Greece
Public Transport
Although ferry service between the islands remains the main means of communication between the islands of the country, rail transport and urban transport are also actively used for travel around the country.
Greece is a land of islands, each with its own unique charm and grandeur. There are about 200 inhabited islands in Greece, and both residents and visitors love to travel to them by ferry because they offer stunning views of the Aegean Sea. Greek ferries are the main mode of transport between the islands.
Ferry tickets to Greece can be purchased online on the booking platform. It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance. You can choose from three categories of tickets: economy class, business class and VIP class.
There are several types of ferries in Greece, from small local ferries to large car ships. The most common types of ferries are:
- High-speed ferries are the fastest and most expensive, reaching speeds of up to 40 knots. They are great for people who want to quickly move from one island to another
- Regular ferries: although slower and cheaper than high-speed ferries, they provide a more relaxing and comfortable journey. They are great for those who want to enjoy the view and take their time
- Catamarans: These are fast and comfortable boats, great for short trips between islands
- Hydrofoils are small, fast boats that can reach speeds of up to 50 knots. They are great for short trips between islands.
Ferries in Greece offer a variety of services and amenities depending on the type of vessel and the ticket purchased. Common amenities include:
Most vessels have cafes and restaurants,
some ferries have shops, many vessels offer free Wi-Fi,
luggage storage.
The most visited islands in Greece are: Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Amorgos, Milos, Serifos, Crete, Rhodes, Symi, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Samos, Lesbos, Ikaria, Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos, Corfu, Ithaca, Zakynthos and Kythira.
Ferries are an important means of transportation in Greece due to the country’s many islands and coastal areas. There are several ferry companies operating in Greece, with routes linking the mainland to the islands, as well as between different islands. Blue Star Ferries, Hellenic Seaways and Anek Lines are among the leading ferry operators in Greece.
Ferries in Greece follow a regular schedule. The most popular routes connect the Cyclades islands (Mykonos, Santorini and Naxos) with the Dodecanese islands (Rhodes and Kos). There are also frequent ferries between the mainland and the islands, as well as between the islands themselves. It is essential to check the schedule in advance, as it may change depending on the season and weather conditions.
Here are estimated travel times for Greece's several main ferry destinations:
- Ferry from Piraeus to Santorini: 8 hours with the slow ferry or 5 hours with the high-speed
- Ferry from Rafina to Mykonos: 4.5 hours with the slow ferry or 2.5 hours with the high-speed
- Ferry from Piraeus to Crete: around 9 hours based on which port of Crete you’re heading to
- Ferry from Mykonos to Santorini: 2-3 hours with the fast ferry or 4-5 hours with the conventional
- Ferry from Heraklion to Santorini: around 2 hours with the fast ferry or 4.5 hours with the slow one
- Ferry from Paros to Mykonos: 45 minutes with the high-speed ferry or 1 hour with the conventional
The connections between the Greek islands are numerous, and most of them are made throughout the year.
Ferry connections to Greece are available from Italy, Turkey and Albania, but there are also other alternatives and departures within Greece, both between its islands and the mainland. There are many combinations of different locations in a country with over 107 inhabited islands scattered across the Greek seas!
International ferry connections to Greece are available:
From Italy to Greece
From the Italian ports of Ancona, Venice, Brindisi and Bari to the Greek ports of Patras, Corfu and Igoumenitsa
From Turkey to some Greek islands
From Fethiye to Rhodes
From Marmaris to Rhodes
From Bodrum to Kos
From Cesme to Chios
From Albania to Corfu
From Saranda to Corfu
Blue Star Ferries routes with Eurail Pass and Global Pass
Aboard Blue Star Ferries you can travel within the following Greek island complexes:
The Cyclades
From the port of Piraeus to Paros - Naxos - Santorini - Amorgos - Ios - Iraklia - Schinoussa - Koufonissi - Donousa - Syros - Tinos - Mykonos and Anafi
The Dodecanese
From the port of Piraeus to Rhodes - Kos - Leros - Patmos - Kalymnos - Astypalea - Tilos - Nisyros - Kastellorizo - Symi - Lipsi and Karpathos
The Northeast Aegean Islands
From the port of Piraeus to Chios - Mytilene - Psara - Oinousses - Samos (Karlovassi & Vathy) - Kos - Rhodes and Karpathos
Crete
From the port of Piraeus to Heraklion and Chania (route in partnership with Anek Lines Ferries)
Free passage with a Eurail 4 day and 6 day Greek Island Pass
Holders of a Eurail 4 day or 6 day Greek Islands Pass are entitled to four travel days on domestic ferries.
1st and 2nd class holders are entitled to Economy class.
Additionally, Greek Islands Pass holders are entitled to a 30% discount on any economy class trips that are in addition to their travel days within one month after the first trip.
No surchages and taxes apply when traveling with the 4 or 6 trips Greek Island Pass.
Discounted passage with a Eurail Global Pass
Holders of a Eurail Global Pass
get a 30% discount on the passenger fare in Economy class on domestic ferries. Surcharges and taxes apply.
Important:
The discount is available on the condition that you've made a crossing or have already booked a crossing between Greece and Italy.
You have to prove this by showing the ticket from that crossing.
Discounted passage with a Eurail Greece or Italy Pass
Holders of a Eurail Greece Pass or Italy Pass get a 30% discount on the passenger fare on domestic ferries. Surcharges and taxes apply.
1st class Pass holders are entitled to travel in dormitories (when available*) or air type seats.
2nd class Pass holders are entitled to deck passage.
