Ferries operate all year round in the greek islands, although the more remote might get only one ferry a week. Regarded as one of the top holiday destinations worldwide, santorini is simply mesmerizing. Tips for traveling by ferry in greece the sweetest way. We originally wanted to go to mykonos last but we decided to do just a day trip to mykonosdelos from naxos instead of spending a night in mykonos. Domestic ferries from crete, the cyclades, sporades, the dodecanese islands and the aegean islands to the greek ports. Why need to book ferry tickets to greece online and in advance. Try my create and itinerary form and fantasy travel can put together an island itinerary based on availability of ferries and give you a price. Ferry companies, in general, have been slow at switching over to etickets but fortunately, some companies such as golden star ferries and aegean speed lines have been leading the way. While many ferry companies tell foot passengers to be at the dock 30 minutes before the boat leaves, theres usually no need to show up that far ahead, especially for shorthaul daytime boats. The good news is that if you are working with a travel agency in athens it wont matter because they can book your hotels and ferries and make the. The new highspeed ferry aeolis express shown in the top photo is like a giant speedboat and revolutionized greek island transportation, not to mention tourism on the islands of lesvos and chios.
Is prebooking ferries in greece necessary rick steves. Greek island ferry many car rental agencies in greece, especially those on smaller islands, do not want you to take their cars onto a ferry. This is exactly the reason that i prefer to have my greek island escape either in july or september. How to book greek ferries greece forum tripadvisor. If you are traveling around the greek islands in august, in order to avoid any problem of availability, you are advised to book your ferry tickets to greece at least 12 months before. The commissions are too low and its too much work for nothing. Just buy your tickets at one of the ticket offices in the port s as you go along. Greek islands ferries routes all greek islands ferry. This is actually the most convenient travel class, especially if the trip is long, as are. What you need to know about traveling in the greek islands. Its fun and easy to book your own trip and much more rewarding. You can buy your tickets in the airport upon arrival in amphitrion or pacific travel agencies, or you can buy them as you go on the islands you are visiting.
If you have arranged your ferry routes to greece and the greek islands, you can schedule better your traveling details. In some cases, it also happens that deck or air seats for some popular routes, for example ferry routes to mykonos, santorini, paros, naxos and other cycladic. Be sure to double check the times because theyll show you trips before and after your requested dates if theres no departure on the date you requested. Ferry routes from venice to corfu, patras, from ancona patras, igoumenitsa. You can book online directly through direct ferries, which is like an expedia for greek island ferries and will get you the best price between the biggest providers. As we frequently receive questions on which are the differences between types of cabins in the greek ferries, here are some things that passengers should know when they book tickets for cabins.
Also visit fantasy travels greek islandhopping programs because you may find the island combination you want to do at a price you did not think possible did i mention there is a bus that takes you. Greek islands ferry all available information, prices. If you aim to visit greece during the high season, and especially in july and august, you should probably start planning your trip from italy from as early as january. The latest information on ferry schedules for 2020 will appear directly on our website and search engine as soon. Cost of ferries and whether or not i need to prebook. Book ferry tickets on our online engine to the greek islands at the best rates. Followup and smsemail notifications about any ferry changes. Make time to watch the islands float by and enjoy this relaxing leg of your journey. You will need no reservations, schedules may not even be posted since it is almost a commuter ferry with very frequent runs, compare it maybe to the staten island ferry in new york, buy a ticket and go, even if you have to hang onto the boat. In summer, there is a ferry to thassos daily and every hour, departing from kavala and arriving in limenas in 1 hour and 30 minutes. Special offers for groups the largest greek ferries database over 60. To understand the greek ferry system, you must first understand the hub and spoke system.
You can reach the island of santorini, mykonos, paros, naxos, milos and other cyclades islands with modern regular and fast greek ferries departing from the port of piraeus, rafina or lavrion the longdistance islands like lesvos, rhodes and crete are best reached by regular ferry with overnight on board. And, although in the past booking ferry and hydrofoil tickets ahead of time was difficult, fortunately, the greek ferry industry has made it much easier to find routes and schedules and to make reservations. Booking your ferry tickets online is possible through the websites of shipping companies and expert local travel agencies, such as. Greek ferries are the most common way of transport to and from the islands.
Your greek holiday starts as soon as you board the ferry. They will also be the first to know about eventual cancellations due to unforeseen cancellations. Greek ferries 2020 go ferry ferry tickets to enjoy. Its also good for researching ferry timetables, costs, and schedules. Collect your ferry tickets on the port before departure or receive them by mail. There is a ticketoffice from aktina travel in the hallway when you have passed immigrationcustoms. Use the ferryhopper booking engine to find both direct and indirect connections between the greek islands as well as cheap ferry tickets from italy to greece. Travel by ferry or hydrofoil in greece can be a great way to trim your travel budget and make the most of your trip to greece. The good news is that if you are working with a travel agency in athens it wont matter because they can book your hotels and ferries and make the changes if they have to by making endless phone calls. Blue star naxos ferry ride from athens to mykonos by 7. Ferries to and from the greek mainland book online and save money.
