Getting from Chania to Karpathos

If you are heading to Karpathos from Chania you are making your way from the most intimate of Crete's three main cities to a long mountainous island in the southern Dodecanese, relatively close in geographic terms given that Karpathos sits just northeast of eastern Crete. 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 a seasonal direct ferry from Chania to Karpathos running in summer on the wider Blue Star route that connects Crete with the southern Dodecanese. The service runs a limited number of times per week and takes several hours with stops along the way. It is one of the more natural sea connections between Crete and the southern Dodecanese and avoids going through Athens entirely. Alternatively take the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus and then the Piraeus to Karpathos ferry, which runs around 3 times a week and takes around 13 to 20 hours.

Getting there by air

Karpathos has its own airport with daily connections from Athens. Chania has an international airport with connections from Athens. Flying from Chania to Athens and then Athens to Karpathos takes around 1 hour 15 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 4 to 5 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly from Chania to Athens and then fly to Karpathos. It is the fastest and most practical approach. If you prefer to travel by sea, check whether the seasonal direct ferry from Chania aligns with your dates as it avoids Athens entirely. If you are traveling with a car, take the overnight ferry from Chania 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.