Santorini Ferry Routes & Schedules

You will find below all the needed information in order to organize your trip by ferry to Santorini:
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Important note: Schedules for summer routes of some companies are officially announced around March.

In brief, although Santorini boasts an airport, a popular way to reach the island from Athens is by ferry. From other islands, like Mykonos, the ferry is the only option for a direct route.

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Ferries to Santorini from all destinations (except Thirasia island) arrive at the main Athinios port (New Port), which lies about 8 km away from Fira, the capital town of the island.

Santorini is located in the Aegean Sea and is part of the Cyclades complex. The island’s exact location is in the south part of the Cyclades; in particular, 127 nautical miles (236 km) from Piraeus in Athens and 80 nautical miles (about 148 km) north from Heraklion in Crete. View its location on a map.

As the reigning tourist destination in Greece, it is naturally well-accessed via ferry. Various sea crossings, routes and timetables run all year long and even more during summertime.
The ferries operating are either high-speed or conventional vessels.
Santorini is not only connected with Athens and Crete but also with many Aegean islands. For that reason, it comprises an ideal island-hopping destination.
Besides Athens and Crete, there are connections to Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Tinos, Sifnos, Milos, Syros, Ios, Folegandros, Amorgos and more Cycladic Islands as well as to Rhodes and Kos.

 


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POPULAR ROUTES TO SANTORINI

Important notice: Santorini Ferry schedules may vary every year. The itineraries for the summer season are announced by the companies and tickets are available from March. As soon as the schedules are officially announced they automatically appear on our booking engine and you will be able to proceed to your booking or check departure times and rates.

• From Athens

Most visitors traveling from Athens set off from Piraeus, the main port of Athens, situated only 12 km away from the city center. Six companies with both high-speed and conventional vessels operate six crossings daily during the high season (May-October). During the low season, the crossings are down to two per day.
View an illustrated map.
The crossing duration ranges from 4 to 10 hours and the cost is approximately 60€ - 90€.
Another way to travel from Athens is from Rafina Port, located in proximity to Athens International Airport. During the summer season, there are 2-3 daily crossings.
More: Athens ports | Athens - Santorini route | Book your tickets from Athens

• From Milos

Santorini is also connected with Milos. The two constitute a widely preferred island hopping bundle. During the summer season, only SeaJets is operating this route daily by speedboat, though there are also conventional vessels several times per week. The crossing duration from Milos to Santorini lasts from 1h50m to 2h30m, depending on the ferry company. For more information on the timetables available please check our up-to-date booking engine.
More: Milos - Santorini route | Book your tickets from Milos

• From Ios

One Cycladic island that lies very close is Ios. Ios is a beautiful place with a very different landscape, which features some of the most mesmerizing sandy beaches of the Aegean Sea. The crossing duration ranges from 30 to 50 minutes and the cost is between €19 and €64.70. Ios comprises a perfect destination for island hopping.
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• From other islands

Except for the above schedules, most of the years, Santorini is also connected to Crete (Heraklion, Rethymnon, Sitia) - Amorgos(Katapola) - Halki - Anafi, Donoussa - Folegandros - Karpathos - Kasos - Kea - Kimolos - Kos - Koufonissi - Kythnos - Milos - Rhodes - Serifos - Sifnos - Sikinos - Skiathos - Symi- Syros - Thirassia - Tilos - Tinos. Keep in mind that those connections may be available only during specific periods in the summer.

 

MAP OF POPULAR ROUTES

Discover the most popular connections to Santorini from Athens and other islands with international and national airports.

Map of Santorini ferry connections

 

BOOK YOUR FERRY TICKETS

Book your tickets with us! Want to know Who Greeka is? Greeka is the most popular website about Greece that organizes holidays for thousands of people every year.
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Important note: Schedules for summer routes of most companies are officially announced in March.

WHY BOOK TICKETS WITH GREEKA

We don't only sell tickets from/to Santorini! We offer a Premium service and follow-up your trip, informing you about delays and any schedule changes and also propose you the best possible alternatives.
We ensure you that all online transactions are safe and made through a secure server. Our goal is to offer you the best travel experience in Greece.

