Ios – Athens (Piraeus)
Ferries to Athens
Ios – Athens (Piraeus)
Ferries to Athens
The Ios Piraeus ferry route connects the Cyclades Islands to Athens and is currently operated by 5 ferry companies. The Ios to Athens ferry is available for booking all year round, but most popular during the high season. Blue Star Ferries provide up to 7 weekly sailings, SeaJets provide up to 10 weekly sailings, Zante Ferries provide 2 weekly sailings, Golden Star Ferries provide up to 7 weekly sailings and Cyclades Fast Ferries provide 3 weekly sailings.
More routes than anyone else.
Compare fares, times & routes in one place.
Change plans easily with flexi tickets.
Book e-tickets & manage trips in-app.
Live ship tracking & real-time updates.
Top-rated customer support when you need it.
| Ios - Athens (Piraeus) Route summary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Departure Country | Greece | |
| Destination Country | Greece | |
| No. of Operators | 3 | |
| Operators | Blue Star Ferries, SeaJets & Zante Ferries | |
| Average Price | $65* | |
| Average Weekly Sailings | 2 | |
| Average Sailing Duration | 5h 25m | |
| Fastest Sailing Duration | 4h 25m | |
| First Ferry | 11:20 | |
| Last Ferry | 16:40 | |
| Distance | 118 nautical miles | |
* Prices subject to change, pricing is taken from last 30 days, last updated 2024-11-05.
Forming one of the Cyclades group of islands, the Greek island of Ios is located in the Aegean Sea and lies around mid way between the island of Naxos and the island of Santorini. The island's terrain is characterised by hills and cliffs that lead down to the sea on most sides of the island. Located on the north west coast is the island's port which is only a short distance from the village of Chora. The trip between Chora and the port can be made on foot which will take you along a steep donkey path, and takes around 15 minutes. The village is characterised by narrow paths and streets most of which have now been taken over by bars, restaurants, shops and night clubs to cater for tourists.
There are ferries from the island's port to Piraeus and Rafina with a crossing time of between 4 1/2 hours and 8 hours, depending on ferry type, route and destination. During the summer months Ios is also connected by ferry to the other islands of the Cyclades.
The Greek city and port of Piraeus is one of the largest ports in the whole of the Mediterranean, and the third largest in the world, and has become a major hub for the ferry network that spans the Aegean Sea. Piraeus is an important city in its own right despite the fact that it is frequently considered to be a suburb of Athens, the Greek capital, which is only a very short distance away. Despite its proximity to Athens, Piraeus' waterfront has its own distinct appearance and visitors will see that the most appealing parts of the city are located around its eastern quarter, alongside both Mikrolimano Harbour and Zea Marina. A popular event in Piraeus is the Ecocinema International Film Festival which is held annually in late February and is where a number of films are screened at the Atticon Cinema and the Cineac Cinema, which are both located in the city's Town Hall Square.
Full of restaurants, bars and nightclubs, the waterfront district was greatly redeveloped in time for the Athens Olympics and as a result a new harbour front promenade was created that is lined with trees and passes the medieval city walls. The walls serve as a reminder and as an insight into the city's rich past.
