How to get the ferry from Mykonos to Santorini

Mykonos Santorini Ferry Route

The islands of Mykonos and Santorini are two of the most popular destinations in Greece. As there are no flight schedules between them you can't take a plane, so the only way to get from Mykonos to Santorini is by ferry.

Fortunately during the high season, you can expect several Mykonos to Santorini ferry crossings per day. The quickest ferry ride from Mykonos to Santorini takes as little as 2 hours and 10 minutes on a high speed ferry. The slowest ferry on the same route takes around 3 and a half hours.

In this guide, I'll give you a few inside tips on getting to Santorini after visiting Mykonos, but if you want to look at the current ticket availability I suggest you take a look at this website >> Ferryscanner.

Mykonos to Santorini Ferry Schedules

Several ferry companies sail between Mykonos and Santorini (and the opposite way Santorini to Mykonos). Which companies are running, at what times, and at what price, changes from one season to the next, so the ferry snapshot near the top of this page is the place to look before you plan around a particular boat.

Booking Ferry Tickets

While you can use a local travel agency when you are in Greece, it's much better and easier to book your ferry ticket online.

While each ferry company does have their own website, I recommend you use Ferryscanner to check the Mykonos ferry timetables. It's easier to compare travel times and prices of other ferries in one place, and when you book your ferry tickets online for the Mykonos to Santorini transfer it doesn't cost you any extra.

Note: For ferry travel in the high season, and particularly for ferry trips between Mykonos and Santorini, you should book your tickets at least a few weeks in advance. This goes the same for any onward journeys to other islands.

Departing Mykonos

The departure port in Mykonos is sometimes referred to as Mykonos New Port. It is located just 2 kilometres or so from Mykonos town.

There are regular buses running to the Old Port timed for when the ferries to Santorini depart. You can also take a taxi to the port – I advise to book these ahead of time.

It is suggested that you be at the departure port one hour ahead of when ferry rides are scheduled to leave.

Arrival in Santorini

Santorini ferries arrive at the main ferry port, sometimes referred to as Athinios Ferry Port. You definitely don't want to walk from the port to wherever your hotel is in Santorini, as there is a long, steep section of road to get up first which would be a nightmare to hike in the summer!

In the tourist season, there are buses waiting to meet ferry arrivals in the port, which will take you to Fira. Tickets may only be purchased with cash, and the trip is about 20 minutes long.

If you are not staying in Fira, you would need to take another bus from there to your destination.

Unless your hotel host is collecting you from the port, you might find it easier to pre-book a taxi to take you from the port to your Santorini hotel. You can do that easily here: Welcome Taxis.

If you're staying a while on Santorini, you might want to hire a car to get around. If that is the case, it might be a good idea to arrange to pick up your car rental at the port.

You can look for car rentals in Santorini here: Discover Cars

Never hired a car in Greece before? Read my tips on renting a car in Greece.

Insights into Ferry Companies and Boats

The ferry companies that sail from Mykonos to Santorini operate high speed ferries. This means that you might not be able to go out on deck for fresh air as you can with a large ferry.

The strong Meltemi winds blow through the Cyclades islands in July and August. Hope for a smooth journey, but plan to take something for sea sickness just in case!

None of the ferry companies operates a year round service between Mykonos and Santorini. Sailings build up through the spring, and it is in the height of summer that you'll find the most availability.

This means that if you were planning a shoulder season trip from Mykonos to Santorini, you might not be able to get from one island to another directly.

Note that in previous years Blue Star Ferries included transfers from Mykonos to Santorini on the Blue Star Delos, but that is no longer the case.

Getting from Mykonos to Santorini on the Golden Star ferries

Golden Star Ferries have a boat crossing from between Mykonos and Santorini.

Dimitris Mentakis graciously offered us some of his fantastic photos to use in our articles. This is one of them!

Getting from Mykonos to Santorini on the Hellenic SeaJets ferries

One of the main companies travelling from Mykonos to Santorini island, is a company called Hellenic Sea Jets.

You can either get your tickets from Ferryscanner, or directly from the Hellenic Seajet Website where you can also check their ferry schedules.

Getting from Mykonos to Santorini on Minoan Lines

In peak season, Minoan Lines have run the Santorini Palace Highspeed from Mykonos to Santorini in recent seasons.

It might be a relatively slow ferry trip, but it has usually been one of the cheaper options. Perhaps a choice for budget minded island hoppers!

