Getting from Athens to Kasos

If you are heading to Kasos from Athens you are going somewhere that almost nobody outside Greece has heard of, which is a large part of its appeal. Kasos is the southernmost island in the Dodecanese, a small rocky place of around 1,000 permanent residents sitting between Karpathos and Crete, with a maritime history that produced some of Greece's most celebrated sea captains. The harbour village of Fry is quiet and unpretentious, the beaches are uncrowded and the island has an authenticity that comes from being almost entirely off the tourist circuit. People who make it to Kasos tend to feel they have found something genuinely their own.

Take the ferry

The Piraeus to Kasos ferry runs a few times a week year-round, taking around 12 hours. The overnight crossing is the practical approach if you want to travel by sea, arriving in the morning. Kasos is also connected by local ferry to Karpathos, Rhodes and the ports of Crete, making it a useful stop on a Dodecanese island hopping route.

Getting there by air

Kasos has its own small airport with domestic connections from Athens via Rhodes. The fastest overall route is to fly Athens to Rhodes and then Rhodes to Kasos, with total travel time around 3 to 4 hours. Check the schedule carefully as the Kasos service runs a limited number of times per week.

Your best option

Fly via Rhodes. It is the most practical approach for most travellers and considerably faster than the 12-hour overnight ferry from Piraeus. If you are island hopping through the Dodecanese and want to take it slowly, the ferry from Piraeus through the island chain is a genuinely good journey, but for most people flying is the right choice.