Greek ferries: Routes, tickets & 2026 schedules
Take a look at the following essential resource for navigating the beautiful Aegean and Ionian seas! Planning a trip to the Greek Islands starts with finding the right Greek ferries. This complete guide details everything you need to know about Greek ferry routes, allowing you to effortlessly hop between popular destinations like Santorini, Mykonos, Crete and more.
Whether you are searching for the best Greek ferry schedules for your island-hopping adventure, comparing Greek ferry prices for budget travel or ready to book your ferry tickets for the upcoming season, you will find all the essential information right here, covering everything from conventional car ferries to high-speed catamarans and the popular Italy-Greece Adriatic crossings.
Which are the best Greek islands for ferry travel?
From the vibrant islands of Mykonos and Paros to the serene beauty of Santorini, diversity of Crete and cosmopolitan vide of Hydra, each Greek island has its unique charm and attractions. By traveling by ferry, you can easily visit multiple islands and create your personalized itinerary.
Greek domestic ferries are the most common transport to and from the islands. Ferry travel also allows you to take in the stunning scenery of the Aegean Sea and enjoy the fresh sea air. Many ferries have outdoor seating areas to relax and soak up the sun while enjoying the views. Plus, traveling by ferry is often more affordable than other modes of transportation, such as flying or taking a private boat. You can save on transportation costs and use those savings to indulge in delicious Greek cuisine or unique souvenirs.
So why not add a bit of adventure to your Greek island vacation and travel by ferry? With convenient schedules and affordable prices, it's the perfect way to explore all Greece offers.
Depending on your preference for comfort and voyage duration, you can choose from high-speed to classic, traditional Greek ferries. It all depends on you and your intentions.
Several ferry companies operate routes to the islands and the journey can be a beautiful and relaxing experience. Here's what you need to know about getting to the Greek Islands by ferry:
Popular Greek ferry routes
Ferry from Athens (Piraeus/Rafina) to Cyclades Islands
Ferry from Athens (Piraeus) to Dodecanese Islands
Ferry from Athens (Piraeus) to Crete
Ferry from Athens (Piraeus) to Saronic Islands
Cannot find your route? Check our full ferry route list and select it from there!
Choosing your Athens departure port: Piraeus, Rafina or Lavrion
There are 3 departure ports in Athens for the Greek Islands ferry:
The Port of Piraeus is the biggest and busiest one and serves ferries to the Saronic Islands, Crete, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese and North Aegean Islands.
There are 12 gates in the port of Piraeus and each gate serves a different destination.
The Port of Rafina is located on the northeastern Attica peninsula. It's the closest port to Athens International Airport and serves ferries to Andros, Tinos and Mykonos, while from May to September, there are ferries to Paros, Naxos, Ios, Santorini, Syros and Crete.
The Port of Lavrion is located on the southern side of Attica, close to Cape Sounion. All year round, there are frequent departures from Lavrion to Kea and Kythnos and infrequent ferry departures to Chios, Limnos and Kavala, while in summer, there are occasional ferries to Syros, Tinos, Andros, Paros, Naxos, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Milos, Serifos and Sifnos.
When do ferries run to the islands? (winter vs summer)
Usually, you do not need to book ferry tickets many days before you arrive in Greece. However, there are some popular destinations and several periods that booking in advance is required.
- The ferries to the Greek islands are most frequent from May to the end of September
- From the end of September until the end of October and from April to mid-May, itineraries are limited but still are enough to serve the massive needs of travelers
- From November to March, sailings are rare and usually serve the large islands or those popular with the locals. Minor and distant islands are not served at all or only if a significant need exists. No ferries are running between Crete and Santorini and between Mykonos and Santorini from November to March. To get to one of these islands, you must move first to Athens and from there to your destination
Real-time Greek ferry schedules & timetables
We bring to the spotlight some of your favorite searches, combining desires with the availability of popular routes to the Greek Islands.
Click your route, click "search" on our booking engine and instantly view all availability results!
Daily departures with regular ferries throughout the year (high-speed ferries from May to September).
3-4 weekly departures in the wintertime and daily regular and high-speed ferries from April to October.
Multi-daily departures with fast ferries from April to October.
3 daily high-speed and one regular ferry sailing from the port of Heraklion from April to October.
There isn't any ferry connection from Athens. Take the daily ferry from Kyllini northwest of Peloponnese throughout the year. There is a daily ferry from Patras to Kefalonia and Patras to Ithaca from June to September.
- Rhodes to Cyclades Islands
There are ferries (year-round) only to Amorgos and Syros. From there, you can catch the high-speed ferries to Mykonos, Santorini, Paros and Naxos (from June to September).
There are daily year-round multi-departures to Heraklion and Chania and seasonal departures to Rethymno.
How to book your Greek ferry tickets: the essential steps
Prices are proportional to distance and speed. For buying Greek Islands ferry tickets, please follow the suggestions:
- Enter your desired travel dates
- Compare trip durations, departures, ferry companies and vessels
- Choose an accommodation depending on the trip duration and your needs
- Pick the price that suits your needs
- Enter all necessary passenger details
- Pay and get the booking confirmation in no time
Tip 1: For long-distance or overnight journeys, it's always best to book a cabin.
Tip 2: Avoid peak times. If you can, avoid booking at times of peak demand, such as during public holidays. Buy the tickets 3 to 4 months in advance.
