Getting from Chios to Lefkada

If you are heading to Lefkada from Chios you are making your way from one of the most overlooked islands in the northeastern Aegean to an island in the Ionian Sea connected to the mainland by a causeway, on the opposite side of Greece. It has some of the finest beaches in Europe on its west coast with sheer white limestone cliffs dropping to turquoise water.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Chios to Lefkada. Lefkada has no main ferry port as it is linked to the mainland by a floating bridge. 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 driving or taking the KTEL bus northwest to Lefkada, which takes around 5 hours from Athens via the E65 motorway. The total journey takes the better part of two days.

Getting there by air

Lefkada has no airport. The nearest airport is Preveza, around 22 kilometres from Lefkada Town, but it has no domestic connection from Athens. Chios has its own airport with daily connections from Athens. Flying from Chios to Athens and then driving or taking the KTEL bus to Lefkada gives a total journey time of around 7 to 8 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly from Chios to Athens and drive or take the KTEL bus northwest to Lefkada via the E65 motorway. It is the most practical approach. If you are traveling with a car, take the overnight ferry from Chios to Piraeus and drive northwest to Lefkada, which takes around 5 hours from Athens.