Getting from Athens to the Greek islands and beyond: ports, ferries, flights and the airport.
The flight is under an hour in the air; the ferry takes from about four hours on a fast boat to eight or more on the slow one, but brings you in through the caldera. How the two compare door to door from central Athens, what each costs in 2026 and which to book.
Metro Line 3 takes about an hour for €9 with no change, the X96 bus about 90 minutes for €5.50, and taxis run on the meter. How each works, where it leaves you, and how long to leave between landing and your ferry.
Rafina is Athens' east-coast ferry port and the shortest crossing to Andros, Tinos and Mykonos. How to reach it by KTEL bus or taxi from the airport and the centre, who sails where in 2026, and when Piraeus is the better bet.
Piraeus, Rafina or Lavrio, ferry or flight: how to get from Athens to the Greek islands, with airport transfer times and fares, island-by-island verdicts and the margins that stop you missing the boat.
