Below, you will find information about how to get to the port of Piraeus, what ferries depart from there, information about the area, where to buy your tickets, and many photos.
Piraeus is the largest port in Greece and one of the busiest passenger ports in Europe. It is utilized for both commercial and touristic purposes. Millions of vacationers head to the port annually in order to board a ferry and reach the islands of the Aegean or Crete. Piraeus is also the closest port to Athens’ city center.
Crossings to/from the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete and other islands conducted by conventional and high-speed/catamaran ferries take place every day. Being the country’s biggest port, an array of facilities lie within it, including (but not limited to) a free shuttle bus, a tourist information desk, ATMs, and taxi ranks.
WHERE TO TRAVEL FROM THERE
The port of Piraeus is located nearby the center of Athens, around 12 km from Syntagma Square. The International Airport of Athens, on the other hand, lies approximately 40 km away from the port.
Piraeus is connected with most Greek islands. Ferries departing from this port head to the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, Saronic islands, and Eastern Aegean islands. Moreover, ferries also approach mainland coastline areas, like Porto Heli and Ermioni in the Peloponnese and Kavala in Macedonia.
Popular Ferry Connections
Ferries to several islands are available throughout the year, even daily to some destinations. However, more itineraries are added during the high season in order to serve the plentiful holidaymakers that have booked their stay in the Greek islands.
Ferries to the Cyclades
Several ferries heading to the Cyclades depart from Piraeus throughout the year, yet daily in the summer. Some of the most popular ferry routes are to Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, and Milos. Ferries from Piraeus to the Cyclades depart from gates E6, E7, E9, and E10.
• Santorini: During the low season, itineraries to Santorini are limited to two per day, yet their number starts increasing in the shoulder season, and peaks in the high season, with six ferries departing every day. Both conventional and high-speed/catamaran ferries operate the route and the trip can last from 4 to 10 hours.
More about the route Athens - Santorini.
• Mykonos: In summer, at least four ferries depart every day to reach Mykonos. Both conventional and high-speed/catamaran ferries operate the route. The crossing’s duration ranges from 2 hours to 5.5 hours.
More about the route Athens - Mykonos.
• Paros: A minimum of 5 ferries depart daily during summer, heading to Paros. Both conventional and high-speed/catamaran ferries serve the route and the duration of the trip can be from less than 3 hours to 4.5 hours.
More about the route Athens - Paros.
• Naxos: Ferries to Naxos are available throughout the year, but during the high season, the frequency of the routes increases. In summer, at least six ferries heading to Naxos depart daily. Both conventional and high-speed/catamaran ferries serve the route. The crossing can last 3.5 to 6 hours (approximately).
More about the route Athens - Naxos.
Ferries to the Dodecanese islands
There are ferries from Piraeus to the Dodecanese islands several times per week throughout the year. Among the most popular ferry routes are to Kos and to Rhodes even though the trip is long. Ferries to the islands of the Dodecanese depart from Gate E1.
Ferries to Crete
There are ferries from Piraeus to Crete (Heraklion, Chania, Kissamos and Sitia) all year round, but routes are more frequent during the summer. The ferry trip to Crete is at least 8 hours long and usually overnight, so booking a cabin is highly recommended. Ferries to Crete depart from Gate E3.
Ferries to the Saronic islands
Many ferries from Piraeus to the Saronic Islands depart every day throughout the year. In the summer, more itineraries are added to the timetables, exceeding 10 per day. Some of the most popular ferry itineraries are to Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Spetses, and Agistri. Ferries to the Saronic Islands depart from Gate E8.
Ferries to the Northern Aegean islands
Ferries from Piraeus to the islands of the Northern Aegean operate all year round. The most popular ferry routes are to Ikaria, Chios, Lesvos, and Samos. Ferries to Ikaria and Samos depart from Gate E7, while ferries to Chios and Lesvos depart from Gate E2.
How to book your ferry tickets
Booking your ferry tickets is one of the first and most important steps in organizing your holidays in Greece.
We make this step the easiest and most exciting one, as booking your ferry tickets with ferriesingreece.com comes with lots of perks:
The experience we provide to our customers has been awarded (Tourism Awards).
You can compare all the available ticket prices with just one click.
The booking process is simple, quick, and comes with a 100% secure payment system.
Interactive live maps show you every detail of your ride.
Our agents are experienced, informative, and always happy to help you with any question or request you may have regarding your tickets and trip.
The area of Piraeus has been inhabited since the Neolithic Period and reached its peak of prosperity during the Classical Era when it was declared a municipality and was selected as the port of Athens.
A long-term decline succeeded until 1834 when the capital of the (then) newly formed Greek state moved to Athens. A period of flourishing began, with the gradual increase of the area's population.
After the 2004 Olympic Games, the port has been brought up to date and is one of the most modern ports in the Mediterranean. Nowadays, Piraeus is the third largest municipality in Greece, with a population of 163,572 (according to the 2021 census).
