How to Get to Symi from Rhodes

I’ve always maintained that the best Greek islands are 1 ferry ride away from an airport. And Symi certainly fits that bill. In fact, I think it’s one of the easiest airport + 1 ferry combos as the ferries are so frequent and the journey is short. I’m going to walk you through how to do it.

There is no airport on Symi, it’s tiny and mountainous, so the ferry is your only option. The fast ferries take around 50 minutes and the slower car ferries clock in not much longer at around 1 hour and 20 minutes.

From the Airport

Let’s start at Rhodes International Airport, on the west coast of the island. It takes approximately 25 minutes by car to reach Rhodes Town, but double this if you take the bus. To find the bus stop, go out of Arrivals and turn left, keep walking  for a few minutes until you see a covered shelter (pictured below). The ticket is €2.50, it’s easiest to pay cash directly to the driver as you board – you can find the bus schedule here. There are a couple of cafes nearby if you need snacks whilst you wait.

A taxi from the airport to the Old Town, or Kolona or Akandia Ports, is around €25-30 during the day and takes just under half an hour. Expect taxis at night to cost more, at least €35. There’s a taxi rank outside the airport, and you pay a little extra for each piece of baggage. Taxis should theoretically have a POS and take card but in Greece I find it’s always best to check before you get in.

You can also pre-book a transfer from the airport for a fixed fee. 

Location of the main bus station in Rhodes Town:

Vessels

Which port you’ll need to head for will depend on the ferry that you’re taking.

For more information on each port location in Rhodes Town read Rhodes Port Map + Ferry Locations.

If you’re heading for Mandraki and Kolona, they’re easily walkable from the bus station, the New Town, and the Old Town.

If you’re catching one of the big car ferries like Blue Star, you’ll need to head to the domestic commercial port Akandia. It’s a 20-minute walk from the Old Town, and 30 minutes from the bus station. It doesn’t have any amenities, so don’t plan to kill any time here before you board the ship. There is a free shuttle bus that runs every half an hour to Akandia – check here for more information.

Likewise, the big car ferries arrive at Symi’s New Port which is a 20-minute walk from the main part of Gialos, the harbour town. Again, there are no amenities and it can be a long walk in the sun with luggage. If you want to avoid a walk on either end, look for the smaller ferries that go from Mandraki/Kolona to the Bus Station/Clock Tower locations.

If you’re getting the Sea Dreams King Saron, do check the departure port as the ferry company sometimes uses the International Terminal instead of Mandraki.

Which Ferry to Choose?

Some ferries run Rhodes-Symi routes and back, whilst others link Symi with Athens and other islands in the Dodecanese island group.

There are frequent connections throughout the day every day and not too much difference in the total travel time, so I’d just pick a time that suites you, unless you have one of the following concerns:

• Prone to seasickness? Weather looking iffy? Book Blue Star, SAOS,  or Panagia Skiadeni
• Want to avoid a walk in the heat? Avoid the Blue Star, SAOS,  or Panagia Skiadeni
• The Dodekanisos Pride/Express ferries are the fastest, the most frequent, the most expensive, and the most prone to cancellations in rough seas.
• The big car ferries are the cheapest but not as frequent.
• The Sebeco ferries are a good middle ground and my favourite – it has great views from the top deck as you sail in, the port location is good, prices are mid-range, and there are frequent sailings throughout the day.
• Day trips are entirely possible on the ferries but there are also excursion boats too. Some boats leave directly from resorts like Faliraki, cutting out the transfer time to Rhodes Town, and some include a swim stop at the beautiful St George’s Bay.

Can I fly to Rhodes and get the ferry to Symi on the same day?

If you have an early morning flight then yes, this should be easy enough. There are usually enough sailings that this is possible. I would allow a good buffer – plan for lunch in Rhodes Town and take a ferry later in the afternoon.

These days I prefer not to book early morning flights, so I opted to spend a night in Rhodes Town at either end of my trip to Symi. I met plenty of regulars who always travel on the same day. Next time I’m on Symi I’ll probably do that too, as Rhodes Town is not my favourite place in high season – too busy. However, if you haven’t been to Rhodes before then it’s worth a few nights there – at the very least 1 night and day to see the Old Town, and ideally one to see Lindos too. But it is infinitely more pleasant to explore outside the hot summer peak.

The later your flight is, the greater the chance you have of delays accumulating throughout the day. These days, flights over French airspace are more prone to delays due to ongoing ATC strikes. My midday flight was delayed by a few hours and I didn’t end up reaching my hotel until 11pm.

Except in the height of summer, there are usually last-minute hotel rooms available in Rhodes Town if you end missing the last ferry. I travelled in early July and had no probably finding a last-minute room. Alternatively, you could always book a room with free cancellation on Booking.com  (I wouldn’t normally encourage such a thing so if you’re going to do this, please pick one of the massive hotels and not a small family-run place). 

What about the return journey?

Symi’s harbour is also potentially confusing, so I have a separate post for that – see Where to Catch the Ferry in Symi (map included).

Read more:

Symi 3 Day Itinerary

Symi Port Map

Explore Lindos, One of the Most Beautiful Villages in Greece

Image credits: 

All other images © The Mediterreanean Traveller