An easy guide for how to get to Kos by Ferry, schedules and prices for the Ferry to/from Kos and recommendations for public transportation and services. Explore the website and find all necessary details for the Ferry to Kos; Connected Routes with departures and frequency, Accommodation options with real-time Availability and helpful tips for transfer opportunities in Kos!
We have prepared a small user guide that will help passengers to get to Kos as easily and pleasantly as possible.
Find useful information on how to get to Kos by ferry, local public transportation options to reach your overnight hotel in Kos, port addresses and embarkation offices, ferry schedules and prices for Kos ferry, and real-time departures and arrivals with the ferry to/from Kos.
- Kos harbour has frequent ferry service to and from the ports of Piraeus in Athens, Rhodes, Symi, Patmos, Kalymnos and Nisyros. Kos is also connecting with Leros, Syros, Santorini, Astypalaia, Amorgos, Kastelorizo, Lipsi, Tilos and Chalki.
- Travel time from Piraeus (Athens) to Kos is approximately 12 hours, from Bodrum (Turkey) in 20-40 min., Nisyros, Kalymnos as well as to other Cycladic islands, Chios and Mytilini, with service time and dates varying depending on the type of ferry vessel and the time of year.
Getting to Kos by ferry is the best option you have and it can be a very nice and exciting experience and especially if you are doing some island-hopping too. Greek islanders are seasoned ferry experts and they prefer to travel by ferry to/from Kos because of the convenience and flexibility it affords!
Cars are allowed on most ferries running to or from Kos, for an additional fee and children usually travel for half price!
- There is a choice of modern Conventional catamaran ferries running frequently to/from Kos with stops along the way.
Give a departure port and a date and find all possible ferry to/from Kos destinations!
Notice: Each year and depending on the period, there may be more or fewer connections to/from Kos. The biggest shipping companies (ferry operators) announce the new ferry schedules to and from Kos by the end of December and the rest of them by January-March each year!
Public transportation services in Kos
The port of Kos
- At the center of the city of Kos, on its northern coast lies the natural harbour of Kos that hosts the Port of Kos. The port is used by both tourist vessels as well as ferries making routes towards the mainland as well as other islands.
- Kos ferry port is situated in Kos town, in the north-east of the island, and is a lively and bustling port providing fast cat and ferry connections to many of the other Dodecanese islands and Turkey.
Public Transportation and road network on Kos
- The road networks in Kos are in good conditions, with well-placed signposts and safeguards. The island has one major road that stretches across the island. From the downtown, one can head out to the north-east to Kefalos or to the southwest. Smaller, secondary roads make the northern part of Kos accessible.
- The local buses and taxis have a full schedule with regular routes from any region of the island to the town of Kos.
Public Bus Services on Kos
The bus service on Kos is very well organized and the ticket price is inexpensive.
Bus services are handled by two operators in Kos:
- The DEAS bus company runs the green, red and blue routes in Kos Town and the departure station is in the south side of the harbour. Town buses leave every 30 minutes s to Psalidi and to Agios Fokas, Mesaria and Platani. Times are posted at the harbour and the bus station. Timetable: https://www.kosinfo.gr/getting-around-kos-town
- The public KTEL buses travel between cities and their tickets are available on-board on the bus or at the station. You can find the main bus station at 7 Kleopatras Street, north of the center. There are 10 buses daily to Tingaki, six to Kefalos via Paradise beaches, five to Mastichari and Pyli with three daily to Zia.
- Terminal: 7 Kleopatras Street, north of Kos center
- Phone: +30 242022292
Taxis on Kos
- Taxis are plentiful and found at the harbour area, beneath the minaret, or across from the castle. Taxis prices are fixed but check the price before getting in or get a price online. It costs a bit extra to pre-book in advance!
- Book Kos Online Taxi in advance
- Port TAXI Station: +30 2242022777, +30 2242023333-4, +30 2242021666
Note: All above information for Kos was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice.
Schedules, prices and availability to Kos by ferry
Book your ferry to/from Kos with any ferry company that suits you better and enjoy your journey in Greece! The “Easy-Way” booking system of go-ferry.com, allows the most reliable online ferry reservations and offers cheaper, faster and better services for your ferry ticket to or from Kos.
With go-ferry.com you are able to connect online with the reservation systems of the most Greek shipping companies, to compare prices, to find information about routes and vessels, to look for alternative routes and to print instantly your Kos ferry confirmation.
Ferry timetables may change by season, so take an optical canvassing via our search engine to receive the latest cull of dates, schedules, prices and availability to/from Kos by ferry. With so many accommodation options to cull from, you can be sure to find the best deal for the ferry to or from Kos at a price that fits your budget.