Buying a Mykonos to Santorini ferry ticket – Which company to choose?

The choice of ferry operators is yours. In general you will need to consider if money is more important to you than time. Just bear in mind that smaller ferries can give you a hard time if you get seasick easily.

Are there any direct flights from Mykonos to Santorini?

You might think that because both islands have airports, there would be flights from Mykonos to Santorini, especially during the summer.

This is not the case though. There are currently no plans to offer direct flights Mykonos to Santorini. Santorini Airport and Mykonos Airport only have connections with Athens and European cities and not each other.

Comparing Mykonos and Santorini

The two Cyclades islands are quite different from each other.

Santorini has the amazing landscapes and views to the volcano, the picturesque blue domed churches, the stunning sunsets over the Aegean Sea, and the unique wineries.

Mykonos is more of a party island, a place where many people go to see and be seen, a cosmopolitan destination – but it's also a really pretty place. The beaches in Mykonos are far better than the beaches in Santorini!

Are there any travel alternatives?

The only way to travel from Mykonos to Santorini is by ferry as there is no direct flight. Unless you are celebrating something special and want to splurge that is, in which case you can always try the Mykonos to Santorini helicopter route!

So, when you're planning your Greek islands trip, keep in mind there are no direct Mykonos to Santorini flights. If you had to fly because you had an aversion to ferries and boats, you'd have to take flights in and out of Athens, which would end up being rather time-consuming.

Travel from Mykonos to Santorini

Ask anyone who is travelling to Greece for the first time where they want to go, and they will most likely mention three destinations – Athens, Mykonos and Santorini .

For most visitors, these are the three places they have heard the most about, and also the most likely to include in a week's vacation to Greece.

The question is though, what is the easiest way to get from one place to another? The answer is by ferry, but there is more than one to choose from!

Previously, I've written a guide on how to get from Athens to Santorini and how to get from Athens to Mykonos. This guide on island-hopping covers how to get from Santorini to Mykonos by ferry.

The best way to get from Mykonos to Santorini

Ask five people for the best ferry from Mykonos to Santorini, and you are likely to get five different answers.

In fact, the answer is really up to you. There are a range of ferries available, you would just have to find the one that suits your timetable and budget best.

If you want to travel Mykonos to Santorini with a vehicle, you'd also need to make sure you choose a vessel that will carry it.

How long before departure do I need to be at the ferry port in Mykonos?

Plan to be there half an hour ahead of the departure time. Add a little more if you are relying on a bus or taxi to reach the New Port in high season.

Mykonos to Santorini Day Trip

Theoretically, it looks possible to go from one island to another and back in a day, but in practice it just doesn't work. Especially if you want to spend time at the must-visit spots in Santorini and enjoy the sunset.

So, no Santorini-Mykonos day trip - Unless you're rolling in cash and take the helicopter option for air travel of course!

Santorini Transfers

If you are looking how to get to and from Santorini ferry ports check out my detailed article here: Santorini Transfers. Alternatively, one of the options below might appeal if you want to pre-book a transfer to the island hotels and accommodation in Thira and Oia.

Accommodation in Santorini

Once you have your ferry ride to Santorini organized, the next step is planning which hotels to choose from! If you're looking for hotel views over the caldera, this guide to the best sunset hotels in Santorini is essential reading.

Onward Travel From Santorini

If you are planning to visit other Greek islands after Santorini, you might want to take a look at this Santorini island hopping guide.

Pin this guide on the best way to travel from Mykonos to Santorini

Love Pinterest as much as I do? you'll probably have a board or collection of pins for Santorini and Greece already.

Feel free to use the image below on one of your boards. This way you can come back to read this travel guide on how to get to Santorini from Mykonos later.

Additional note: You might also be interested in these travel guides on how to get from Naxos to Santorini and ferries from Mykonos to Naxos. If you want to find a way to travel straight to Santorini as your first stop on a Greece vacation, read this guide on how to get to Santorini.

Have you been to both Santorini and Mykonos island? Let us know which ferry you used, and what you thought to it so we can add to this guide on how to go from Mykonos to Santorini.

Dave Briggs
Dave is a UK travel writer living in Athens since 2015. With 20 years of firsthand travel experience and over 80,000 km of bicycle touring across six continents, he's been blogging at Dave's Travel Pages since 2005. Every guide is based on places he's actually been.

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