Santorini ferry port: your survival guide to Santorini port

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Santorini ferry port has the reputation of being confusing, chaotic and overwhelming, which from our experience can be true. We have been to Santorini Island twice and we arrived by ferry both times. The first time, we were coming from one week in Paros to stay one week in Santorini and were completely overwhelmed by how confusing Santorini ferry port was. The second time, we were coming from Ios Island to spend one day in Santorini. We learned a lot from our first time so our second time was much smoother and also much cheaper! 

In this post, we tell you everything you need to know to have the best experience at Santorini ferry port. Whether you are coming to Santorini after a relaxing week in Milos or are just starting your vacation, you’ll want to arrive to Santorini port well prepared so you can remain sane.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links meaning we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Our opinion always remains honest.

Santorini ferry port vs Santorini cruise port

Santorini Island, also referred to as “Thira” features two main ports. The first one is Santorini ferry port, also known as “Athinios”, the “ferry port”, the “new port” or “Thira port”. The second one is the old port of Santorini, known as Skala. Let’s see how they differ.

Santorini ferry port

Santorini ferry port is located on the West coast of the island. The code for Athinios ferry port is ATI. This is the only port that serves ferries and cargos and the only one you should have in mind when arriving or leaving Santorini. 

There is only one terminal at Athinios port Santorini which is all open. This is the port that connects Santorini to all other ports in the Greek Islands. 

Santorini old port, Fira Skala

Santorini old port was created by a volcano eruption in 1650 BC and is located at the bottom of the Caldera Cliffs in Fira. 

Santorini’s old port serves two purposes. First, it is the port used for departures of Santorini tours that take you to the volcano and Thirassia. Second, it is also where cruise ships disembark. Cruise ships are too big for Athinios ferry port and Athinios is too busy to disembark hundreds of cruise passengers on top of ferries and cargos. That’s why Cruise ships disembark at Santorini’s old port. However, Santorini’s old port does not have a cruise terminal. Instead cruise passengers are brought to land by tender boats. During the summer, there can be several cruise ships disembarking at the same time in the morning which turns this port into a very crowded place. 

Although Santorini’s old port is located in Fira, it’s actually not really in the town. The town sits high on the Caldera cliffs whereas the port sits at the bottom of the cliffs, 220 meters below the town. You have three options to come up from the Skala port.

Coming up the port by cable car

The first option is taking the three minute cable car that will take you all the way up to Fira. Tickets cost €6 for adults and €3 for children. If you are carrying luggage, it will cost an additional €3 per passenger. You can buy the tickets directly at the terminal at the top or at the bottom of the cliffs. From our experience, you will probably have to queue for a few minutes as most people choose that option but it’s relatively fast. Some Santorini tours also include a cable car ride.

Coming up the port by mule

The second option is to ride a mule up the 587 steps. There are different opinions about this. Some people recommend not doing this as it’s tough on the animals especially in the summer. Others believe such activity supports the locals. We will let you do as you wish and make that decision for yourself. We chose not to ride the mules as we just felt bad for them but that’s only our personal choice. For information, riding a mule costs about €8. 

Coming up the port by foot

Of course, you can always come up Fira Skala by foot and embark on a 587 step journey. This is the same path as the mules so I would just make sure to not step into mule poop to put it that way. It’s quite a long journey to the top so if you are under time pressure, I would recommend taking the cable car instead. However, if you have got time and it’s not too hot already, it definitely gives great views on the Caldera! That said, during peak season, temperatures are already high even at 7am so you might not want to do that to yourself!

Insider Tip: If you are leaving Santorini, make sure you head to Athinios port to catch your ferry, not Santorini’s old port. 

Where is Santorini ferry port

Santorini ferry port is located on the West coast of the island at the bottom of the Caldera cliffs. the road between the main road and the port is very steep with sharp turns. The road gets really busy after an arrival as all buses and shuttles are coming up to drop off tourists at their destination. If you are planning on driving that road during peak season, be warned that you will have to stop a few times and that it will be a slow journey to the top. During peak season, it takes about 30 minutes to get to the top due to the heavy traffic. 