Book your ferry to piraeus, thessaloniki, volos, agios konstantinos, agkistri, hermione and other ports of greece. The application is updated every day with new schedules of greek ferries and the best possible prices for the routes of all ferry companies. Coronavirus covid19 travel updates from our ferry partners. Some times the ferries can be so crowded that it makes it really difficult to find a return ticket. Using the ferry is an easy option and it can be quite pleasant. Find the ferry connection and schedule you need to travel in greece, italy, albania, cyprus, turkey, israel, crete and greek islands. If you want to travel to the greek islands and book a ferry ticket with us, the only way to do this is through our online booking application. Ferry schedules for the greek islands wintersummer 2020. It just means without a cabin, usually the cheapest ticket which comes with a numbered seat you can usually buy your tickets a day before and in many cases right at the boat. Greek ferries around the cyclades islands routes and. There are plenty of online booking platforms where. Car rentals book a car to explore greece in your own pace, cause no one ever wanted to feel limited while travelling, right. Why book ferry tickets to greece online and in advance.
So in other words if you are trying to book your greek island hotels in january you may have to wait until march or april to know if there is a ferry going on the day you need there to be one. I used my time on the slow ferries to catch up on work or do some reading in between hanging my head over the railing and sighing heavily at the dreamy waterscape in front of me. Hi i will be coming to crete on 16th july and will leave for mykonos after 6 days and then onwards to santorini and finally athens. Today that technology has evolved, tourists can buy their greek ferry tickets online way before the traveling date. There is also a ferry to thassos from the port of keramoti in mainland greece, arriving in skala prinou in thassos after 40 minutes for more information about ferry companies to thassos, vessels and ports of. In my opinion i live on folegandros and go back and forth to athens all the time, buying tickets in advance is unsafe, not safe. If you are going to travel to more than one greek island then you will need to buy a ticket for each route. On a very large car ferry between athens and some islands, booking the day before let us without reserved seats, but cabins with beds were still available. The reason we went to santorini first is because we got a really good deal for a flight from athens to santorini.
Aegina is one of the saronic gulf islands very close into athenspiraeus. Also all these years i have found web sites to be unreliable when booking online, not so much for the fact that you can or not but sometimes the timetables are plainly just wrong. Where to book ferry tickets to the greek islands or from italy to greece. You do not say it in your question, do you have a car. Dotting the aegean sea, the cyclades islands are the quintessential greek island fantasy and taking a ferry around the cyclades is the best way to see them. Some greek island ferries, however, only allow you to reserve beds upon boarding. However they do it for the customers who book accommodations with them. My question is, during the time frame well be there, is it necessary to book ferry tickets in advance. Traveling by ferry in greece is an experience in and of it itself. Hey friends, i have been planning to visit greece for my honeymoon in the beginning of june n want to plan everthin on my own. Greece ferries online booking system for all greek ferries. There are usually promotional campaigns for the socalled greek island ferry pass but these ferry tickets are individual tickets purchased by tour operators holiday packages. The question is do i prebook now or wait till i reach crete as i have a 6 day window there to book tickets.
However buying three of them was a little too much for the company to survive at a time when the price of fuel is up and travel is down. But for peace of mind, book tickets 2 to 3 months in advance. First, theres the risk that you may damage it maneuvering in the tight area or be damaged by someone else doing the same, and secondly, they like to keep their cars on their home island. The high season for frequent ferry sailings is june to september, with the tourist peak period in july and august so many greek ferries set sail over a relatively short periods each year and lay idle for the rest. There is ferries that leave the days we want i am just concerned if we need to book it. How to get from athens to mykonos itsallbee travel blog. You could pay more with some travel agents for some extra services but most people just want a ferry ticket. If you are contacting a travel agent to book just ferry tickets, good luck. Book your ferry tickets here and travel to your greek islands in style. This is a comparatively long duration ferry ride since the boat is a conventional ferry. Hello, im travelling to greece from 622167116 with 4 of my friends.
Find and book a cheap ferry to or in greece or the greek islands online. For your 1st leg from piraeus to mykonos, you can even buy your tickets in the airport. Makes no difference whether you book direct with the ferry company and collect tickets in their greek ticket agents in the portsislands, or if you buy tickets in greece, its the same price. September is starting to be low season especially for islands in greece. Learn everything about the greek ferry companies, schedules, and athens ports. If a ticket purchased online doesnt have a barcode that usually means youll. Mind you that tickets for highspeed crafts are in general double the price of a ticket with a conventional ferry. Greek island hopping 101 everything you need to know.
The best websites for booking a greek holiday are for hotels for flights for ferries. If you book tickets for the aforementioned companies, you will find in your confirmation email the specific links to the web checkin platforms of the ferry. Ferry tickets for bed cabins and vehicles usually sell out fast so its best to book well in advance in order to get the most out of your trip and your stay in greece. We want to take a ferry between all destinations except the flight back to the mainland from santorini. Ferries greece greek ferry tickets for ferries to greece and italy. Depending on the season, the weather and the state of striking unions, ferries around the cyclades can run like clockwork or be hopelessly delayed or cancelled but the adventure can. Again if i prebook, are atkina, amphitrion or any other agencies at the athens airport open for ticket collection at midnight as i would be landing at 12. Winds can make your ferry not go, but the next ferry, a different line, might be okay and youre stuck with an open ticket on your original ferry waiting for the next itinerary. Due to strike, book ferry in advance or upon arrival. It is by no means necessary to book ferries beforehand at the time you are coming. Check all ferry connections to the greek islands, see availability and prices in real time, and book the best deal for your ferry trip all within a few simple steps. Our tentative itinerary is athens mykonos naxos santorini athens. However, here are a few things to keep in mind when organizing your itinerary.
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