Getting from Astypalaia to Thessaloniki

If you are heading to Thessaloniki from Astypalaia you are making your way from a butterfly-shaped island between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese to the second largest city in Greece, in the north of the country. It has a waterfront that stretches for kilometres past the White Tower, exceptional food and a history shaped by Byzantine, Ottoman and modern Greek influences.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Astypalaia to Thessaloniki. Getting there by sea means taking the Piraeus to Thessaloniki Blue Star ferry, which runs 1 to 4 times a week and takes around 27 hours with multiple island stops. A more practical sea approach is to take the ferry from Astypalaia to Piraeus, which runs around 5 times a week and takes around 8 to 12 hours, and then take the train or bus to Thessaloniki from Athens, which takes around 4 to 5 hours.

Getting there by air

Thessaloniki has an international airport with daily connections from Athens. Astypalaia has its own small airport with connections from Athens. Sky Express operates a direct Astypalaia to Thessaloniki service, which is the most practical single connection available. Flying via Athens gives the most frequent options with the Athens to Thessaloniki leg taking around 55 minutes. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights between most destinations.

Your best option

Fly directly from Astypalaia to Thessaloniki on the Sky Express service, or fly to Athens and connect to Thessaloniki from there. The direct service is the fastest approach at around 4 hours total. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Astypalaia to Piraeus and drive north via the E75 motorway to Thessaloniki, which takes around 5 to 6 hours from Athens.