The city has inspired several renowned artists such as film director Jules Dassen, composers Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadjidakis and Stavros Xarchakos, and singers Grigoris Bithikotsis and Vicky Moscholiou. It is the Greek city mentioned the most in songs since it represents the working class and the Greek expatriate. In the 1950s and 1960s, thousands of immigrants left to move to America and Australia. At the same time, thousands of sailors embarked from Piraeus, sailing the seas for years, and leaving their families behind.
Regarding sightseeing, parts of the Ancient Walls that connected Piraeus to Athens (Long Walls) can be seen in Marina Zeas. The Maritime Museum is located there, too.
From Profitis Ilias (Kastella) Hill, one can enjoy a panoramic view of Piraeus and Athens.
The Municipal Theater, the Archaeological Museum, and the Municipal Art Gallery are among the regional main points of interest.
Photos of Piraeus
Map
ABOUT PIRAEUS PORT
Port description
The largest and most important port of Greece is Piraeus, located about 10 km to the south of Athens center. The port of Piraeus usually covers the schedules to the most popular Greek islands, including the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, the Eastern Aegean islands and Crete.
Apart from the normal ferries, there are also catamarans, high-speed boats, and flying dolphins to the Saronic islands.
Free shuttle bus for transportation within Piraeus port:
There is a free shuttle bus connecting Gate E5 with Gates E3, E2, and E1 approximately every 20 minutes when there is a ferry departure from these gates. The free shuttle bus stop is situated inside Gate E5, opposite Piraeus Metro station.
How to get to Piraeus port from Athens city center
By metro: Piraeus Port is connected with Athens center by the Blue Metro Line and the Green Metro Line. From Syntagma you can get Metro Line 3 (Blue Line). From Monastiraki and Omonoia squares in Athens city center, you can get Metro Line 1 (Green Line). The metro station in Piraeus lies in front of the port, so it’s very easy to navigate. The metro in Athens operates from 05:30 until midnight. However, on Fridays and Saturdays, it runs till 1.20. The journey from Athens city center to Piraeus lasts for about 30 minutes. There are trains to Piraeus from all metro stations every 10 min (maximum). The cost of a Metro ticket is '1.20' 'EUR'(1.20 Euro) and it is valid for 90 minutes.
Download the Athens Metro Map (PDF)
By bus: Bus line 049 connects Omonoia with Piraeus and bus line 040 connects Syntagma with Piraeus. Buses to Piraeus depart from Omonoia/Syntagma every 15-20 min. Buses in Athens normally operate from 05:00 until 23:30, but bus line 040 operates 24/7. Bus tickets cost '1.20' 'EUR'(1.20 Euro) and the journey from Athens city center to Piraeus lasts for 30-40 minutes.
By taxi: You can get from Athens city center (Omonoia/ Syntagma) to Piraeus port by taxi in about 30 minutes. The distance between the two is 10 km. A taxi ride from Athens city center to Piraeus port costs about '20' 'EUR'(20 Euro) during the day and '25' 'EUR'(25 Euro) during the night (24:00-05:00). Do you need a ride? Book your transfer with us and our driver will pick you up from your hotel or Airbnb host.
How to get to Piraeus port from the Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos)
By metro: You can reach the port of Piraeus by metro from the airport with the Blue Line. There is a metro station right in front of the airport. The first metro train departs from the airport at 06:10 and the last at 23:34. Trains leave from the airport every 36 minutes. The journey from the airport to the port lasts for about 1 hour and the cost of the ticket is '9' 'EUR'(9 Euro).
Download the Athens Metro Map (PDF)
By suburban railway: You can reach the port directly by the suburban railway (Proastiakos). The suburban railway station lies at the same point as the metro, just outside the airport. The journey from the airport to Piraeus port lasts for about 1 hour. The suburban railway operates daily from 06:07 to 22:07 (last itinerary). The price of a ticket for the suburban railway is '9' 'EUR'(9 Euro)
By bus: Bus X96 connects the airport with the Piraeus port directly. Buses operate 24/7 and the journey lasts for about 90 min. Buses depart every 20 minutes from 05:00 to 22:30 and every 40 minutes from 22:30 to 05:00. A bus ticket for this route costs '5.50' 'EUR'(5.50 Euro).
By taxi: At the gates of the airport, you’ll find many taxis. A taxi ride from the airport to Piraeus Port lasts for 40-60 min, depending on the traffic. A taxi ride from Athens airport to the port of Piraeus costs about '50' 'EUR'(50 Euro) during the day and '65' 'EUR'(65 Euro) during the night (24:00-05:00). Do you need a ride? Book your transfer with us and our driver will be waiting for you with a panel and your name on it at the airport’s arrival gate.
{"translations":{"engine":{"default_port_from":"PIR","default_port_to":"","from":"FROM","to":"TO","date":"DATE","passenger":"PASSENGER","passengers":"PASSENGERS","vehicle":"VEHICLE","vehicles":"VEHICLES","loading_message":"Searching for Itineraries"}}}
Searching for Itineraries...
An error occurred: Please refresh your browser and try again.