Grimaldi Lines routes with Eurail Pass and Global Pass
Routes:
- Barcelona (Spain) - Civitavecchia (Italy)
via Porto Torres (Sardinia)
- Barcelona (Spain) - Savona (Italy)
- Civitavecchia (Italy) - Porto Torres (Sardinia)
- Brindisi (Italy) - Igoumenitsa (Greece)
- Brindisi (Italy) - Patras (Greece)
- Livorno (Italy) - Palermo (Italy)
- Livorno (Italy) - Olbia (Italy)
- Salerno (Italy) - Palermo (Italy)
- Salerno (Italy) - Catania (Italy)
Discounts for Eurail Pass holders
Eurail Pass holders get a 20% reduction on ship passage and 10% discount on accommodation (cabin, berth, pullman seats).
Port taxes, fixed dues, fuel surcharge, and costs for on-board services and meals are excluded from the discount.
For reservation:
- Online at www.grimaldi-lines.com by selecting the agreement EURAIL PASS from the Partnership list and entering your Pass Cover code in the related field. You can find your Pass Cover code in your Travel Diary, shown circled in the image below.
Trains
The main railway network is the Piraeus-Plati railway with many branches. It is the busiest passenger and freight line in the country. It passes through many important cities of the Greek mainland, such as Athens, Chalkida, Thebes, Lamia, Larissa and Katerini.
Athens Airport-Patras railway. It passes through western Attica and the northern coast of the Peloponnese. Some important cities located on the line include Eleusis, Megara, Corinth and Aigio. Minor railway network The Thessaloniki-Bitola railway from Plati - a branch of the Athens-Thessaloniki main line - to Florina continues to form the Kozani-Amynteo railway line.
Alexandroupoli-Svilengrad railway, which runs parallel to the Evros River and the Turkish border. Important settlements on the line include Feres, Soufli, Didymoteicho, Orestiada and Nea Vissa. The standard gauge railways of Thessaly - Kalambaka - Palaiofarsalos and Volos - Larissa.
The Peloponnesian metre gauge railway network, which is largely unused. The main railway lines ran from Athens to Patras, and then from Patras to Kyparissia and Kalo Nero, from Corinth to Kalamata and from Katakolo to Olympia via Pyrgos. The only active parts of the network are the Katakolo - Olympia and Proastiakos Patras lines.
Now you can find all these names on a map, buy a ticket and go on a journey.
Hellenic Train offers discounts to regular passengers on the same route. Multiple Journey card for an unlimited number of journeys during a certain period of time.
For the Thessaloniki-Larissa route.
For the Thessaloniki-Florina route.
For the Lianokladi-Stylida route. Multiple Journey cards - 25 euro discount, for university students 18 euro.
For the Pyrgos - Katakolo-Olympia route.
Katakolo-Pyrgos costs 15 euros
Pyrgos-Olympia costs 15 euros
Katakolo-Olympia costs 30 euros
Regular and discounted cards for the Patras Suburban.
Monthly cards for multiple trips will be valid for the routes Thiva-Athens-Thiva - 100 euros.
Livadia-Athens-Livadia 130 euros for travel on trains without mandatory seat reservations and for economy class.
Multiple travel cards for the following Athens suburban and regional lines:
Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" - Koropi - SKA - (Ano Liosia)
Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" - Koropi - Athens - Piraeus
Piraeus - Athens - Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos"
Piraeus - Athens - Kiato
Athens - Chalkida
and
Monthly travel card valid for travel on OASA public transport metro, train, buses, trolleybuses.
Loading a Personalized or an Anonymous Card through a NFC-enabled mobile
Athens Public Transport Cards
Tickets for public transport are rechargeable smart tickets and rechargeable smart cards called ATH.ENA TICKET and ATH.ENA CARD respectively. You can use this ticket or downloaded card on any type of public transport in Athens.
Passengers must have a valid ticket or card with them during their journey. Children under 6 travel free. There are discounts for people aged 65+, young people aged from 7 to 18 and students.
You must validate your ticket or card at the blue validation machines located inside buses, trolleybuses and trams each time you board them.
When using the metro, you must validate your ticket or card at the gates, both when entering and exiting the station.
Multiple ticket
Anonymous ATH. ENA Card
Personalized Card
10-ticket pack + 1 BONUS
Total value €12.00
5-ticket pack
Total value €5.70
2-ticket pack
Total value €2.30
90-minute ticket
Value €1.20
5-day ticket
Value €8.20
24-hour ticket
Value €4.10
Airport tickets
- – EXPRESS bus lines
- – METRO ticket
- – 2-way METRO ticket (within 30 days)
- – METRO ticket from & to Pallini – Kantza – Koropi
3-day tourist ticket
Value €20.00
10-ticket pack + 1 BONUS
Total value €12.00
Total value €5.70
2-ticket pack
- – EXPRESS bus lines
- – METRO ticket
- – 2-way METRO ticket (within 30 days)
- – METRO ticket from & to Pallini – Kantza – Koropi
Package offers
- 10+1 ticket pack
- 5-ticket pack
- 2-ticket pack
Discount and regular long-term products
- 30 days
- 90 days
- 180 days
365 days
Monetary amount up to 50 EUR
Discount and regular short-term products
- 90 minutes
- 24 hours
- 5 days
Airport discount and regular short-term products
- Express bus line ticket
-
Metro ticket
-
2-way Metro ticket (within 30 days)
-
Metro ticket from & to
Pallini – Kantza – Koropi
-
3-day Tourist Ticket. Value €20.00
Real-time information for buses and trolleybuses
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