Santorini ferry port is located about 9km from Fira and it’s a 20 minute journey. It is a 40 minutes ride to Oia with a distance of 20km. It is a 10 km ride to Santorini airport for about 25 minutes and the same applies to Kamari. Just note that, those are the times without traffic. You can double them during peak season (see our experience below). 

Your budget for Santorini ferry port

There are several travel expense categories to take into account when arriving to or departing from Santorini ferry port.

The first one is, of course, the cost of your ferry ticket. The cost of your ticket is based on the distance you have to travel. A ferry ticket to Santorini will cost more if you are departing from an island that is far. The cost of the Santorini ferry tickets also increase if the route is direct and if your ferry is an express ferry. In our experience, we have spent between €19 and €35 in ferry tickets around the Greek Islands.

The second expense to take into account is your transportation to and from Santorini ferry port. As the port is located away from the towns of Santorini, you will need to either drive or take public or private transportation. Below you will find more details about the types of transportation that are available, which ones are the cheapest and what we recommend to benefit from the best prices. Depending on the one you choose, it can range from €3 to €20 per person. 

The third expense is food. Santorini ferry port also features a couple of tavernas so if you plan on grabbing lunch there, you’ll need to factor that into your budget. You should be okay with €15 per person as a maximum. Ferries also serve food and drinks. 

Where to book ferry tickets for Santorini Ferry Port

Before we tell you about our chaotic experience at Santorini ferry port and what we recommend to keep your experience enjoyable and on a budget, we need to talk about where to buy ticket for Santorini ferries. 

Santorini ferry routes during peak season

Peak season in Santorini is summer. You should expect Santorini to be the busiest from June to early September. During that season, there are lots of ferries between Santorini and the other Greek Islands. Whether you are coming from Ios, Tinos, or even Athens, you will be able to find a ferry to Santorini. You should note though that most ferries are not direct and will stop at several islands before getting you to Santorini. This is also why ferries are a great way to go around the Greek Islands for island hoping! 

If you are travelling during peak season, we recommend that you book your Santorini ferry tickets online and well in advance, especially if you are travelling with a car. If you are travelling on foot, you should also aim at booking your tickets at least a month in advance. This will ensure that you have the most choice in the times of departure and arrival. If you leave it to the last minute, you might find yourself stuck with no ferries on your preferred days. 

However, if you decide to book your tickets once already in Greece, you can always find ferry tickets at the port. On some of the bigger islands, you can find the port shop where you can buy tickets. Otherwise, shops will usually sell them, juts look for a sign that says “ferry tickets” or ask around, locals will know where to send you. 

Insider tip: If you book your tickets online, you will usually receive them on your email. You can then upload them onto the Visit Greece app on your phone to have them all in one place. It is however possible that your confirmation email asks you to withdraw your tickets at the port. Although unlikely, don’t worry if it is the case. You will be able to withdraw your tickets at the port either the day before or the day of (sometimes an hour before) your ferry. 

Insider tip: If you are not driving your car onto the ferry and are only travelling by foot, you might find ferry tickets for Santorini even last minute. However, by waiting too long, you are also going to be left with the most expensive tickets. So we recommend booking in advance to save money on your ferry tickets.

Santorini ferry routes during low season

During the low season, there are not as many ferries in function. Actually, some of the routes are not even open between the islands due to the lack of tourists and therefore of need for them. For example, have a look at the following routes:

• The Mykonos to Santorini 2 hour route offers daily ferries from March to October. Outside that season, you will either have to fly from one island to the other or ferry through Athens which isn’t as practical. If you are feeling like you need a different experience, you could try this 5 day Mykonos and Santorini private tour with all transportation included.
• The Crete to Santorini route runs daily from March to October but note outside that period. 
• The Naxos, Paros, Ios to Santorini route offers ferries year round, although less often in the low season. 
• Athens to the Greek Islands: All year round, there is at least one ferry per island per day from Athens. This means that during the low season, you might need to take the ferry to Athens before hopping to another island including Santorini. This is of course more costly and more time consuming. 

If you are travelling during the low season, we recommend that you check which route is open first. This might change from one year to another so check official websites like FerryScanner. In any cases, we still recommend that you book online to ensure that your route is open. 

