How to Get to Fira: Fly or Take the Ferry From Athens

From Athens, there are two ways to reach Fira. You can take a 50-minute flight to Santorini Airport, or a ferry from Piraeus or Rafina to Athinios Port. Either way, a short bus or taxi ride takes you the rest of the way into town. For a first trip, flying is the easiest choice. The ferry suits travelers who want the sea crossing or need to bring a car.

How do you get to Fira from Athens?

Fira is Santorini's capital and the hub of its bus network, but neither the airport nor the ferry port is in town. Flights leave from Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) and land at Santorini Airport. Ferries leave from Piraeus or Rafina and dock at Athinios Port. Both the airport and the ferry port have a public bus that heads to Fira's main station, which sits a little south of downtown and a few minutes on foot from the main square.

The flight takes 50 minutes. The ferry takes about 5 hours on a high-speed boat and about 8 hours on a conventional one.

Is it better to take the ferry or fly to Fira?

Flying wins on time. After the long trip from the States, a full day at sea on top of it is a lot to ask. Fifty minutes in the air and a short bus ride put you in Fira with the afternoon still ahead. Neither arrival point is calm in summer. Santorini Airport is small and crowded in peak season, and Athinios is steep and chaotic.

The ferry wins on atmosphere and flexibility. Ships have lounges, restaurants and shops, and on some you can take in the view from the deck. Conventional ferries and some larger high-speed catamarans carry cars, motorbikes and camper vans, though some of the smaller high-speed boats take no vehicles at all.

A simple way to decide:

• First trip, limited time: fly.
• Family with heavy luggage: fly, or take the ferry and book a taxi or transfer from Athinios.
• Want a cabin: Blue Star Ferries from Piraeus.
• Bringing a vehicle: a conventional ferry.

Flying from Athens

Aegean Airlines, Olympic Air and Sky Express all serve Santorini Airport. So does a long list of European carriers such as Lufthansa, Swiss and Ryanair, which is handy if Santorini is one stop on a longer trip. From Thessaloniki, the flight takes 1 hour 30 minutes. Flight times at the airport are listed in Greek local time.

The bus stop is immediately outside the arrivals doors. The bus runs straight to Fira and has plenty of room for luggage underneath. Frequency is good during summer days but drops late at night and in the off season, so after a late landing a taxi may get you into town more easily. The airport buses that visitors use go to Fira, the island's bus hub. For Oia, Imerovigli, Kamari or Perissa, change buses there.

How long is the ferry to Fira?

The crossing time depends on the boat. Conventional ferries such as Blue Star take about 8 hours, and the slowest sailings run past 11 hours.

Many sailings also stop for a few minutes at islands along the way, such as Paros, Naxos and Ios. Check the stops and total time for your sailing before you book.

Ferry from Piraeus

Piraeus has both high-speed and conventional ferries, so you can choose between a faster crossing and a slower one. The main operators on the route are Blue Star Ferries, Seajets and Fast Ferries, and Golden Star Ferries sails it too. All four carry vehicles, and the ferries take foot passengers.

Ferry from Rafina

Boats from Rafina, the other Athens port, are usually high-speed. Across both ports, departures start around 7 a.m., with some at midday and a couple in the evening. Ferries run all year, so check the timetable for your dates.

Where the ferry lands

Most ferries to Santorini dock at Athinios Port, the island's main passenger port on the western coast. It sits about 5 miles (8 km) south of Fira and about 12 miles (20 km) from Oia. The port is steep and busy and not walking-friendly. You'll find cafes, banks, car rentals and a parking lot nearby.

How do you get to Fira from other islands?

Ferries run all year from many Cyclades islands, Crete and the Dodecanese, and most of them arrive at Athinios Port. From a neighbor such as Mykonos or Naxos, the crossing is much shorter than from Athens. From Crete, sailings connect via Heraklion. Once ashore, you finish with the same bus or taxi ride up to Fira.

How do you get from the port or airport to your hotel?

From Athinios, the road climbs to the top of the caldera in a steep series of switchbacks. It can jam when several ferries arrive or leave close together. KTEL buses wait in the port parking area, timed to the ferries, and run straight to the Fira bus station. The exact loading spot can shift around the lot.

A taxi takes about 11 minutes and typically costs $30 to $40. That's worth it for a family with luggage or when you'd prefer to skip the line. A pre-booked transfer works too.

There's no direct bus from the port to the other villages. Go to Fira first and change there. By road, Athinios to Oia takes about 40 minutes.

Because Fira is the hub, most trips between villages mean a change there and a second ticket. Tickets are one-way, with no day passes.

2026 prices: a bus ticket to the airport, Oia, Akrotiri or Kamari costs 2.20 €, and a ticket to Perissa costs 2.70 €.

When you leave by ferry, check the Athinios times posted at the Fira bus station, since port buses follow the day's ferry schedule. Allow extra time for traffic on the port road.

If your ship is a cruise ship

Cruise ships anchor in the caldera, and passengers go ashore by tender. Independent passengers land at the Old Port below Fira, where the cable car is the easiest way up. The ride takes about three minutes, and the alternatives are 587 steps or a donkey. The cable car costs 6 € one way, 3 € for children and people with special needs, and 3 € for luggage.

Passengers on ship-sponsored excursions are often tendered to Athinios instead, where coaches meet them. Ships depart from the Old Port, so independent passengers head back there to catch the tender to the ship. The last tender departs an hour before the ship does.

What should Americans know before they go?

U.S. citizens can enter Greece without a visa for stays of up to 90 days, and a passport should have at least three months of validity beyond your planned departure date. Transportation strikes can interrupt public transportation, taxis, seaports and airports, and demonstrations can occur with little notice. Build some slack into ferry and flight connections.

Petty crime is common in popular tourist spots and on public transportation, so keep an eye on your bags. If you rent a car near Athinios or elsewhere on the island, Greek law requires a valid U.S. driver's license, and insurance companies may require an international driver’s permit. On the bus, ride with the right ticket. Travelers without one, or with the wrong one, can be fined up to 60 times the basic fare.