Getting from Dokos to Kalamata

If you are heading to Kalamata from Dokos you are making your way from an uninhabited rocky island in the Saronic Gulf to the capital of Messenia in the southern Peloponnese, on the opposite side of Greece. It has a renovated waterfront, good food and easy access to the Mani peninsula and the Byzantine ruins of Mystras.

Take the ferry

There are no scheduled ferries from Dokos. Dokos has no ferry service and is accessible only by water taxi from Hydra, Spetses or Ermioni, with the crossing from Hydra taking around 30 minutes. Getting to Kalamata means arranging a water taxi from Dokos to Hydra, taking the Saronic ferry from Hydra to Piraeus, which takes around 1 hour 5 minutes to 2 hours, and then either flying to Kalamata or driving south through the Peloponnese, which takes around 2.5 to 3 hours from Athens via Corinth and Tripoli.

Getting there by air

Kalamata has an international airport with connections from Athens. Dokos has no airport. Taking the water taxi from Dokos to Hydra, the Saronic ferry to Piraeus and flying from Athens to Kalamata takes around 55 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Arrange a water taxi from Dokos to Hydra before leaving the island, take the Saronic ferry to Piraeus and fly from Athens to Kalamata. It is the fastest and most practical approach. Pre-arrange your water taxi departure as you cannot hail a boat once you are on Dokos. The KTEL bus from Athens Kifissos terminal to Kalamata runs several times daily and takes around 3 hours, which is a good alternative if you prefer not to fly the second leg.