Getting from Crete to Samos

If you are heading to Samos from Crete you are going to one of the most beautiful and most underrated islands in the Aegean, a green and mountainous island close to the Turkish coast with wine production dating back to antiquity, the UNESCO-listed Heraion sanctuary and a working port atmosphere at Vathy that feels nothing like the Cyclades.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Crete to Samos. The connection goes via Piraeus, with the ferry from Piraeus to Samos taking around 8 to 13 hours. Getting to Piraeus from Crete means taking the overnight ferry from Heraklion, making the total journey by sea the better part of two days. Flying is the only realistic option for most travellers.

Getting there by air

Both Crete and Samos have airports. Flying from Crete to Athens takes around 50 minutes and then Athens to Samos takes around 50 minutes, giving a total journey time of around 3 to 4 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly to Samos via Athens. It is the only realistic approach and the connection is straightforward. Samos has two ports, Vathy in the northeast and Karlovassi in the northwest, so check which part of the island you are heading to before arranging onward transport from the airport.