Santorini ferry port conditions 

Our horrific first experience at Santorini ferry port

We have visited Santorini twice and let me tell you that our first time taught us a lot about how to handle Santorini ferry port! Both times, we chose to arrive in Santorini by ferry. The first time, we were planning on staying one week on the island to explore some of the best beaches of Santorini. The second time, we were coming from a full week in Ios Island and were just spending one day in Santorini. 

Our first time at Santorini ferry port was chaotic. Our experience is actually not unique and it’s a pretty well known Greece fact that Santorini ferry port is a mess. We had heard that it was a bit crowded and could get crazy but we didn’t expect it to be so overwhelming. When we arrived at the port, we saw a sea of people both arriving and waiting to board the ferry. This is usually where people start going “wow”. 

But the worst part was after that. Once we set foot in Santorini, a lot of people selling tickets for shuttles started screaming at us to follow them. Some would also touch our arm and try to get us to follow them that way. As soon as we said we were looking for a shuttle, it started going crazier. One man said to follow him, although we were just enquiring about the price and the time of the shuttle. Instead of answering us, he grabbed our suitcase and started walking really fast to his shop. I have to say, I very much disliked that part. I didn’t appreciate that someone would just grab our belongings and run with it to make us follow him. It felt like we were forced to go with him because, obviously, we didn’t want to loose our suitcase. I have to add that we didn’t have time to say no and grab the suitcase back as we were taken by surprise.

After asking us, or more accurately, forcing us to follow him, the man abandoned us at the counter with a lovely lady who sold us two shuttle tickets for €20 per person. In total we paid €40 to be taken to the airport, where our rental car was waiting for us. 

At that time, we just assumed that was the price and everyone was the same. We hopped on the shuttle and then it took us an hour to get to the airport. That’s because the shuttle stops at every hotel that everyone is staying at. 

Once we arrived at the airport, we just couldn’t believe the chaos we had just went through. Everything was super fast paced, very loud, hot and very messy. We promised ourselves that next time, we would do things differently.

So we did! 

How we negotiated the price on our second time at Santorini ferry port

Our second time at Santorini ferry port, we were much more prepared and it paid off! After a very relaxing week in Milos, visiting some of the best beaches in Milos and eating amazing food at some of Milos most authentic restaurants, we spent one week on Ios Island. Unfortunately, Ios Island does not have an airport. So we took the ferry to Santorini where our flight departed from to go back to Dublin at night.

This time we had a plan. When we arrived in Santorini ferry port, we left everyone get off the ferry first. We weren’t under major time pressure and really wanted to have a better experience. We also wanted to pay much less for tickets as €20 per person was just way overpriced in our opinion. 

We think that the key to a good experience at the ferry port in Santorini is showing that you know what you are doing. Many tourists arrive lost and confused and are being taken advantage off. We were approached by a couple of men but didn’t let them touch our suitcase and said we weren’t interested. We then approached the several shuttle services and a first one was offering us the same prices than last time. Eric kept talking to him but I went to a different one and asked him how much it was to go to the airport. He announced €15. I asked if that was per person. I think he saw at my face that if it was, then we wouldn’t take it so he said it was for the both of us together. Obviously, that was a great deal compared to €20 per person. We ended up paying €15 total! 

Before we paid, we did ask how long the wait was for the next shuttle. The man announced a 20 minutes wait to which we answered was too long. We already knew it would take an hour to get to the airport so we didn’t want to just wait for nothing at the port. It turns out we got put on the next shuttle and left fairly quickly! 

It also took about an hour to get to the airport but I think that’s normal and there isn’t much you can do there.

What we recommend for your travel budget

We highly recommend that you negotiate your tickets! During peak season, you might not be able to negotiate much but €5 per person still is €10 you are saving! Definitely negotiate more during the shoulder season though. One thing that seemed to work really well for us was showing that we were confident and didn’t care which shuttle service we were going with. 

What we recommend for your time

All together, it usually takes about an hour to get out of the chaos and get to the airport. Plan your flight or you rental car pick up time accordingly, especially during peak season.

Transportation to and from Santorini ferry port

Athinios port is quite far from Santorini’s main towns Fira, Oia, Kamari and Pyrgos and it is also isolated with just one road to exit the port. So it’s not possible to walk to or from the port. Instead, from Santorini ferry port, you will need to take transportation regardless of where you are going. 

