Getting from Elafonisos to Igoumenitsa

If you are heading to Igoumenitsa from Elafonisos you are making your way from a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast to a port city on the Epirus coast in the far northwest of Greece, the main departure point for ferries to Corfu, Paxos and Italy.

Take the ferry

Elafonisos has no ferry connection to the wider Greek ferry network. The only ferry from Elafonisos is the short 10 minute crossing to Pounta on the southern Peloponnese, which runs every 30 minutes in summer. Getting to Igoumenitsa means taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta and then driving northwest through the Peloponnese via Tripoli, Corinth and Patras to Igoumenitsa, which takes around 5 to 6 hours from Pounta. This avoids Athens entirely and is a straightforward road journey across the western side of Greece.

Getting there by air

Igoumenitsa has no airport. The nearest airport is Ioannina, around 83 kilometres to the east. Elafonisos has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens, around 3.5 to 4 hours by car from Pounta. Taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta, driving north to Athens and flying from Athens to Ioannina, followed by a bus or taxi to Igoumenitsa, gives a total journey time of around 8 to 9 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta and drive northwest via Patras to Igoumenitsa. At around 5 to 6 hours from Pounta it avoids Athens entirely and is the most direct road approach. Having a car is essential for this route as the KTEL bus connection from Pounta is slow and infrequent. From Igoumenitsa you have direct ferry connections to Corfu, Paxos and Italy.