Skip to content
The Better Trip

Destinations

Saved
The white town of Mykonos spread along the bay above the old harbour, with a small boat crossing the blue water

FerrySpringSummerAutumn

Athens to Mykonos by ferry, from Piraeus or Rafina

Out past Syros and Tinos to the white town on the island of the winds

The short answer

Ferries to Mykonos leave from two Athens ports: Piraeus, in the city, and Rafina, 16 km by road from Athens Airport. Greece's tourism board gives 2 hours 20 to 4 hours 30 from Rafina and 2 hours 30 to 4 hours from Piraeus; the slow conventional ferries take up to 5 hours 50. On 19 October 2026 the cheapest published fares were €38 on Golden Star Ferries from Rafina and €53 in economy on Blue Star Ferries from Piraeus (€44 Special Economy while it lasts). Book online before you travel: Golden Star does not sell tickets on board.

The ferry is the old way into the Cyclades and still the best one. You leave the mainland behind, call at Syros with its two hills of churches or at green Andros, pass under the pilgrim church above Tinos, and come round to Mykonos with the whole white town spread along the bay. Then a short water bus ride drops you in the old harbour, a few streets from the windmills.

Greece

Journey time
2 hours 20 to 5 hours 50
Ports in Athens
Piraeus (Gate E7) or Rafina
Airport to Rafina port
16 km, about 25 minutes
Fare from
€38 (Rafina, October 2026)
Golden Star from Rafina, summer
5 sailings a day (June 2026)
Last leg, Tinos to Mykonos
30 minutes

Why the slow way to Mykonos is the right way

Mykonos has an airport, and the flight from Athens takes 45 minutes. The ferry gives you something the flight cannot. The sea route runs through the middle of the northern Cyclades, and each island it touches is a different version of the Aegean.

From Piraeus, Europe's busiest passenger port with about 20 million passengers a year, the conventional ferries call first at Syros. Ermoupoli, its capital and the capital of the Cyclades, climbs two hills facing each other: the 19th-century Orthodox town of neoclassical mansions on one, and on the other medieval Ano Syros, the Catholic quarter, crowned by the fortified cathedral of San Giorgio. From Rafina the boats call instead at Andros, the northernmost island of the group, green with valleys and streams.

Both routes then meet at Tinos, where the church of Panagia Evangelistria, built for an icon unearthed in 1823, stands over the harbour, and the hills carry more than 600 carved dovecotes. Thirty minutes later Mykonos appears, the island of the winds: low, bare and white, its windmills on the ridge beside Little Venice.

It is also a practical choice. The morning ferries arrive by lunchtime or early afternoon, and you arrive on deck in the sun rather than in a terminal. On October 2026 fares of €38 to €53, you get four and a half to six hours through the heart of the Cyclades.

Along the way

  1. Athens

  2. Gate E7, Piraeus, the first 30 minutes

    Leaving Piraeus

    Blue Star's Mykonos ferries leave from Gate E7, one of the two gates the company lists for Syros, Tinos and Mykonos. Piraeus handles about 20 million passengers a year, and in the morning the quays are a slow parade of ships bound for the islands of the Aegean. Stand at the stern rail as the city falls away.

  3. First call from Piraeus, about 4 hours out

    The twin hills of Ermoupoli, Syros

    Ermoupoli was Greece's first industrial centre and is the capital of the Cyclades. From the deck you see its two hills facing each other: the Orthodox town of the 19th century on one, and on the other the medieval Catholic settlement of Ano Syros, its houses gathered around the fortified cathedral of San Giorgio on the summit. On the October 2026 timetable the stop lasts 25 minutes.

  4. First call from Rafina, at Gavrio

    Andros and the northern gateway

    The Rafina boats of Golden Star and Fast Ferries call first at Andros, the northernmost of the Cyclades. It is not the Cyclades of postcards: mountain ridges, fertile valleys and water running in small falls and streams, an island of sea captains and shipowners.

  5. Tinos harbour, where both routes meet

    Panagia Evangelistria above Tinos

    The great church dominates the Hora above the quay. It was built for an icon discovered in 1823, at the founding of the modern Greek state, and its Virgin is the declared patron saint of Greece. Look up the slopes as the ship turns in: the island has more than 600 dovecotes. On 15 August the town fills with pilgrims.

  6. The last 30 minutes

    The Tinos to Mykonos strait

    Blue Star's timetable gives this final crossing as 30 minutes, Tinos 12:50 to Mykonos 13:20. It is open water between two islands, and in a summer meltemi the most lively half hour of the trip. On a calm day it is the brightest: Mykonos grows out of the sea ahead, and Tinos falls away astern.

  7. On the approach to the New Port at Tourlos

    First sight of Mykonos town

    The lighthouse on Cape Armenistis, built in 1891 on the island's north-west point, marks the turn. Then the ship runs into the bay with the white Hora spread along the shore to the south, the windmills on their ridge and the houses of Little Venice built right on the sea.

