Many travelers want to experience both the culturally rich capital of Athens and interesting islands. Santorini is one of the most popular vacation destinations in Greece and many choose it for the incredible sunsets and volcano views.
There are two options to travel between Athens and Santorini: plane or ferry. Deciding which one to choose depends on your time and budget.
By plane
Santorini is served by Santorini National Airport (JTR), which is located just 8 km (5 miles) SE of Fira. The two national carriers – Aegean Airlines and Olympic Airlines – offer direct flights between Athens and Santorini.
The flight takes 45-50 min and the fares depend a lot on when you book the ticket. Starting from May there are 4 flights per day operated by each of the two airlines (so 8 total flights).
Booking a flight for mid-June about 6 weeks in advance means you can buy a one-way ticket for as low as €32 per person without taxes (on Olympic Airlines, class: economy restricted, departure: 6 a.m.) on a weekday. The total ticket price is over €80 after all the taxes and fees are included. Choosing a flight later in the day means you will pay at least €42 per person one-way without taxes (same company).
On the other hand, if you book a flight for mid-July about 2 and a half months in advance, you can get a one-way ticket for as low as €33 per person without taxes (on Aegean Airlines, class: economy, type: saver, departure: 5:35 a.m.) on a weekday. The total ticket price is about €70 after all the taxes and fees are added. Choosing a flight later in the day means you’ll pay at least €79 per person one way without the taxes(same company).
In order to save money, you should look into booking your ticket as early as possible and make sure to fly on weekdays and early in the morning (the evening flights are more expensive). The examples above show exactly the same situation. The highest fare for the route is around €100-120 per person one-way.
>>Read more about Flights to Santorini
By ferry
One of the most romantic ways to get to Santorini is by ferry. The ferries linking Athens (Piraeus) to Santorini (Thira) take between 5 and 8 hours, depending on the company and type of vessel.
During the summer season (mid-May to mid/late October) there are several connections per day. Between mid-September and the end of the summer season, there are less connections available than during the height of the season.
The high speed ferry (departs at 5 p.m. on Fridays and at 7:30 a.m. from Monday until Thursday and on Saturday) is more than expensive than the regular one. The fares depend on the class you choose, so if you want to take the high speed ferry expect to pay between €56,50 (per person, one way) in the economy class and €76,50 (per person, one way) at the VIP table.
The regular ferry is less expensive, with prices ranging from €33,50 (per person, one way) in the economy class and €37,50 (per person, one way) for a lounge seat. The cabin on overnight regular ferries is expensive though (up to €86 per person, one way).
Read more about
>>Getting from Athens to Piraeus
>>Ferries from Athens to Santorini
Other related information
>>Ferries to and from Santorini
>>Getting from Athens to Thessaloniki
>>Getting from Athens to Piraeus
>>Getting from Athens to Meteora
>>Getting to Halkidiki
>>Getting from Athens to Istanbul
>>Getting from Athens to Corfu
>>Getting from Thessaloniki to Meteora
>>Getting from Hydra to Santorini (and return)
>>Getting from Thessaloniki to Kavala
