Getting from Alexandroupoli to Karpathos

If you are heading to Karpathos from Alexandroupoli you are making your way from the far northeastern corner of Greece to a long mountainous island in the southern Dodecanese, on the opposite side of the country. It has a strong local culture and the extraordinary village of Olympos in the north where centuries-old customs are still very much alive.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Alexandroupoli to Karpathos. Alexandroupoli's ferry connections are limited to Samothrace, Lemnos, Agios Efstratios and Lavrio. Getting to Karpathos by sea means flying to Athens first and then taking the Piraeus to Karpathos ferry, which runs around 3 times a week and takes around 13 to 20 hours. Flying is considerably more practical for most travelers.

Getting there by air

Karpathos has its own airport with daily connections from Athens. Flying from Alexandroupoli to Athens and then Athens to Karpathos takes around 1 hour 15 minutes on the second leg. Total travel time door to door is around 4 to 5 hours. Alternatively, fly to Rhodes and take the local ferry from Rhodes to Karpathos, which takes around 3 to 4 hours.

Your best option

Fly from Alexandroupoli to Athens and then fly to Karpathos. It is the fastest and most practical approach. If you are traveling with a car, drive from Alexandroupoli to Piraeus and board the overnight Piraeus to Karpathos ferry, which takes your vehicle and arrives in around 13 to 20 hours depending on the route.