Greek ferry types: Conventional vs high-speed vs catamarans
Conventional ferries
Those ferries are bigger than all the others and have more amenities. They usually have 3, 4 or even 5 deck levels and offer accommodation in budget and VIP locations and in cabins with 2, 3 or 4 beds. This is usually the most common option for ferry travel. Tickets are cheaper, but the route to your destination is longer. The weather does not affect such ferries much. If you have a sleeping bag and it's a night ferry, there is no better place to be than under the stars with a bottle of wine and fellow travelers!
High-speed ferries
They are smaller ships, but their speed is about twice that of conventional ones. The accommodation of the passengers is in air-type seats located on the internal decks (usually 2 or 3 levels) and are divided into the economy, business and VIP lounges.
Flying dolphins & Catamarans
Flying dolphins and catamarans are the smallest ships, but they are the fastest. They are used in short distances, like from Piraeus to the islands of the Saronic Gulf. You will probably sit in air-type reclining seats.
Tip: The cheapest way to travel is to book budget seats in the deck lounge (not reserved).
Accommodation options: Deck seats, airplane seats & cabins
Economy deck seats
If you travel by ferry to short distances during the day, you can be comfortable on the open deck. Just take your seat and follow the course of the sun. You'll enjoy the sea breeze, you will see the ports of the islands during the short stops that the ferry makes before arriving at your destination and you will watch the gulls dancing to the rhythm of the summer!
If you do not want to sit on the open deck, there are indoor air-conditioned lounges with tables and sofas. However, the seats in this lounge or open deck are not numbered and cannot be pre-booked, so you must board at least 30-40 minutes before departure to find available space.
Airplane seats
The air-type seats offered on conventional and speedboats are numbered, reserved in your name and comfortable for up to 6-hour journeys.
Most ferries have a TV in front of each row of this type of seats and closely, there is a bar for soft drinks, beverages and fast food.
Do not forget that you have to leave your luggage on a special shelf next to the main entrance of the ferry.
Air-type seats are, usually, about 50% more expensive than budget seats.
Cabins
For journeys that last more than 5-6 hours or for night runs, for example, if you travel to Crete or Rhodes or Samos, we recommend that you book a cabin, which has a private shower and offers the possibility of accommodating 2 to 4 people. The cabin looks like a hotel room but is much smaller with bunk beds, but you will arrive at your destination refreshed. The cabins are more expensive than the budget tickets, but you will be compensated!
Ferry types and accommodation options on Greek Ferries.
In which cases do I have to book in advance?
- For all weekends from April to October
- For the 2 to 3 weeks of Orthodox Easter
- For the 4 to 6 days of the Holy Spirit
- For the last 2 to 3 weeks of July, all days of August and the first 2 weeks of September
- For the days before and after the Greek national holidays (March 25 and October 28)
Tip 1: If you are going to travel to popular destinations, as mentioned above, it is always best to book as early as possible, since the demand is usually high for all high season.
Tip 2: It is unnecessary to reserve your ferries in advance for travel in low season. Still, we advise you to book the tickets at least 40 days before leaving home to avoid time-consuming procedures and last-minute surprises.
"Greek Island Pass"
→ In Greece, there is no possibility of a multi-stop Greek island pass! ←
Ferry tickets are individual ferry tickets purchased for a specific route and personal use. If you travel to more than one island, you will need to buy a ticket for each route. For every destination, one ticket!
However, you can board one of the many regular ferries and pay a small ticket fee compared to the services offered. Because sea transport is so vital to the cohesion of the Greek state, ferry prices are somewhat regulated by the government to keep them affordable for the islanders.
Occasionally, there are advertising campaigns for the "Greek Island Pass" or "Ferry Pass", but these ferry tickets are individual tickets purchased by tour operators' holiday packages. You will usually get better prices if you book the flight, hotel and ferry tickets yourself!
Italy to Greece ferry routes: Schedules & overnight cabins
Are you looking for the Adriatic routes that serve the route Italy-Greece by ferry?
Several ferry routes are available from Italy to Greece that you can choose for your holidays in Greece. Most itineraries last all night, so we suggest that you choose accommodation in a cabin to reach your destination refreshed.
- The most common route is the ferry from Ancona to Patras, which departs up to 18 times a week
- The shortest route is from Brindisi to Igoumenitsa, with a duration of about 8-10 hours
- The most extended trip is from Venice to Patras, which takes about 35 hours
All ferries serving these routes are passenger ships and provide extra space for your vehicles. They have a large selection of accommodation cabins, lounges, restaurants and shops, as well as access to outdoor decks.
Find below the available information about ports, itineraries and destinations, as well as special prices and offers for your desired route from Italy to Greece:
- Ancona to Igoumenitsa
- Ancona to Patras
- Ancona to Corfu
- Bari to Igoumenitsa
- Bari to Corfu
- Bari to Patras
- Brindisi to Igoumenitsa
- Brindisi to Corfu
- Brindisi to Kefalonia
- Brindisi to Zakynthos
- Venice to Igoumenitsa
- Venice to Patras
- Venice to Corfu
Please visit our 2026 ferry schedules Italy - Greece for the latest updates and book your ferry tickets in advance!
Also, check our Trends & Insights for all the latest ferry offers!