Getting from Elafonisos to Syros

If you are heading to Syros from Elafonisos you are making your way from a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast to the capital of the Cyclades, on the opposite side of Greece. It has a neoclassical port city of grand mansions and an opera house modelled on La Scala that is one of the most distinctive urban environments in the Greek islands.

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 Syros means taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta, driving north to Piraeus and boarding the Piraeus to Syros ferry, which runs up to 6 daily crossings in summer and takes around 2 hours on the fast boat. The drive from Pounta to Piraeus takes around 3.5 to 4 hours via Tripoli and Corinth.

Getting there by air

Syros has a small domestic airport with limited connections from Athens. Elafonisos has no airport. Taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta, driving north to Piraeus and boarding the Piraeus to Syros ferry gives a total journey time of around 6 to 7 hours. Flights to Syros are limited so the ferry from Piraeus is the more practical option after reaching Athens. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta, drive north to Piraeus and board the Piraeus to Syros ferry. At around 2 hours on the fast boat it is one of the quickest Cyclades connections from Athens. Having a car is helpful for the Pounta to Piraeus leg as the KTEL bus connection is slow and infrequent. If you are traveling with a car, the conventional ferry from Piraeus takes your vehicle directly to Ermoupolis port.