Ferries from Pireaus or Raffina
May 12th, 2007, 06:25 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ferries from Pireaus or Raffina
On Friday, June 29th, my husband and I will be traveling from Athens to Paros. We want to travel on a highspeed ferry or catamaran so we can keep the travel time down. Is there any benefit to leaving from Pireaus or Raffina? Is it just the schedule? I see they both have ferries around 7am. How long will it take to get to the ferry from Athens? Should we buy our tickets before we arrive in Greece?
We will then be traveling from Paros-Santorini on Sunday July 1.
Any info or helpful tips about the ferries would be greatly appreciated. You've already helped us enormously in the rest of our planning!
Thanks.
We will then be traveling from Paros-Santorini on Sunday July 1.
Any info or helpful tips about the ferries would be greatly appreciated. You've already helped us enormously in the rest of our planning!
Thanks.
May 12th, 2007, 06:44 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,672
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For Paros, your best alternative is Piraeus, IMO. Both ports have highspeeds, but from Piraeus you have a non-stop service to Paros with Hellenic Seaways Highspeed 2 & 3, taking about three hours. On 29 Jun Highspeed 3 sails at 0725, and Highspeed 2 at 1715.
From Athens you can take the metro/train to Piraeus, which stops near the Cyclades ferry docks. Were in me, I would buy my tickets when arriving in Athens. In the unlikely event Highspeed 3 is fully booked, the Blue Star leaves about the same time, and takes only an hour longer to reach Paros. Many people prefer Blue Star, because you can sit on the deck as the ship sails through the Aegean.
From Athens you can take the metro/train to Piraeus, which stops near the Cyclades ferry docks. Were in me, I would buy my tickets when arriving in Athens. In the unlikely event Highspeed 3 is fully booked, the Blue Star leaves about the same time, and takes only an hour longer to reach Paros. Many people prefer Blue Star, because you can sit on the deck as the ship sails through the Aegean.
May 16th, 2007, 03:42 PM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks so much. You've been so helpful. I was looking at the schedule to see if there is a highspeed in the afternoon from Piraeus to Paros. I don't seem to see it but I don't trust myself either. We were thinking of leaving Athens Thursday afternoon instead of so early Friday. WE thought we would take in the Acropolis and then head to Piraeus for the ferry.
What do you think?
What do you think?
May 17th, 2007, 12:08 AM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,672
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hazelnut, according to gtp.gr, another highspeed leaves Piraeus at 5:15pm on 29 Jun: http://tinyurl.com/3blq3s. There is also a highspeed leaving Rafina a little earlier, at 4:30pm: http://tinyurl.com/336pj4. Although the Rafina ferry leaves earlier, it takes longer to get to Paros, because the Piraeus ferry is non-stop.
Regarding your other question on the Paros-Santorini ferry, if you want to take the FlyingCat4 catamaran it may be a good idea to book your tickets in advance. You are getting into the busy season, and FlyingCat4 is a smaller ferry, so there is a greater chance it will be sold out. You can book directly with the Hellenic Seaways website: http://www.hellenicseaways.gr/index.asp?a_id=209. BTW, if you do book FlyingCat4, you may as well go ahead and book your Piraeus-Paros tickets at the same time (as long as you have decided which ferry you want).
Antoher alternative for your Paros-Santorini segment would be Blue Star Paros. It sails daily from Paros at 11:45am, and arrives Santorini at 3:20pm. It is slower than FlyingCat4, but you can sit on the deck and take in the spectacular views as you approach Santorini. See http://tinyurl.com/y4gsfk (click on the 11/06/07-11/09/07 timetable at the top of the screen).
Regarding your other question on the Paros-Santorini ferry, if you want to take the FlyingCat4 catamaran it may be a good idea to book your tickets in advance. You are getting into the busy season, and FlyingCat4 is a smaller ferry, so there is a greater chance it will be sold out. You can book directly with the Hellenic Seaways website: http://www.hellenicseaways.gr/index.asp?a_id=209. BTW, if you do book FlyingCat4, you may as well go ahead and book your Piraeus-Paros tickets at the same time (as long as you have decided which ferry you want).
Antoher alternative for your Paros-Santorini segment would be Blue Star Paros. It sails daily from Paros at 11:45am, and arrives Santorini at 3:20pm. It is slower than FlyingCat4, but you can sit on the deck and take in the spectacular views as you approach Santorini. See http://tinyurl.com/y4gsfk (click on the 11/06/07-11/09/07 timetable at the top of the screen).
May 17th, 2007, 01:08 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,672
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Having given it some thought, I feel it would be a good idea to book your Fri 29 Jun ferry in advance, especially if you decide to take the 5:15pm highspeed. These are large ships, holding about 700 foot passengers, but Friday afternoon is when many Athenians would be thinking about getting away to the islands for the weekend. Perhaps in this case it would be best to err on the side of caution.
Jun 14th, 2007, 06:47 PM
#7
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Anyone know about ferries to Paros departing from LAVRIO, ATTIKI? We fly into Athens on Friday 6/22 and we see there is a ferry to Paros departing from Lavrio. How hard would it be to get to this place from the Athens airport? Thanks!
Jun 17th, 2007, 12:32 AM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,672
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nlouise, Lavrio is not far from the airport, but you will probably need a taxi to get there, since as far as I know there aren't any buses directly linking the two. Lavrio also has the new AirSea Lines seaplane service to Paros.
Depending upon your arrival time at Athens Airport, the 1500 sailing looks like a very good choice, reaching Paros at 1730, quicker even than the highspeeds out of Rafina and Piraeus. Whatever you do, don't take the 0800 ferry, though. If you decide to go out of Lavrio, please give us some feedback at the end of your trip.
Depending upon your arrival time at Athens Airport, the 1500 sailing looks like a very good choice, reaching Paros at 1730, quicker even than the highspeeds out of Rafina and Piraeus. Whatever you do, don't take the 0800 ferry, though. If you decide to go out of Lavrio, please give us some feedback at the end of your trip.
