Boarding a ferry and hopping from one island to another is a quintessential part of summer vacation in Greece. There are three nearby ports that cater to all Athens ferry travelers. Here’s everything you need to know to navigate them like a pro.
Piraeus
With ferries to and from almost every island in the Aegean Sea, Piraeus is the largest (and busiest) port in all of Greece. You can easily get there by metro, bus or trolley. A single ticket will cost just €1,40, which is certainly cheaper than paying for a taxi. With the metro from the center of Athens (Monastiraki station), you can be at Pireaus in 15 – 20 minutes. There’s also an express bus that connects Pireaus with Athens International Airpot, costing €6 for a single ticket. The ride typically lasts around 90 minutes.
Once you’ve arrived at the port, check your ticket to see which gate your ferry will depart from. You can take the port bus, which is free of charge, and exists to shuttle passengers from one gate to the next. In order to find/use this bus, you’ll need to first enter the port itself. Alternatively, you can walk but some of the gates are a little more remote (for instance Gate E1 which is for travelers heading to the Dodecanese islands).
During the high season and peak times, Piraeus can get crowded and chaotic. So, it’s important to arrive at least an hour or two before your scheduled departure time, just to avoid any unexpected issues.
Rafina
Rafina is the second largest of the Athens ports. If you don’t have a car and don’t want to pay for a taxi, you can use a coach bus (KTEL) from downtown Athens. The ticket costs €2,60 and the ride lasts about an hour. There’s also an option to take a coach bus from Athens Airport, which costs €4 and is a 40-minute ride.
Rafina is very compact, and not nearly as busy as Pireaus. Arriving two hours early isn’t necessary here. There is only one gate, outside of which you can find quite a few cafés, snack bars, fast-food restaurants as well as a couple of traditional Greek taverns.
Lavrio
Lavrio is a small port in a coastal town located at the southernmost tip of the Attica peninsula. Ferries from here go to Kea/Tzia as well as the Cycladic island of Kythnos. There are also some more remote Eastern Aegean islands served from here, such as Lemnos and Agios Efstratios.
Taking a taxi to Lavrio is always an option. It will cost you around €50 from downtown and will take about 40 minutes depending on the time of day. Otherwise, you can take a coach bus (KTEL) from downtown Athens (near Pedion Areos) which will cost €5 and take about 2 hours. There’s also a bus that goes to Lavrio from Athens Airport which costs €4 and takes about an hour.
Which port you’re departing from will completely depend on which is the most convenient for the island you’re going to. So, now that you know your options it’s time to start booking your ferry tickets on Ferryscanner and exploring all the wonders that the Greek islands have to offer.