Complete the under bellow fields and click on "search" to compare the prices of all operators that run to and from Kos by ferry!
Book in advance your ferry to Kos
Arrange your ferry journey to/from Kos in advance
It is very important that you have organized your ferry to or from Kos in advance, having arranged all the details. You don't want something to go wrong, and you can achieve perfect holidays with a great organization. In addition to hotel accommodation and air-tickets, when you book the boat tickets to or from Kos you know that everything is under control even before leaving home.
There are many reasons why you should arrange to book in advance your ferry to/from Kos. Here are some of the most important:
Pay for Hotel in Kos without using it!
During the high season in Greece, and especially in July and August, it is likely that you won't find ferry tickets to popular destinations, such as Kos, if you don't book them in advance. So, don't make the mistake to book your hotel on Kos without having booked the ferry pass to/from Kos. The last thing you want is to get to the port and not find an available ferry to or from Kos!
Save time in Kos!
Although we charge a commission for acquiring ferry bookings to/from Kos, this allows you not only to secure your ferry tickets o/from Kos but also to save time in Kos; besides receiving a service and attention of first.
Have a bigger choice of Kos Ferry Tickets!
Buying in advance gives you a better chance of getting the ferry tickets to/from Kos, on the ferry you prefer and at the schedule you want. It does not make sense that your trip to/from Kos is interrupted by not finding available ferry departures, but it is possible.
Find more Kos Ferry routes!
If you want to organize your vacations to or from Kos, it is wise to check all the possible routes and timelines in order to make the right combinations between Kos and other destinations as well as between the air and the ferry tickets. Online, you can have an overview of all the routes going to or from Kos.
Get the best deal by Kos Ferry prices!
Ferry tickets to/from Kos can be expensive, so it’s natural to want to get the best deal on them. It has become a regular practice for ferries to announce special rates and deep discounts for booking ferry tickets to or from Kos up to 3-6 months in advance.
Feeling Great having Kos ferry ticket in your pocket!
You will feel a great feeling when having the ferry confirmation to or from Kos in your hands. The reservation with us will allow you to secure your ferry to or from Kos, you will be relieved to have the confirmation in your hands or on your smartphone!
Accommodation options on the ferry to Kos
Find out about the ferry types that are running to/from Kos, choose the ideal accommodation option on the ferry to/from Kos and get fresh and relaxed at your destination. Comfortable armchairs, business class comfort seats, outside and inside cabins or economy deck chairs. There is a range of accommodation options to choose for a day or night ferry to or from Kos.
About Kos
The endless coasts with the turquoise waters, the vegetation, the affluent water springs, the ancient and medieval monuments, as well as the impressive Italian buildings feature Kos island; the third largest island of Dodecanese complex, located just 4 miles away from the Turkish coasts. The name «Kos» probably derives from the daughter of the mythical King Meropas, called Koos. Kos is the birthplace of Hippocrates «the father of medicine» (460-377 B.C) and was already inhabited during Neolithic Period (5th - 4th millennium B.C). The Knights of St. John conquered the island during the 14th century, reinforcing the older castles and building new fortifications. During Turkish occupation, the island was attacked by several intruders (Knights, Venetians etc), while during Italian occupation (1912-1945) some really important, monumental public buildings were constructed. The island was officially united with Greece in 1948. It extends over a surface of 290 km2; its coastline is 112 km and counts 31,000 inhabitants. It can be reached by ferry from Piraeus Port or by airplane from the Athens International Airport, «Eleftherios Venizelos».
Mythology has it that the three giants Phoebos, Kinnas and Kios fled to this island after they had been defeated at the great battle of the gods and theTitans. Heracles supposedly stayed here for a while after he had performed his 12 labours. His ship had sunk on his way home, and he managed to swim to Kos, where he met the angry shepherd Andagoras whom he fought for many hours. He then sought refuge in the mountains since king Eurypilos had ordered his arrest, but managed to capture the king's daughter Chalkiope, with whom he had Thessalos, future king Of Leros and Nissyros.
The king of the Carians led his people to the island sometime in the 2nd Millennium BC, and this people from Asia Minor are traditionally considered to have been one of the first settlers on this island. They were succeeded by the Minoans, Cretans, and then, in the 10th century BC, the Dorians arrived. At this time, the island was called Meropida.
The people of Kos were forced to doing Persian forces against Greece in the 5th century BC, but that changed after the Persians were defeated at the battle of Salamis. After that, Kos was a full member of the Delian League and the island was prospering under its democratic constitution.
