Beyond the city limits of bustling Athens lies a network of picturesque islands and coastal destinations that are just waiting to be explored. And what better way to get there than by ferry?
In this article, we'll take a closer look at three of the main ferry ports in the vicinity of Athens: Piraeus, Rafina, and Lavrion.
Whether you're looking for a day trip to one of the nearby islands or planning a longer voyage, these ports offer a variety of options for travelers of all kinds.
Read here about the ferry connections, companies and tickets, directions and more. Let's start with the largest port.
1. Piraeus
Piraeus is about 10 kilometers south of Athens city center. Over 20 million passengers pass through here every year, making Piraeus the largest port in Greece and the largest passenger port in Europe.
Ferry Connections
Most ferry connections to the most famous Greek islands start from Piraeus. These include ferries to the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, the East Aegean Islands, Crete and the Saronic Islands, and others.
Piraeus has a total of 12 departure and arrival gates, Gate E1-E10 is where the ferries depart, while Gates E11 and E12 are reserved for the cruise ships.
- E1 Dodekanes
- E2 Crete , Chios, Lesbos, Ikaria, Samos
- E3 Crete, Kythira
- E4 Kythira
- E5 Piraeus Port Authority
- E6 Cyclades , Rethymnon
- E7 Cyclades, Rethymnon
- E8 Argo-Saronic Gulf
- E9 Cyclades, Samos, Ikaria
K, Samos
Ferry Companies and Tickets
The major ferry companies in Greece include Blue Star Ferries, SeaJets, Aegean Speedlines, Ionian Group, Golden Star Ferries, ANEK Lines, and Minoan Lines. to name a few.
There are 10 offices selling tickets in the port area. As a rule, all providers have tickets for all ferries. Most ticket offices are at gates E7 and E8.
For more detailed information about ferry connections and departure times, please refer to the websites of the respective providers.
How to Get to Piraeus
Piraeus is easily accessible by public transport. Metro green line 1 goes to Piraeus port, bus line 049 runs from Omonoia Squareto Piraeus, line 040 from Syntagma to Piraeus and there is a suburban train connection from Central Station.
If you prefer a taxi, you have to pay about 25 euros during the day and 45 euros at night.
Transfer to Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport
Airport bus X96 runs 24/7 from the airport to Piraeus and vice versa. The journey time is around 90 minutes. Buses run every 20 minutes during the day, and every 40 minutes between 10:30 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.
Address: Port of Piraeus, Akti Miaouli 10, Piraeus 185 38, Phone: +30 21 0455 0100
2. Refina
At only 10 kilometers away, Rafina is the port of Athens closest to the airport. It is 40 kilometers away from Athens city center. After Piraeus, Rafina is the second largest port in Attica.
Rafina is much smaller and cozier than Piraeus. Around the port there are numerous cafes and taverns that offer good Greek food at moderate prices. The area captivates with its small shops and old, narrow streets.
Located directly on the coastal road, Hotel Avar overlooks the harbour.
Ferry Connections
Rafina port is the only port that offers ferries to Andros Island as it is closer than Piraeus.
There are also ferry connections from here to Euboea, Heraklion and Rethymnon on Crete, Santorini, Ios, Naxos, Paros, Mykonos, Samos, Ikaria and Tinos, and others.
In addition to the conventional ferries, high-speed ferries also depart from Rafina, with which the journey time is often halved. Two of the 13 piers at Rafina Port are equipped for speedboats.
Ferry Companies and Tickets
The Port of Rafina is mainly served by the ferry companies Cyclades Fast Ferries, Golden Star Ferries, and Sea Jets, to name a few.
There are 10 offices selling tickets in the port area. As a rule, all providers have tickets for all ferries.
For more detailed information about the ferry connections and departure times, please refer to the websites of the respective providers.
How to Get to Rafina
There is no train that goes to Rafina, however there is a connection through the KTEL suburban buses that run from Pedion Areos in central Athens to Rafina. Depending on traffic, the buses take 70 minutes.
If you prefer a taxi, you have to pay about 50 euros during the day and 65 euros at night.
Transfer to Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport
KTEL suburban buses run regularly from Rafina Port to Athens Airport. The journey time is around 30 minutes.
If you prefer a taxi, you have to pay about 40 euros during the day and 60 euros at night, the journey takes about 20 minutes.
Address: Hafen Rafina, 10, Akti Andrea Papandreou, 190 09 Rafina, Tel .: +30 229 402 2840
3. Lavrion
Lavrion is located on the southernmost part of Attica, 60 kilometers from the center of Athens and 25 kilometers from the airport.
Around the harbor there are numerous cafes and taverns that offer Greek food at moderate prices. Lavrion is a very lively and noisy port.
Even in ancient times, Lavrion was known for its silver mines, which brought considerable wealth to Athens. Ores are still mined to this day.
The Temple of Poseidon from 440 BC at Cape Sounion is one of the main attractions. Sailors used to ask for the favor of the god of the sea here.
Ferry Connections
The most frequent ferry connections go to the Cycladic island of Kynthos, to Syros and to Kea. Due to its location, the sailing time to the Cyclades and the East Aegean Islands is shorter than from the nearer ports of Athens.
In addition, ferry services are offered to the eastern Aegean Islands, in particular to Lemnos and Agios Efstratios, to Kea, Sikinos, Folegandros, Kimolos, Milos, and Amorgos, to name just a few.
Ferry Companies and Tickets
The Port of Lavrion is mainly served by the ferry companies Fast Ferries, Seajets, and Golden Star Ferries, to name a few.
A ticket office is located at the port near the large car park.
For more detailed information about the ferry connections and departure times, please refer to the websites of the respective providers.
How to get to Lavrion
There is no train that goes to Lavrion, however there is a connection through the suburban buses of KTEL, which run from Pedion Areos in central Athens to Lavrion. Buses take 2 hours depending on traffic.
If you prefer a taxi, you have to pay around 65 euros during the day and 80 euros at night.
Transfer to Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport
Buses run regularly from the port of Lavrion to Markopoulo, a town between Athens and Lavrio. KTEL suburban buses run from Markopoulo to Athens Airport, usually every hour. The journey time is around 60 minutes.
If you prefer a taxi, you have to pay about 50 euros during the day and 70 euros at night, the journey takes about 30 minutes.
Address: Hafen Lavrion, Lavreotiki 195 00, Tel .: +30 0607331101