Getting from Chios to Hydra

If you are heading to Hydra from Chios you are making your way from one of the most overlooked islands in the northeastern Aegean to one of the most immediately compelling islands in Greece, a car-free island in the Saronic Gulf with elegant stone mansions, exceptionally clear water and a quality of silence unlike anywhere else within easy reach of Athens.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Chios to Hydra. Getting there by sea means taking the overnight Chios to Piraeus ferry, which runs around 3 times a week and takes around 9 hours, and then boarding the Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra, which takes around 1 hour 5 minutes to 2 hours with up to 12 daily crossings year-round. Alternatively fly from Chios to Athens and take the Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra.

Getting there by air

Hydra has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Chios has its own airport with daily connections from Athens. Flying from Chios to Athens and then taking the Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra gives a total journey time of around 4 to 5 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly from Chios to Athens and take the Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra. The arrival into Hydra port, with the mansions rising above the waterfront and the donkeys waiting on the quayside, is one of the best in Greece. Note that Hydra is car-free so no vehicles can be taken to the island.