Athens to Santorini
 

Brotherleelove (or anyone)...please provide any input.
A flight has us arriving in Athens at 9:15 AM. We plan on connecting to Santorini the same day via a flight at 7:00 PM (38 euros/person!).
I know it is recommended we fly rather than taking a ferry, but given the 10-hour layover, would we get to Santorini faster at about the same cost by boat?
Thanks as always.

If there happens to be a highspeed ferry departing about noon to Santorini you'd get there about 5 PM. Not knowing your travel date I can't say if this is a possibility for you. check with www.gtp.gr or www.openseas.gr to see what's available on your travel date.

Assuming you can make the right connection, there's an Airport Express Bus #96 to Piraeus that leaves the airport about every half-hour and takes about 1.25 hours. If this is a possibility for you, and ESPECIALLY IF you are travelling in July or August, I strongly recommend that you purchase your tickets online now so you have them in hand when you reach the port.

Thanks Brotherleelove.
When we get to Athens, if Aegean has space on an earlier connection to Santorini, do you know if they will let us on for no extra cost?

They did that for me once, so I would assume they'd do it for you as well.

Knowing your travel date is all important, as ferry schedules change according to season. That said, I doubt there will be an afternoon ferry arriving on Santorini before your 7pm flight. The fastest ferry service to Santorini is Hellenic Seaways highspeed, which takes about four hours from Piraeus. It does an early morning run leaving between 7 and 7:30am, then returns to Piraeus and does a second run leaving between 5 and 5:30pm. It would arrive at Santorini about an hour after your Aegean flight.

If you can't get a seat on an earlier Aegean flight, you may want to take the metro into Athens for the day. The metro stop is right outside the airport terminal, with modern air-conditioned trains that whiz you into the city in about 45 min.

They also did this for us. Rather than chance a 2 hour connection time, we booked a later departure. We arrived on time and were put on the earlier flight.

Hi.
OK. It appears we have no choice but to take the ferry from Athens to Santorini on August 30.
Brotherleelove, it appears the only boat we can catch on that day is a high-speed cat by Hellenic leaving Piraeus at 4:00 PM. If so, do you suggest we book tickets right away? Which is the least expensive way to purchase (direct w/Hellenic, another website, at the port, etc?)?
Thanks.

Because of high-season demand it's a very good idea to book your tickets now for the highspeed ferries. I think booking directly with H.S. would be the best way to go.

>> It appears we have no choice but to take the ferry from Athens to Santorini on August 30<<

How do you figure that? The ferry that leaves Piraeus at 4pm arrives at Santorini at 8pm. The 7pm Aegean flight A3 356 arrives at Santorini at 7:45pm, 15 min earlier than the ferry.

Furthermore, the Aegean website is showing flight A3 358 departing Athens at 12:40pm on 30 Aug, nearly 3½ hours after your scheduled 9:15am arrival. You should have plenty of time to make that connection. Unfortunately they seem to have sold out the €19 seats.

Sorry, I got the flight numbers turned around. Flight A3 356 departs Athens at 1240, and flight A3 358 at 1900. :-)

Hi
Brotherleelove & Heimdall, thanks again.
Heimdall, I was going to get tickets for the 7:00PM flight to Santorini for 10 EUR each but it looks like I'm too late. They are all listed at 102 EUR now.
Is there any left luggage service in Athens downtown and Piraeus where we can keep our bags while we wander?
Thanks.

If you take the Metro into Athens to the Monastiraki Metro Station there are some storage lockers there.

Yes, that would be your best bet for left luggage. Then you can take the metro straight to Piraeus for your afternoon ferry.

BTW, I missed out on the €19 tickets to Santorini too. :-<

Hallo,
I am planning also a flight from Athens to Santorini. I would like to ask you which flight company offers air ticket from Athens to Santorini for 38euros/person? It would be great to travel for this price. Thanks a lot. Luke from Prague