How To Get From Athens To Paros
If you are looking on how to get from Athens to Paros island in Greece…look no further!
So…I am pretty sure you are lost and don’t know how to get from Athens to Paros island in Greece, right?
To make it easy for you I have written this guide to help you out.
REAL QUICK:
- You have 2 options to get from Athens to Paros: By Ferry or By Plane
- Best Way To get From Athens to Paros: By Plane (about 40 minutes)
- Good to Know for tickets to Paros: Paros is called “Πάρος” in greek
- Best Website to check ferry prices and Timetables: Let’s Ferry
- Athens to Paros Ferry : The journey between Athens (Piraeus) and Paros takes between 3 h and 5 h, depending on the type of ferry you are taking.
- Best Way to go from Athens Airport to Athens main port (Piraeus) to take any ferry is by taking the Athens Airport Bus X96 (X96 Bus Route – X96 Bus runs every 20-30 mins) – X96 Bus ticket costs 6 euros (adult) and 3 euros (kids) or buy an ATH.ENA Card
- Direct Flights from Athens to Paros: about 40 minutes on the air
- Paros Airport (airport - code: PAS)
- Cheapest flights from Athens to Paros: book plane
Ok..so let’s get started with all the travel options from Athens to Paros.
You really have 2 options to go from Athens to Paros:
But which one is really the Best Option?
My suggestion: go to Paros by plane.
Why: because it’s generally much faster and simpler than taking the ferry to Paros
However, you can also take the ferry which can be a very interesting alternative option for several reasons (see below Option 2).
OPTION 1: From Athens to Paros by Plane (Kiwi.com offers all the options)
That’s obviously the quickest and most expensive option.
It takes about 40 minutes by plane to be at Paros small airport and it definitely worths it in our opinion.
Paros Airport official website is: http://www.hcaa.gr/en/our-airports/kratikos-aerolimenas-paroy-kapa
The best and cheapest website to book or search for flights from Athens to Paros is: Kiwi.com
Athens Airport Code is : ATH (Athens)
Paros Airport Code is : PAS (Paros)
There are many flights per day , especially during the high season (Apr-Oct).
The exact times of the flights change and they are not the same throughout the year so make sure you get the right times from Kiwi.com as it will give you all the available flights immediately.
If you book your tickets well in advance (3-6 months) you could probably find some very good deals with return tickets.
Paros is an extremely popular destination and probably the most popular in Greece, so everything has to be booked well in advance.
So…let’s see the pros and cons of getting to Paros (from Athens) by plane:
Pros (of going from Athens to Paros by Plane):
- So much faster than the ferry (about 1 hour on the air)…you can literally save a whole day and spend it in Paros instead
- If you have just landed at the Athens airport you can just wait there till your connection flight to Paros departs
Cons (of going from Athens to Paros by Plane):
- the flight times to Paros may not be convenient and you might have to spend some boring hours at the Athens airport
- it can be much more expensive
Direct flights to Paros (from other European cities):
No there aren't direct flights from European cities to Paros in 2018.
Bottom line:
If you plan it properly and you book your flight tickets to Paros well in advance, then that’s the best option. However, getting the ferry can also be a very good and interesting option (see below).
OPTION 2: From Athens to Paros by ferry
Going to Paros by ferry is the second option you have and it can be a very nice experience.
But before taking the ferry, you have to go to the Athens ferry port which is called Piraeus.
How do you go from Athens Airport to the Athens Ferry Port (called Piraeus or Pireus) ?
Athens Airport to the Athens Ferry Port Option 1 : bus X96
The easiest and cheapest option is by taking the bus X96 that stops just outside of the Athens airport:
It takes between 50 mins to 80 mins (depending on the traffic) to go to the Athens ferry port (Piraeus) and the X96 bus route to Piraeus ferry port is the following:
Ferries to Paros depart from Port Gate Ε7, so you have to stop at the bus station : STATION ISAP (which is also a metro station).
Or in greek : ΣΤΑΘΜΟΣ ΗΣΑΠ
In case you feel lost you can just ask the bus driver (they always speak english)
But in reality you will find some brand new GPS screens showing you where you actually are:
The X96 bus runs 24/7 and there is a bus every 30 mins roughly (however do not expect it to be always on time).
