Travel Details
To simplify the lists that follow we've excluded two regular sailings in a generally north-to-south direction. These are the weekly DANE sailing between Rhodes, Kos, Samos and Thessaloniki (23hr for the full run, usually over the weekend), and the NEL sailing linking Alexandhroupoli with Limnos, Lesvos, Hios, Samos, Kos and Rhodes (one-way trip through all ports, total 30hr). We've also omitted the more convoluted long-distance schedules kept by the small ferries of Miniotis Lines, based on Hios. These slow and often tardy craft link Hios with Samos (both northern ports) twice a week year-round, usually Sun & Thurs evening, returning Tues & Fri evening. Twice weekly (usually Mon & Fri), they venture from Samos (Karlovassi and Pythagorio respectively) to Fourni and Ikaria (Ayios Kirykos) and back, and twice weekly (typically Tues & Fri am) there's an out-and-back run from Pythagorio to Agathonissi, Arki, Lipsi and Patmos - these additional services are reliably available June to Oct, though year-round departures are foreseen as of late 2001. Ayios Efstratios 2 weekly on NEL Lines to Limnos, Rafina and Kavala; 5 weekly by small local ferry to Limnos; 1 weekly to Lesvos (Sigri) and Psara. Fourni 2-3 weekly ferries to Samos (northern ports), Naxos, Paros and Pireas; 2-3 weekly to Patmos, Kos, Rhodes; morning kaiki to Ikaria on Mon, Wed, Fri; twice weekly (usually Mon & Thurs) morning kaiki to Karlovassi (Samos). Hios 11 weekly on NEL Lines to Pireas (10hr slow ferry, 4hr high-speed) and Lesvos (3hr 30min/1hr 30min); 4 weekly to Pireas and Lesvos on Hellas Ferries; 1-2 weekly to Limnos on NEL, usually with a long layover at Mytilini; 1 weekly to Lesvos, Samos, Syros on Hellas Ferries. Daily 2pm kaiki to Inousses except Sun morning, and Tues in off-season; 4 weekly on Miniotis Lines - usually Tues, Thurs, Sat & Sun - from Hios Town to Psara (3hr 30min), 3 weekly on Miniotis from Limnia to Psara, usually Mon, Wed, Fri pm (1hr 30min). Ikaria At least daily from either Ayios Kirykos or Evdhilos to Samos (both northern ports) and Pireas, on Hellas Ferries, G&A or NEL's catamaran; 3 weekly to Rhodes, Kos, Patmos, Fourni, Naxos and Paros from Ayios Kirykos; 5-6 weekly to Mykonos from Evdhilos; 3 weekly to Syros from Evdhilos; 3 weekly to Mykonos and Syros, from Ayios Kirykos; daily kaiki from Ayios Kirykos to Fourni; 3 weekly kaikia, usually Mon, Wed, Fri am, from Manganitis to Ayios Kirykos. Lesvos 10-12 weekly on NEL Lines from Mytilini to Pireas (11hr direct, 13hr 30min via Hios, 7hr 30min on high-speed craft; 16hr 30min via Mykonos/Syros); 9-11 weekly to Hios (3hr 30min, or 1hr 30min high-speed); 4 weekly to Hios and Pireas on Hellas Ferries; 3-4 weekly to Limnos (6hr from Mytilini, 5hr from Sigri); 2 weekly to Thessaloniki (14hr); 1-3 weekly to Kavala on NEL (12hr from Mytilini, 10hr from Sigri); 1 weekly to Rafina on NEL (8hr, from Sigri only); 1 weekly to Ayios Efstratios on NEL (4hr, from Sigri only); 1 weekly to Psara on NEL (4hr, from Sigri only); 1 weekly to Mykonos and Syros on NEL; 1 weekly to Samos and Syros on Hellas Ferries. Limnos 5-6 weekly on NEL Lines to Lesvos (Mytilini or Sigri); 4 weekly to Kavala, 2 weekly to Lavrio, and 1 weekly to Thessaloniki, Samothraki direct on the Saos II ; 3 weekly to Kavala and Rafina on NEL; 2 weekly to Thessaloniki, Pireas and Hios on NEL. Psara 1 weekly on NEL Lines to Lesvos (Sigri) Ayios Efstratios, Limnos, Kavala; 1 weekly direct to Pireas (8hr). Samos (Karlovassi) As for Vathy, but no NEL catamaran service; also 2 weekly kaiki departures, usually early Mon and Thurs afternoon, to Fourni. Samos (Pythagorio) 2 weekly (Wed and Sun afternoon) with the Nissos Kalymnos to Agathonissi, Lipsi, Patmos, Leros and Kalymnos, with onward connections to all other Dodecanese. Samos (Vathy) 1-2 daily, on G&A or Hellas Ferries, to Ikaria (Ayios Kirykos or Evdhilos) and Pireas (13-14hr); 5 weekly to Pireas by NEL high-speed boat (6hr); 4-6 weekly to Mykonos and Syros; 2 weekly to Fourni, Paros and Naxos on G&A; 1 weekly to Patmos and Lipsi on Hellas Ferries. Samothraki 2-3 daily ferries to/from Alexandhroupoli (2hr 30min) in season, dropping to 5-6 weekly out of season. Also 2 weekly late spring and early autumn, up to 4 weekly in peak season, to Kavala (and thence other north Aegean islands). During