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ISLAND HOPPING OPTIONS

Ferry hopping in front of the Volcano

Santorini is a world-famous destination and a pole of attraction for thousands of travelers every year. Athinios port connects with many other islands. Island-hopping is an ideal option, especially if you want to discover neighboring islands with different landscapes and beautiful beaches. Most common island destinations include Mykonos, Crete, Milos, Ios, Paros and Naxos.

 

WHERE TO GO FOR A DAY TRIP

Organizing a day trip to other islands by ferry from Santorini is not so common. You can book your own ferry tickets to go and spend the day to Ios, Anafi, Folegandros and Sikinos, which are the islands that are closer but the timetables are not always convenient. Although the trips are short, there is barely any time between your arrival on the island and the departure back.

Thirasia, Santorini's twin sister islet, is a good day tour option. You can book an organised tour or check for available boats and itineraries.

 

TRAVEL TIPS

Blue Star Delos ferry arriving at Athinios Port

Travel tips to organize your ferry trip to Santorini:

  • • If you are traveling to Santorini for the first time, it is strongly recommended to take the ferry. The view when entering the Caldera and facing the Volcano is an unforgettable experience.
  • • If you are traveling to/from the island during the high season (June to mid-September), it is strongly recommended to book your tickets early in advance (4 months prior to your visit). Popular routes like those sell out quickly.
  • • Although high-speed vessels go faster, they get affected by the strong winds (meltemia) that blow in the Aegean during summer. That causes schedule delays and seasickness to many passengers. A conventional vessel like Blue Star Ferries, which is larger in size, hardly gets affected by the winds.
  • • If you start your journey from Athens (Piraeus) during the high season, make sure you arrive at the port at least one hour before the ferry's departure because the area gets busy and crowded. In addition, when leaving the island, keep in mind that Athinios port is small, yet hundreds of travelers embark and disembark every day, so it gets significantly crowded.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

We have gathered the most common questions regarding the ferry trip to Santorini and answered them for you.
Do you have another question? Are you looking for additional information to organize your trip? Let us know! You can send us your questions or post them in our community section.
Our informative team and community members will be more than happy to serve you!

Blue Star ferry docking at the port

• Where is the port of Santorini?

The port where all passengers ferries arrive and depart is called Athinios Port (or New Port) and is located on the southwestern side of the island, 9 km from the capital Fira and 19 km from Oia village.
Athinios is not part of a town but a small-scale settlement with a few shops and amenities. It is considered one of the busiest ports of the Cyclades because Santorini is the most popular Greek island and because it is small and transfers daily thousands of passengers. If you are visiting during the high season be prepared to encounter crowds and traffic.

• How do I get from the port to the villages/hotels?

It is strongly recommended to have organised your transportation to your lodging in advance or, ideally, to have rented a car/moto or requested a shuttle bus to your hotel.
At the port, you will find the bus station (KTEL Buses) that connects Athinios port with the capital town, Fira. The bus from Athinios will take you to the Fira bus station. From there, you will need to take a different bus if you want to move to another village (Oia, Perissa, Kamari, and more). The buses are mainly used by younger people and backpackers and get crowded quickly.
Right next to the buses lies the taxi station. Due to the limited number of taxis on the island and the high demand, it is extremely hard to find an available one when the ferry arrives or departs. To avoid inconvenience it is strongly recommended to book your transfer in advance with Greeka.

• How do I get there from the airport?

The airport is 9.3 km away from the Port. A KTEL bus from the airport to Athinios is available, and the ticket costs €4 per person. There is also a taxi stand outside the terminal building from where you can take a taxi.

• What is better? Flying or ferrying?

Although flying is a timesaver, the most common way to visit the island is via ferry. The views you will encounter as you approach this marvelous island are terrific. The caldera with the whitewashed villages on the top as well as the islets of the volcano (Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni) are magnificent.
Moreover, the whole experience of traveling by ferry across the Aegean is unparalleled - enjoying the sea views, passing by other islands, and gazing at different ports and lighthouses resembles a cruise and makes for a fascinating introduction to your summer holidays!

MORE TRAVEL INFO ABOUT SANTORINI