For the X96 bus, you have to buy tickets from a kiosk which is just outside of the bus stop (and also just outside of the airport, just follow the “Bus” signs in the airport).
This is actually how get to those bus ticket kiosks outside of the airport:
The bus ticket is a small piece of paper that you have to put in the orange slots which are inside the bus (you will hear a “click” noise once you put the ticket in…which is basically the printing/stamping of the date and time).
For adults the ticket costs 6 euros and for kids (under 6) it costs 3 euros:
A TIP FOR BUS TICKETS IN ATHENS:
There is also a mobile application with which you can buy your bus tickets developed by Transport for Athens
Click here to download the Bus Tickets for Athens App for Android
Click here to download the Bus Tickets for Athens App for iOS
(you really don’t have to worry at all about the bus tickets if you do that…and you can pay by any card!)
The X96 bus is pretty fast and it costs only 6 euros!
BE CAREFUL!
Sometimes the Athens Airport Buses say: “AEROLIMENAS-PEIRAIAS”
Don’t get confused. This is a greek-lish version of saying: “Airport – Pireaus” so it’s the same really…
Here is a video showing how to get to the bus and when you arrive at the piraeus port
Athens Airport to the Athens Ferry Port Option 2 : taxi
Baggage cost you extra, there’s a surcharge for the airport and the journey takes at least 1 hour (30 km between the airport and the port) so the taxi fare can add up to a quite high amount. The taxi fare ads up to about €50, depending on the traffic. You also have to be careful to avoid the scams (you really don’t want to pay 10 times more than the regular fare).
Athens Airport to the Athens Ferry Port Option 3 : Metro (train)
Line 3 started operating in 2004 and links the airport to Monastiraki where you switch to Line 1, taking you to Piraeus. The journey time between the airport and the port is about 75 min. The metro fare for the entire length of the trip ads up to €6.
How do you go from Athens airport to Central Athens ?
First of all you have to go from the Athens Airport to Syntagma Square (the most central point in Athens) either by taking the metro from the airport (it’s actually overground for some stations and then it goes underground) or the bus X95 which will take you to Syntagma Square within 30-40 mins.
This is Bus X95’s route (from Athens airport to Syntagma square – central Athens):
You can take the X95 Bus just outside from the airport.
If you want, you can also take the metro (blue line or line 3 to Aghia Marina):
Where can I check the Athens metro last trains and schedules?
Click here to check the timetables for Athens metro and see if you can catch the last one if your flight arrives too late!
How do you go from Central Athens to Piraeus ferry port ?
The easiest way is by taking the metro green line (or Line 1).
It takes about 30 mins from Monastiraki Square or Omonoia Square at central Athens to the metro station at Piraeus ferry port.
What are the available ferries from Athens to Paros
There are 3 ferry options from Athens to Paros :
How long does it take to get from Athens to Paros?
The journey between Athens (Piraeus) and Paros takes between 3 h and 5 h, depending on the type of ferry you are taking.
Is there a high speed ferry between Athens and Paros?
Yes, there are several high speed ferries during the high season (start operating in mid-June). During the low season, there’s a high speed ferry as well but doesn’t run daily.
How much does it cost to get from Athens to Paros by ferry?
The ticket depends on the company, type of seat and type of ferry.
On a regular ferry, operated by Blue Star Ferries, a ticket in the economy class costs €34.50 per person, one way , while the seat in the air lounge costs €39.50 per person, one way.
On the high speed ferry, operated by Hellenic Seaways, the economy non smoking single fare is €49.50.
How many ferries per day depart from Athens to Paros during the low season?