  8. From the New Port to the Old Port, 12 minutes

    The Sea Bus into the old harbour

    The ferry ties up at the New Port in Tourlos, outside town. On its 2026 timetable (1 April to 30 October) the Mykonos Sea Bus runs from the Tourlos cruise dock to the Old Port about every 30 minutes for €2.50, a 12-minute ride along the waterfront that lands you at the town bus station, beside the boats to Delos.

  9. Mykonos

Where to stand

Take an outside deck at the stern for the departure and the island calls, and move forward along the starboard (right-hand) rail for the arrival: coming in from Tinos, the Hora, the windmills and Little Venice lie to the south of the New Port, on that side. In summer the meltemi blows from the north, so the starboard side, facing south for most of the route, is usually the sheltered one too. On a windy day the lounges in the middle of the ship move least.

Ways to do it

When to go

Piraeus or Rafina: which Athens port

Should I take the ferry to Mykonos from Piraeus or Rafina?

If you are flying into Athens and going straight to the island, take Rafina. The port is 16 km from Athens Airport by road, about 25 minutes with clear roads, against 49 km and about 47 minutes to Piraeus, and the crossings from Rafina are shorter: 2 hours 20 to 4 hours 30, says Greece's tourism board. KTEL Attikis buses run between the airport and Rafina port; the winter timetable from 13 October 2026 has nine departures a day from the airport and a tenth at weekends, the first at 04:30 and the second at 06:15, which reaches the morning boats. From central Athens, KTEL buses to Rafina leave from outside Nomismatokopeio metro station, for €2.40.

Take Piraeus if you are staying in Athens, want the Blue Star ferries and their call at Syros, or are travelling in winter, when Piraeus keeps a Blue Star service three days a week. The X96 airport express bus runs to the port around the clock and takes about 90 minutes, for €5.50. Mykonos ferries use Gate E7 at Piraeus, and the port authority runs a free bus within the port.

Airport to Rafina port
16 km by road, about 25 minutes
Airport to Piraeus Gate E7
49 km by road, about 47 minutes; X96 bus about 90 minutes, €5.50
Athens to Rafina bus
KTEL Attikis from Nomismatokopeio metro, €2.40
Airport to Rafina bus, winter 2026/27
9 a day from 04:30, 10 at weekends (from 13 October 2026)
Mykonos ferries at Piraeus
Gate E7

Mykonos's two ports, and getting into town

Which port in Mykonos do the ferries arrive at, and how do I get to Mykonos town?

Ferries from Piraeus and Rafina arrive at the New Port at Tourlos, about 2.5 km north of Mykonos town in a straight line and about 4 km by road to the Fabrika bus station. The Old Port is in the town itself: it is where the Sea Bus lands, where the island's buses and taxis wait, and where the boats to Delos leave.

The simplest way in is the Mykonos Sea Bus: on its 2026 timetable, 1 April to 30 October, it leaves the Tourlos cruise dock every 30 minutes from 08:30 to 17:30 and then hourly until 22:45, for €2.50 a person, and luggage and pushchairs go on board. The ride takes about 12 minutes. KTEL Mykonos buses also run from the New Port: on the timetable valid from 19 October 2026, to the Old Port at 20 minutes past each hour from 09:20 to 19:20, and to Fabrika and the airport. Going back, allow time to reach Tourlos: the Sea Bus leaves the Old Port every 30 minutes from 09:00 to 18:00, then hourly until 23:00.

Ferry port
New Port, Tourlos, about 4 km by road from town
Sea Bus to the Old Port
€2.50, about 12 minutes, every 30 minutes by day, 1 April to 30 October 2026
Bus, New Port to Old Port
hourly at :20, 09:20 to 19:20 (from 19 October 2026)
The Old Port
Sea Bus, buses, taxis and the Delos boats

Tickets, check-in and what the fare includes

How much is the ferry from Athens to Mykonos, and when should I be at the port?

Fares are per person, one way, and luggage is included: you leave large bags where the crew directs, and keep valuables with you or hand them to the purser. On Blue Star, read on 19 October 2026, economy (an unreserved lounge seat) was €53, Special Economy €44 on the sailings where it was still available, an airline-type reserved seat €58, business €74, a berth in a four-bed cabin €84.50 and a car €122.50. On Golden Star from Rafina the indicative economy fare was €38. Book before you travel: Golden Star does not issue tickets on board.

Greek rules require you to be at the embarkation area at least 30 minutes before departure, and an hour with a car; Blue Star asks for an hour for everyone. Keep your passport or identity card with your ticket, because the name on the ticket is checked at boarding.

