Getting from Athens to Tilos

If you are heading to Tilos from Athens you are going to one of the most environmentally progressive islands in Greece and one of the quietest in the Dodecanese. Tilos was the first island in the Mediterranean to run entirely on renewable energy, powered by a combination of wind and solar with battery storage, and it takes that identity seriously. The island is green for the Dodecanese, with good walking trails connecting the main village of Livadia to the medieval hilltop village of Megalo Chorio and the beaches around the coast. It also has an unusual distinction in the fossil record: dwarf elephant bones from a species that survived here until remarkably recently were discovered in a cave on the island in the 1970s.

Take the ferry

The Piraeus to Tilos ferry runs a few times a week year-round, taking around 13 to 15 hours. It is a long crossing and most travellers fly to Rhodes and connect from there. Tilos is also connected to Rhodes and Kos by more frequent local ferry services, with the crossing from Rhodes taking around 2 to 3 hours and running several times a week.

Getting there by air

Tilos has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes, which has multiple daily connections from Athens taking around 1 hour. From Rhodes the local ferry to Tilos takes around 2 to 3 hours. Total travel time via Rhodes is around 4 to 5 hours.

Your best option

Fly to Rhodes and take the local ferry across to Tilos. It is the most time efficient approach and considerably faster than the direct Piraeus crossing. Check the Rhodes to Tilos schedule on Ferryhopper before booking your flights as the service does not run daily.