The following ferries to be available during the 2017 and probably the 2018 low season (March – May, September – October) between Athens and Paros:
- Tue, Thu, Sat 6:45 am, Jun 25 – Sep 3
- Daily, 7:02 am, Jul 7 – Sep 3
- Daily, 7:15 am, until Sep 24
- Daily 7:25 am, until Sep 17, Sep 18-Oct 31
- Sun, 8 am, until Sep 3
- Fri, 2 pm, until Sep 29
- Mon, 2 pm, until Sep 25
- Mon 4:30 pm, Sep 11 – Oct 30
- Wed, Thu, 4:30 pm, Sep 13 – Sep 28
- Fri, 4:30 pm, Sep 15 – Oct 27
- Wed 4:30 pm, Oct 4 – Oct 25
- Sat 5:30 pm, until Sep 2
- Mon 5:30 pm, Jun 26 – Sep 4
- Fri, 5:30 pm, Jun 30 – Sep 1, Sep 8 – Oct 27
- Wed 5:30 pm, Sep 6 – Oct 25
- Sat 5:30 pm, Sep 9 , Sep 16 – Oct 28
- Mon 5:30 pm, Sep 11 – Oct 30
- Tue, Sun, 5:30 pm, Jun 25 – Sep 3
- Tue, 5:30 pm, Sep 5 – Oct 24, Oct 31 (schedule not officially approved yet).
- Thu 5:30 pm, Sep 7 – Oct 26
- Sat 5:30 pm, Sep 10 – Oct 29
- Daily 11:55 pm, until Sep 9
How many ferries per day depart from Athens to Paros during the high season?
The following ferries to be available during the 2017 and probably the 2018 high season (June – August) between Athens and Paros:
- Tue, Thu, Sat 6:45 am, Jun 25 – Sep 3
- Tue, Thu, 6:56 am, Jun 25 – Sep 3
- Daily 7:02 am, Jul 7 – Sep 3
- Daily, 7:15 am, until Sep 24
- Daily, 7:25 am, until Sep 17
- Sun 8 am, Jun 25 – Sep 3
- Thu 8:30 am, Aug 3 – Aug 10, Aug 17-Aug 24
- Sat 9 am, Jul 15 – Aug 12
- Fri 2 pm, until Sep 25
- Mon 2 pm, until Sep 25
- Tue, 3 pm, Jun 27 – Aug 29
- Thu 3 pm, Jul 6- Aug 10
- Sat 5:20 pm, until Sep 2
- Tue, Sun, 5:30 pm, Jun 25 – Sep 3
- Mon 5:30 pm, Jun 26 – Sep 4
- Wed 5:30 pm, Jun 28 – Aug 30
- Fri 5:30 pm, Jun 30 – Sep 1
- Thu 5:30 pm, Jun 29 – Aug 31
- Fri 9 pm, Jul 14 – Aug 11
- Daily 11:55 pm, until Sep 9
BEFORE YOU TRAVEL ALWAYS CHECK THE LET’S FERRY WEBSITE FOR THE AVAILABLE OPTIONS AND TIMES!!!!
Are there any overnight journeys between Athens and Paros?
Yes, there is a regular ferry that gets to Paros at 4:45 am.
Where can you book ferry tickets from Athens to Paros?
Booking in advance a Ferry ticket to Paros is always good, especially during high season as ferries might become full (that’s the case in July and August).
It’s not that you won’t find a ticket but it is more of securing a good seat or a cabin or a vehicle spot (if you have a car).
But…you can always book them online (just to be sure) on the Let’s Ferry website (even if you don’t book it there you can always check the timetables of the ferries on the dates you want to travel).
Another option is to have your travel agent book them for you, but they will need to contact a Greek travel agency. So an easier option is to contact a reliable Greek travel agency yourself and book your tickets via them.
If you have some time available between your arrival in Athens and the time you planned to take the ferry to Paros, you can buy the tickets directly in the port of Piraeus, at Port Gate Ε7. Unless you are traveling during the peak season or national holiday weekends, you shouldn’t worry about booking in advance, especially if you plan to use a deck seat.
BE CAREFUL THOUGH: According to the law the tickets have to be printed out only by certified travel agencies or the Ferry companies , so even if you book it online you have to visit a travel agent or the kiosk at the ferry port to take the print outs anyways (not a big deal..everyone is doing that anyways).
However, the last years people tend to buy ferry tickets online for Paros.
You can always do that from Let’s ferry website or but as I said previously you always have to take the ticket printout from a travel agent in Greece or the kiosk which is usually outside of the ferry that you are boarding on.
Important note:
Sometimes the ferry schedules available online are not very accurate. It’s not the websites’ fault at all as the ferry companies submit their schedule to the Ministry of Merchant Marine weekly. Hence the ferry schedule might change from week to week. Your best bet is to check this link the day before departure (or the day of before) just to make sure things haven’t changed.
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