Getting from Elafonisos to Tinos

If you are heading to Tinos from Elafonisos you are making your way from a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast to an island in the central Cyclades, on the opposite side of Greece. It has the most venerated pilgrimage church in Greece and a tradition of extraordinary marble craftsmanship in its interior villages.

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 Tinos means taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta and then driving north to Athens and either taking the ferry from Rafina to Tinos, which runs up to 12 times daily in summer and takes around 2 hours, or driving to Piraeus for the conventional Piraeus to Tinos ferry. Rafina is around 25 kilometres from Athens Airport making it a convenient connection without crossing the city.

Getting there by air

Tinos has no airport. The nearest airport is Mykonos. 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 Mykonos, followed by the short ferry from Mykonos to Tinos taking around 30 minutes, gives a total journey time of around 7 to 8 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta, drive north to Athens and take the ferry from Rafina to Tinos. Rafina is a short taxi ride from Athens Airport and avoids crossing the city to Piraeus entirely. Having a car is essential for the Pounta to Athens leg as the KTEL bus connection is slow and infrequent. If you are traveling with a car, drive to Piraeus for the conventional Piraeus to Tinos ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to the port.