From an early stage, the god of medicine, Asclepius, was worshipped here, and pilgrims from all over came to his temple to go through cleansing rituals, sleep in the temple, and be cured. It is no coincidence that the father of medicine, Hippocrates, was born here.
In the 4th century BC Kos joined sides with the Macedonians, and the Romans conquered the island in the 2nd century BC. St. Paul the Apostle visited the island on one of his missions, and some of the earliest churches of Greece were built here - you can still see the ruins of a couple of the, Unfortunately most ancient and Christian buildings were destroyed in a big earthquake in AD 535.
With the exception of many pirate raids, Kos flourished during the Byzantine era . The Genuans and Venetians ruled the island in the 12th century, but it came under the command of the Knights of Rhodes in 1315, who taxed the locals heavily.
The Turks occupied the island in 1522, and massacres and harsh treatment of the people followed. Kos was given to Italy in 1912, and freed in 1948.
What to see in Kos
Archeological sites - Kos
In the city of Kos the monuments of ancient times are separated into 3 zones: the excavations of the port, the central and western zone. The finds in the first zone which came to light after the earthquake of 1933 include the Stoa (4th or 3rd century B.C.), the sanctuary of Hercules (3rd century B.C.), the small sanctuary, the double sanctuary of Pandimos and Aphrodite Pontias, the Agora and finally the famous plane-tree of Hippocrates which comprises an offshoot of the original tree in the shade of which, according to tradition, the father of medicine taught and wrote many of his writings. In the central zone there are relics of a Minoan settlement and of the Geometric Age.
Included in the zone are structures with beautiful mosaics (3rd century B.C.), the ancient Stadium (2nd century B.C.), the Western Bath Houses (2nd-3rd century B.C.) the "Xysto" Gymnasium, the Nymphaeum (3rd century B.C.), the House of the abduction of Europa with the homonymous mosaic, the Roman conservatory, the Altar of Dionysus and the restored Roman House (Casa Romana).
At a distance of 3.5 km southwest of Kos, there is the most famous and long standing monument of Kos, the Asclepeion. During ancient times the Asclepeion was a sacred hospital and this specific one was considered the most significant since it had a history of many centuries. It started to be built during the 4th century B.C. and in the same place findings were discovered from the Minoan and Geometric periods. It is laid out in three levels: On the first are the Propylaea, Bath House ruins, Stoas and Public Lavatories. On the second there is the most ancient temple of the Asclepeion (3rd century B.C.), the altar of Asclepeion or of Apollo of Kyparissia (4th century A.D.), remains of a temple of Apollo (3rd century A.D.) with seven restored pillars. Finally, on the third level there are ruins of the great temple of Asclepeion (2nd century B.C.) and traces of Hellenistic Stoas.
At Pyli there is a said tomb of Harmylos, a total of 12 tombs in a dome-shaped structure. At Kefalos, there are still ruins of a Hellenistic theater at the site of Palatia, 3 km to the south.
Castles in Kos
The Knights Castle, formerly known as Neratzia Castle and built on the ruins of an ancient fortress, stands just at the entrance of the port of the town of Kos. Its construction began in the14th century by St. John's Knights because of the delays caused by Turkish invasions. The castle has two rounds of walls and was an islet until the beginning of 20th century, as in the place of today’s Foinikes Avenue there was a ditch filled with sea water separating the castle from the land.
The castle was connected to the mainland near the location of Hippocrates Plane tree by a bridge which is still preserved on Foinikes Avenue.
In Antimachia, 4.5 km SE of the village there is a very well preserved medieval castle. Ruins of a Byzantine castle are still preserved on top of a hill in Pili offering the visitors an amazing view of the nearby islands, while more castle ruins can also be found on top of the hill in Kefalos.
Churches of Kos
"Paleo Pili” which is in ruins today, lies on a hill on the southeast of the village in an exceptional natural environment. It has got three churches: St. Antonios, the Church of Taxiarches and the Church of the Virgin Mary Ipapanti, which was in the past the “Kastriano Monastery” and was founded by the Saint Chistodoulos. From these three churches the Church of the Virgin Mary Ipapanti is of most interest as remains of hagiography of the 14th century are preserved, a sculpted wooden icon screen and ancient pillars which evidently were transferred from the nearby sanctuary of Demeter.
In Mastichari there are relics of an Old Christian Basilica of the 5th century with exceptionally preserved mosaics which cover the surface of around 400 sq m. In Antimacheia in the Medieval castle two post Byzantine churches are preserved.
In Asfendiou there is a church of Asomaton Taxiarchon of the 11th century with a fine icon screen as well as an Early Christian Basilica of St. Paul outside of the village. Even on top of Mount Dikeos, which was called “Oromedon” in ancient times- there is a small church of Christ with a wonderful view.