July & Aug, 1 weekly (usually Fri) direct to Limnos; 4 other days there is tedious indirect service via Kavala. Thassos 8-10 ferries daily, in summer months only (1 daily Oct-May), between Kavala and Skala Prinou (1hr 15min; 7am-10pm, 6am-9pm to Kavala from the island); 10 daily all year round between Keramoti and Limenas (40min; 7am-10pm, 6am-8.30pm from Thassos). HYDROFOILS Just one company, Kyriakoulis Maritime , operates in the east Aegean. Based on Samos and Kos, this offers (late May to late Sept) nearly daily early morning and early afternoon service from Pythagorio to Patmos, Lipsi, Leros, Kalymnos and Kos (in the Dodecanese), returning from Kos in the late afternoon, and conversely morning service from Kos through the same ports, returning from Pythagorio at mid-afternoon. Ikaria and Fourni are called at 5-6 times weekly (sometimes from Vathy instead), with Agathonissi served twice weekly. In 2001 there were also 3 weekly nominal high-season links between Samos (Vathy), Hios, Inousses and Lesvos, departing in the morning and returning early afternoon, but these are deeply unreliable owing to weather and typically run once weekly at best. From Easter to mid-May, and late Sept to late Oct, official frequencies fall to 4-5 weekly to the Dodecanese cited (but 2 to Lipsi, 1 to Agathonissi); 2 weekly to Fourni/Ikaria; and 1 weekly to Hios/Inousses/Lesvos. Samothraki is served by hydrofoil from Alexandhroupoli April-Nov 4-7 times weekly, usually at 8am (1hr); mid-June to mid-Sept there are 1-2 extra daily departures at 1 and/or 5pm. Two to four times weekly the morning or early afternoon sailing may continue on to Limnos, but don't rely on this. Thassos (Limenas) used to be served all year by hydrofoils from Kavala, but the service is now limited to the summer: 8-15 times daily, 7am-9pm (6am-8pm from Thassos); in the high season there may also be 2-3 daily departures from Kavala to the west-coast resorts of Skala Kalirahon, Skala Marion and Limenaria. INTERNATIONAL FERRIES Hios-Cesme (Turkey) 2-13 boats weekly, depending on season. Spring/autumn, about 7 weekly; Thurs evening (Turkish boat) and Sat morning (Greek boat) services tend to run year-round. Passenger fares on the Greek boat ( Psara , Miniotis Lines) are ?47 one-way, ?59 open return (no day-return fare), including Greek taxes; no Turkish taxes. These are the "rack rates", which can often be beaten by comparison shopping and bargaining; it's also about twenty percent less expensive to travel from Turkey. Turkish boat (typically Erturk II ) is usually cheaper going from Hios, at ?33 one-way, ?44 return, Greek taxes inclusive. Small cars ?73.50 each way, taken on either morning or evening boats. Journey time 45min. Mytilini (Lesvos)-Ayvalik (Turkey) 4-8 weekly May-Oct; winter link unreliable. One of two Turkish craft, the Cunda Express and the Jalehan , departs Mytilini 8am most days; the Jalehan (carries two cars) may also do an evening trip Tues, Thurs, Sat. Passenger rates ?38 one-way, ?47 round trip, all taxes inclusive. Small cars ?58 each way. Journey time 1hr 40min. Vathy (Samos)-Kusadasi (Turkey) At least 1 daily, late April to late Oct; otherwise a small Turkish boat only by demand in winter, usually Fri or Sat. Morning Greek boat, 4-5 weekly (passengers only); afternoon Turkish boats (usually 2 daily in season taking two cars apiece). Rates are ?38 one-way including taxes on both the Greek and Turkish sides, ?43 open return; no day-return rate. Small cars ?50 one-way. Journey time 1hr 30min. Also occasional (2-3 weekly) services in season from Pythagorio, passengers only (journey time 2hr 15min). FLIGHTS NB All flights on Olympic Airways/Aviation unless otherwise specified. Frequencies are for the period May-Oct only. Hios-Athens (4-5 daily on Olympic; 1hr) Hios-Thessaloniki (3 weekly, 1 via Lesvos; 1hr 30min-2hr) Lesvos-Athens (4-5 daily on Olympic; 55min; 3 daily on Aegean-Cronus; 45min) Lesvos-Hios (1 weekly; 30min) Lesvos-Thessaloniki (6-8 weekly on Olympic, 1 daily on Aegean-Cronus; 1hr 10min-2hr) Limnos-Athens (3-4 daily; 1hr) Limnos-Lesvos (4 weekly; 40min) Limnos-Thessaloniki (6 weekly; 45min) Samos-Athens (4-5 daily on Olympic; 1hr; 2 daily on Axon; 40min) Samos-Thessaloniki (3 weekly on Olympic; 1hr 20min
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