There are different means of transportation to and from the ferry port of Santorini. Again, it can get quite confusing if you leave it to the last minute so we hope the following will help you decide in advance. Whether you are on a tight budget or want to have a more high end experience, you will find a way of transportation that suits you. 

Buses, the cheapest option to leave or go to Santorini ferry port

Bus from Athinios to Fira

The bus is a good option to leave Athinios and go to Fira. A ticket costs about €2,30 and can be purchased from the driver when you arrive. Only cash is accepted though so make sure you have some and if possible the exact amount you need. All the buses are parked on the left side of the port when you disembark, at the bus station. They are big buses os you can’t miss them. 

Buses are scheduled to come to the port when a ferry arrives so you shouldn’t have any difficulty in finding a bus.

All buses from Athinios port are going to Fira. So if that is your destination, taking the bust is a good and cheap option. However, if you are going somewhere else, you will need to catch a different bus in Fira. 

Fira’s bus stop can seem a bit messy at first but it’s nothing you can’t handle after having experienced Santorini’s port! Just take your time and read the signs. You can always ask other tourists or the drivers themselves even if you don’t speak Greek. Everyone is usually pretty chill and nice and will be happy to help you. 

Bus from Fira to Athinios

This is the same route as above but just the other way. That means the bus to Santorini ferry port only departs from Fira. If you are coming from somewhere else, you will need to catch a bus to Fira first. Bus schedules follow the ferry departures and arrivals so they will most likely be different on different days. Make sure to check that a bus is available for you to take at the time you need. 

Buses from Athinios to the Airport

Although all buses from Athinios only go to Fira, there is one bus route dedicated to the airport in the summer. The only drawback of that is that it is not on a strict schedule so you might be waiting 15 minutes or an hour to catch it at the port.

Buses from Athinios to Oia

As explained above, there is no direct bus route from Santorini ferry port to Oia, one of the most popular towns of Santorini. If you are going to Oia, you will need to take a first bus to Fira and then another bus from Fira to Oia. The route from Fira to Oia costs €1,80. 

Our experience: We did not take the bus in Santorini so we can only speak from what we’ve seen. During peak season, the buses at the port were busy but it seemed to be manageable. Obviously, tickets are cheaper than the next transportation options so if you are on a tight budget, that can be a good option. Buses are generally reliable in Greece. We did take the bus around Paros Island and loved it. The only drawback of taking the bus is the lack of direct route as you will need to take another bus in Fira to reach your destination. 

Hotel transfer to and from Santorini port

Whether you are going to Santorini ferry port or coming from the port, you can always arrange a hotel pick up or drop off. Hotels in Santorini are very much aware of the mess that this port is (but it’s part of the experience) so they expect that you will probably need a ride to or from the port. Hotels will charge a fee though which can range between €10 and €20. Some hotels might provide complimentary transfers.

Athinios Port transfer by taxi

There are only a small number of taxis on the island so we wouldn’t recommend relying on them too much. If you are trying to catch the ferry on time, there might be a waiting list to get a taxi and you might end up missing your ferry! 

When you disembark in Santorini, there might be a small number of them on the left by the buses. If you want to catch one, we would recommend disembarking first.

Taxis to leave Santorini ferry port are not cheap. However, if you manage to catch one, it can be a bit of a faster way to get out of the chaos. We would recommend asking for the price to be determined before your start your journey. Tell your driver what your destination is and ask them how much it costs. We would recommend trying to negotiate a bit as prices might be a bit high especially during peak season. If you are having trouble understanding each other, you can ask the driver to write down the price to make sure everyone is on the same page and avoid any bad surprises. The ride from Athinios to Fira is around €35 and to Oia is around €40. Only cash is accepted. Note that taxis are more expensive at night. 

Taxis can only take four people at a time. If you are a bigger group, it will be more advantageous to either take the bus or a shuttle.

Car rental from Santorini port

In our experience, the easiest way to rent a car in Santorini is either renting it from downtown Fira or from the airport. To be honest, we would recommend renting it from the airport as it will most likely be more straightforward than downtown Fira. That’s what we did and it was super smooth. Santorini airport is really small and very easy to navigate. 

We would recommend taking a shuttle to the airport and getting the car there. When you arrive at the airport, the car rental area is on the left of the departures. 

