HELP! Athens to Skala on Kefalonia!
 

Hey all, I am traveling from Athens to Kefalonia in one week and I am so confused about the logistics. Some web sites say that I can get the KTEL bus service from Athens to Kefalonia directly and some say that I can only take the KTEL bus from Athens to Kyllini and then a ferry boat to Poros nearby Skala. I would like to make the trip as fast as possible without having to take a plane. I am a bit confused and would really like some suggestions on the best ways to get from Athens to Kefalonia. I will be staying in Skala. Also, I am a female study abroad student traveling alone if that will change anyone's answer! Thank you very much! I am more confused after doing so much research!

Schedules for transport to Kefalonia are on www.kefalonia.net.gr. There are five buses a day from Athens to Kefalonia, using the ferries from Patra or Killini. The buses go on the ferry, though passengers must alight from the bus and board the ferry separately; when the ferry arrives at Poros or Sami, bus passengers rejoin the bus on the quayside.

thanks, geoff, for your hasty reply! also, would you happen to know if i can buy tickets and figure out the routes (if they are indirect) at the bus station or do i need to do it in advance? i looked onto the website you gave me for bus timetables but there is no direct route to kyllini or poros according to it. thanks again!

If you look at the times of buses from Athens on the Kefalonian web site, you can see buses from Athens to Poros. The others use either the Patra-Sami or Killini-Argostoli ferries.

Yes there are as has been mentioned KTEL buses going on the ferries, but you can also simply go to the port in your case Patras or Kylini using buses going to those ports from Athens, either way you buy the ferry tickets seperately. When I travelled from Patras to Sami (Kefalonia) there was an island bus waiting to take passengers to Argostoli. Also when I left Kefalonia the island bus from Argostoli connected with the ferry departure from Poros to Kylini.

Hence I suspect the confusion, there are two methods, In your case the 'bus on the ferry way' would be quickest.

If you are going to Kefalonia via Patra, it does not matter whether you get the regular half-hourly bus from Athens to Patra, or the through bus to Kefalonia.
However, if you're going via Killini, you need to get the through bus from Athens to Kefalonia because there are no other buses to Killini (it is a ferry terminal and nothing else). The only ferries to Poros go from Killini, so you need to get the bus which goes on the Killini-Poros ferry.

Thanks for your help! I feel a lot better and more educated on my options and am sure I will have a smooth transit!