Getting from Chios to Kea

If you are heading to Kea from Chios you are making your way from one of the most overlooked islands in the northeastern Aegean to the closest Cycladic island to Athens, on the opposite side of Greece. It has good beaches, a quiet Chora and an ancient stone lion carved into the hillside that is one of the more unusual monuments in the Cyclades.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Chios to Kea. Kea is served exclusively from Lavrio on the southeastern Attica coast, around 30 minutes from Athens Airport. 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 traveling to Lavrio for the ferry to Kea, which takes around 1 hour and runs up to 7 times daily in summer. Alternatively fly from Chios to Athens and take a taxi to Lavrio for the ferry.

Getting there by air

Kea has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens International, around 30 kilometres from Lavrio. Chios has its own airport with daily connections from Athens. Flying from Chios to Athens and then taking a taxi to Lavrio for the ferry to Kea 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 a taxi to Lavrio for the ferry across to Kea. The proximity of Lavrio to Athens Airport makes it one of the most convenient island connections from the airport in Greece. If you are traveling with a car, take the overnight ferry from Chios to Piraeus and drive to Lavrio for the ferry across to Kea.