Your other option is to arrange for your car to be picked-up at Santorini ferry port. This is not something we recommend for three reasons. First Santorini port is pretty chaotic with pedestrians running around, kids and luggage all around. You probably don’t want to add the stress of driving on top of that. Second, picking up your car at the port is actually more expensive in our experience. This is something we looked at for our second time as we thought that could save us some time and money from the shuttle. It turns out it was terribly expensive and wasn’t worth it. Our guess is that the price are arranged so you don’t pick up your car at the port and take the shuttles and buses instead as to help the local economy (which makes sense). And finally, be aware that the road to the top of the cliffs is very steep with sharp turns. It’s also a bit of a mess with every car and shuttle stuck between buses and close to one another. Although we are good drivers and have driven some pretty messed up roads, we honestly didn’t regret not having to drive this one! 

Private car and shuttle from Santorini ferry port

This is the easiest way to get out of Athinios. This is what we did on our two trips in Santorini and it was fine. As I’ve explained above, our first experience was expensive and not very enjoyable. Our second experience was much better and cost us only €15 total. Make sure to take note on our experience so you have everything under control when you arrive at Santorini port. Always negotiate the price as well.

The shuttles can drop you pretty much anywhere, whether that be the airport, your hotel, or the town centre. Be aware though that you won’t be alone in the shuttle so you might be the last to be dropped off. 

How early should you arrive at Santorini ferry port before departure?

If you are leaving Santorini by ferry, we recommend that you arrive at the port at least one hour before departure. The port is small and with the affluence, it is better to be early. Note that there is very little shade at the port so bring a hat and water with you to make the wait more comfortable, especially in the summer. 

Ideally you should have your tickets on your phone. Make sure your tickets have a bar code or a QR code. If they don’t, it means your email is only a confirmation email, not an actual ticket. This means you will need to withdraw your tickets at the port. You should schedule enough time to allow for this. There are to travel agencies at the port: Nomikos and Dakoutros. Both sell tickets. If you have already booked your tickets online and need to collect them, you can do that at Nomikos. Always check what your confirmation email says though. It might be the case that this shop has closed and another has opened! It might also be the case that you can collect your tickets in Fira the day before for example. All information should be provided in your confirmation email in any case. 

Practical information on Santorini ferry port

• You will get on the ferry through the car level. Once you have secured your luggage there, you can head upstairs to the pedestrian levels. 
• You will need to leave your big luggage downstairs on the bottom level where cars are parked. Make sure your luggage is secured and you can head upstairs. Do not leave any valuable item there. Instead bring your valuable belongings with you upstairs. 
• Ferry companies don’t stop for very long so be ready downstairs when they start asking you to go down. 
• There is food and drinks on the ferries like on Golden Star ferries. It’s mainly snack food. 
• Some ferries have an outdoor deck like the Blue Star ferries while some are completely indoor.
• There seems to have been a strike on the 1st of May every year for the past 15 years so you most likely won’t be able to book a ticket for that day. If you were planning on island hopping on that day, we would recommend changing your plans. 
• There are no passes that allow you to island hop. All tickets are one way single stop tickets. If you are island hoping, you will need to book a ticket for each route. 
• There are washrooms on board and they are well maintained in our experience
• Ferries can be rescheduled due to issues such as the weather (strong winds) or maintenance issues. If that happens you will be notified by email. If you are taking the ferry and catching a flight on the same day like we did in Santorini, we recommend planning enough time to allow for some leeway in case your ferry is late. 
• If your ferry is cancelled, you will receive a refund. However, it is up to you to make new plans. If this happens to you, check other ferries right away in case there is some tickets left (which is likely as ferries are rarely sold out). 
• The largest ferries offer sleeping cabins which are great for longer route. However, if your route is only a few hours, we don’t think a cabin is necessary.
• At Santorini ferry port, you will find two mini markets and some coffee shops where you can sit and grab a bite. If you are arriving to Santorini, I wouldn’t bother buying anything there as there are plenty of shops around the island. 
• If you are leaving Santorini, you will be waiting mostly in the sun so make sure to put sunscreen on and have water with you. 

Any questions on Santorini ferry port? Drop them in the comments or on insta and we will get back to you asap.