Blue Star economy, Piraeus
€53 (19 October 2026)
Golden Star economy, Rafina
€38 (19 October 2026)
Blue Star reserved seat or cabin
€58 seat, from €84.50 cabin berth
Be at the port
30 minutes before (1 hour on Blue Star, or with a car)

The meltemi, the sea and cancellations

Is the ferry to Mykonos rough, and do ferries get cancelled in the meltemi?

Mykonos is called the island of the winds for a reason. The meltemi, the dry north wind of the Aegean summer, is strongest in July and August: meteo.gr, the weather service of the National Observatory of Athens, counts 17 days of strong meltemi in an average July and 19 in an average August. Most sailings run regardless, and the big conventional ferries are the steadiest ride.

When the port authority holds ships in port, tickets remain valid: on Blue Star a delayed ferry is boarded on the same ticket, and a cancelled one is exchanged for the next departure, subject to space. Give a mobile number when you book so the company can reach you, and on a windy day choose a large conventional ferry over a high-speed boat if you are prone to seasickness.

Worth knowing before you go

The journey in pictures

The twin hills of Ermoupoli on Syros seen from a ferry, with its wake curving across the sea
A Golden Star Ferries Super Express catamaran and a red and white ferry moored at Rafina port
The waterfront of Rafina seen from a departing ferry, with the hills of Attica behind
First sight of Mykonos town from the sea in low golden light
The Mykonos windmills on the ridge seen from the waterfront at Little Venice

Questions people ask

Good questions about Athens to Mykonos by sea

How long is the ferry from Athens to Mykonos?

Between 2 hours 20 and about 5 hours 50, depending on the port and the ship. Greece's tourism board gives 2 hours 20 to 4 hours 30 from Rafina and 2 hours 30 to 4 hours from Piraeus; the fastest are the high-speed boats in season, such as Golden Star's 07:20 Super Express from Rafina. The conventional ferries take longer: in October 2026 Blue Star's Piraeus sailing via Syros and Tinos took 5 hours 50, and Golden Star's Andros Queen from Rafina 4 hours 30.

Is Rafina or Piraeus better for Mykonos?

Rafina, if you are coming from Athens Airport: it is 16 km away by road, about 25 minutes, against 49 km to Piraeus, and the crossings are shorter. KTEL buses link the airport and Rafina port. Piraeus suits travellers staying in central Athens, those who want the Blue Star ferries and the call at Syros, and winter travellers, as Piraeus keeps three Blue Star sailings a week from November.

How much is the ferry from Athens to Mykonos?

On 19 October 2026 the cheapest published one-way fares were €38 in economy with Golden Star Ferries from Rafina and €53 in economy with Blue Star Ferries from Piraeus, or €44 in Blue Star's Special Economy where still available. Reserved airline-type seats on Blue Star cost €58, cabins from €84.50 a berth, and a car €122.50. Luggage is included in the fare.

Which port do ferries use in Mykonos?

Ferries from Athens dock at the New Port at Tourlos, about 4 km by road north of Mykonos town. The Old Port, in the town, is used by the Sea Bus, the boats to Delos, and the island's buses and taxis. From April to October the Sea Bus links the two every 30 minutes by day for €2.50 and takes about 12 minutes; KTEL buses also run from the New Port to the Old Port and to Fabrika.

How do I get from Athens Airport to the Mykonos ferry?

For Rafina, take a taxi (about 25 minutes, 16 km) or the KTEL Attikis bus from the airport to Rafina port; the winter timetable from 13 October 2026 has nine departures a day and a tenth at weekends, starting at 04:30 and 06:15. For Piraeus, the X96 express bus runs around the clock, takes about 90 minutes and costs €5.50. At Piraeus, Mykonos ferries leave from Gate E7.

Do ferries to Mykonos run in winter?

Yes, but far fewer. From November 2026 Blue Star's timetable from Piraeus has three sailings a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, leaving at 16:00 or 15:00, calling at Syros and taking 4 hours 40 to 5 hours. From Rafina, Fast Ferries ran one or two sailings a day through winter 2025/26. Check the operators' sites before you plan, as winter timetables are published in stages.

Can you see Syros and Tinos from the Mykonos ferry?

On most conventional sailings you call at them. The Piraeus ferries usually stop at Syros, where Ermoupoli climbs two hills crowned by churches, and at Tinos, under the church of Panagia Evangelistria. The Rafina boats call at Andros and Tinos. The last leg, Tinos to Mykonos, takes 30 minutes.

Athens to Mykonos by sea

Out past Syros and Tinos to the white town on the island of the winds

Athens → Mykonos

Check times and prices

We may earn a commission when you book through Omio. It never changes what we write. · Last checked: October 2026

More ferry journeys

All the ferry journeys

Image credits: Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Leeturtle (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Holger Uwe Schmitt (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Warren LeMay from Chicago, IL, United States (CC BY-SA 2.0) · sailko (CC BY 2.5)

Athens → Mykonos

Book this journey

Check times and prices