In Lagoudi there is an especially picturesque church of St. John the Theologian built amongst the rocks.
In Kardamaina there is an Old Christian Basilica of St. Theotitas. Finally, rich in significant churches is the area of Kefalos with its ruins of Old Christian Basilicas of St. Stephanos with mosaic floors and pillars which are dated to the 6th century. We also find churches, such as the Church of the Virgin Mary Palatiani in Palatia, the Virgin Mary Ziniotissa, St. Mamos, St. Theologos and St. John all with an exceptional view of the land around and sea.
Traditional Cuisine - Kos
There are many interesting local recipes for food and pastries which women of Kos usually make for large religious celebrations. The most characteristic recipes are “pitarridia” (lasagna which is boiled in meat broth) and "varvara" (boiled wheat with honey, sugar, almonds, nuts, raisins, pomegranate, cinnamon, rose water, orange zest and some spices). “Katimeria” is twisted fried cheese pie with mizithra cheese and is served with honey and cinnamon. “Xismata” (wheaten bread kneaded with grated mizithra cheese and flavorings). “Afrena” or “eftazima” are flavored breads, the yeast for which is made of boiled chick peas foam and bay leaves. “Kousafi” is boiled black raisin with different flavorings. “Lazari” is white bread that people bake in human shape. “Koufoi” is plain dough, while “geroi” which are offered during the Lent are stuffed with raisins and roasted sesame or crushed almonds and are kneaded with rose water. “Labropites” (large round cheese pies kneaded with many eggs and a little yeast, stuffed with "prosfa" – fresh unsalted mizithra cheese). “Kokkino tiri” (red cheese) which locals leave to bake in red wine. Finally, “pligouri” is ground wheat cooked with pork.
Traditional Products - Kos
The local dishes will leave a really sweet taste in your mouth. Kos island is known for itsbaklava and tomato sweets.
The high quality and tasteful honey produced by bee keepers of Antimachia is known not only in Greece but also worldwide.
Posa cheese is a local recipe and is goat’s cheese preserved in red wine. The combination of tastes is amazing! Visit the small villages and try a traditional kanellada or soumada of Nisiros prepared with bitter almond.
Local sweets can be found in all confectioneries, super markets or mini markets of the island.
Useful Information
AIRPORT: 22420 51567
ARCHEOLOGICAL SERVICES/PLACES
Archaeological Library of Knightly Residence Sans: 22420 26256
Asklipio: 22420 28763
Kos Archaeological Service Office: 22420 24776
Casa Romana: 22420 23234
Museum Archaeological: 22420 28326
CONSULATES
England: 22420 215492
Denmark: 22420 23301, 22420 251463
Italy: 22420 219914
Sweden: 22420 262785
Finland: 22420 22340, 22420 56700
ECOLOGICAL CENTERS
Excur. Envir. Association N.K. Lefkothea: 22420 22929
Zoophilian Ecological Union of Kos: 22420 22816
S Aegean's Center of Hydroplace Protaction: 22420 69735
Kos Embellisher Naturalist Association: 22420 28464
Environment's Study and Protection Association: 22420 24968
HOSPITALS
Kos Hospital: 22420 54200, 22420 28050, 22420 23423
Kos Hospital: 22420 22300
Kos Hospital: 22420 23092
Kos Hospital: 22420 25067
Kos Hospital: 22420 23000
PIKPA: 22420 28380
MUNICIPALITIES
Municipality of Kos: 22420 28420
Municipality of Dikeou: 22420 48051
Municipality of Hiraklidon: 22420 48273
Municipality of Nisyros: 22420 31203, 22420 31550
POLICE
Kos - Tourist Police: 22420 22444
Kos Police Department: 22420 22100
Police Department of Antimachia: 22420 51222
Pyli: 22420 412225
Kefalos: 22420 712226
Nisyros: 22420 31201
PORT AUTHORITIES
Kos: 22420 26594 6
Nisyros: 22420 31222
Lipsi: 22470 41133
Astipalea: 22430 61208
RURAL REGIONAL MEDICAL OFFICES
Antimachia: 22420 51230
Asfendiou: 22420 69202
Kardamena: 22420 91202
Kefalos: 22420 71230
Mandraki - Nisyros: 22420 31217
Pyli: 22420 41230
Rural Veterinary clinic: 22420 22619
TRANSPORTS
Bus Routes: 22420 22292
Bus Routes: 22420 26276
Mini Train: 22420 26276
Taxi: 22420 22777, 22420 233334, 22420 21666
Boats: 22420 26594 6
Boats: 22420 28914
Airplanes: 22420 56000
