corfu". He received his name from John Kapodistrius, a native of the island and the first ruler of independent Greece. But since the airport is not far from the city of Kerkyra, many locals call it that way. And, finally, in 1972 the second terminal was built.

General information

Corfu International Airport is the home of the aircraft of Ellinair and Aegean Airlines. Passengers are served by two terminals. They do not have any sleeves. For landing passengers take off the buses. In general, the hub does not impress with its size. Everything here is simple, home-like. However, this airport manages to accept more than two million travelers annually. Once again, mention the runway. In order to take the civilian side, it had to be extended from 800 meters to more than two kilometers. For this purpose, an embankment was built in Halikiyopulu Bay. Just 500 meters from it rises the "Mouse Island" Pontikonisi with the monastery of Vlaherna. So the familiarization tour of the sights of Kerkyra begins even when the plane is landing.

Where is, and how to get to the city

Corfu International Airport "Ioannis Kapodistriya" is located three kilometers south of the center of the capital of the island of Corfu. The distance is small, but a taxi will cost you a pretty big sum - about thirty euros. Bus communication on the island is carried out by two companies - KTEL and municipal. A private car is green. They carry passengers not only to Kerkyra, but also other settlements of the island, and also (via ferry) to other cities in Greece - Thessaloniki, Larissa, Athens. Blue buses are municipal. They drive only through the streets of Corfu, going to the suburbs. Numbers 5 and 6 will take you to the bus station. The center is followed by Route 19. It must be remembered that bus stops are scattered around the terminal, and you need to wait for your route exactly where it is indicated. The fare in the municipal transport is € 1,10. Most of the city's routes have a final stop on San Rocco Square or Kanoni. And from there depart the other blue buses to the towns of the island.

Corfu Airport: services

Both terminals are equipped with everything necessary for comfortable traveling. Otherwise, the airport would not have been awarded the international title. However, prices in shops, cafes and other services here are higher than in Kerkyra. Even in duty-free Greek souvenirs, wine, aniseed vodka ouzo and olive oil are more expensive than in the city. The prices for food in the cafes of the hub differ from the national average by one and a half, and even two times. Greek slowness affects both the registration and the passage of security screening. Therefore, it is necessary to come to the airport beforehand. On the territory of the terminals there are ATMs, currency exchange offices, car rental offices and travel companies. However, prices are also too high. Taxi rates vary depending on the time of day. For example, to the resort of Paleokastritsa, which is 25 kilometers from the airport, a day trip will cost 35 euros, and a night trip at 50.