Getting from Santorini to Volos

If you are heading to Volos from Santorini you are making your way to one of the most underrated cities in Greece. Volos sits on the Pagasetic Gulf at the foot of the Pelion peninsula in Thessaly, a proper working city with a long waterfront lined with ouzo bars and seafood restaurants, a lively university population and a position that makes it one of the best bases on the Greek mainland. The Pelion peninsula behind it is extraordinary, a mountain range of beech forests and traditional stone villages dropping down to some of the finest beaches on the Aegean coast. Volos is also the departure port for ferries to Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos in the Sporades, so it sits at the start of one of the best island-hopping routes in Greece.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Santorini to Volos. Volos is a mainland port connected to the Sporades rather than the Cyclades, and the two are not linked by sea. Getting there by ferry means taking the ferry from Santorini to Piraeus and then travelling by road or rail north to Volos, which takes around 3.5 to 4 hours from Athens.

What about flying?

Volos has its own small airport at Nea Anchialos but connections are extremely limited and there are no practical routes from Santorini via this airport. The realistic approach is to fly from Santorini to Athens and then travel by train or road to Volos. The train from Athens Larissa station to Volos takes around 3.5 hours. Total journey time from Santorini is around 6 to 7 hours.

Your best option

Fly to Athens and take the train to Volos. The train journey through Thessaly is a good one and drops you close to the centre of the city. If you want more flexibility for exploring the Pelion peninsula, fly to Athens and drive instead, which takes a similar amount of time but gives you a car when you arrive.