Getting from Antikythera to Karpathos

If you are heading to Karpathos from Antikythera you are making your way from one of the most remote islands in 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 Antikythera to Karpathos. Antikythera's ferry connections are limited to Kythira, Piraeus, Kissamos in Crete and occasional ports on the southern Peloponnese. Getting to Karpathos means taking the ferry from Antikythera to Piraeus, which takes around 9 hours, and then boarding 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. Antikythera has no airport, only a helipad. Taking the ferry from Antikythera to Kythira, flying to Athens and then Athens to Karpathos takes around 1 hour 15 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

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