Getting from Symi to Alexandroupoli

If you are heading to Alexandroupoli from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to the far northeastern corner of Greece, a city on the Thracian coast close to the Turkish border and the gateway to Samothrace, on the opposite side of the country.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Alexandroupoli. Getting there means taking the ferry from Symi to Rhodes, which takes around 50 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes and runs multiple times daily, and then flying from Rhodes to Athens and then Athens to Alexandroupoli. Alternatively take the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry in reverse and drive northeast via the E75 and Egnatia motorways to Alexandroupoli, which takes around 8 to 9 hours from Athens.

Getting there by air

Alexandroupoli has its own airport with connections from Athens. Symi has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Taking the ferry from Symi to Rhodes, flying from Rhodes to Athens and then Athens to Alexandroupoli takes around 1 hour 10 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

Take the ferry from Symi to Rhodes and fly from Rhodes to Athens, then fly from Athens to Alexandroupoli. It is the fastest and most practical approach. If you are planning to visit Samothrace from Alexandroupoli, ferries depart daily in summer and take around 1 hour 45 minutes. Note that Symi is car-free so if you are traveling with a car it would already be in Rhodes, from where you can board the overnight Piraeus ferry in reverse and drive northeast via the Egnatia motorway to Alexandroupoli.