Getting from Symi to Andros

If you are heading to Andros from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to the northernmost island in the Cyclades, on the opposite side of the Aegean. It has neoclassical mansions, an art museum of genuinely international quality and a network of old footpaths connecting the villages.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Andros. Andros is served primarily from Rafina on the northeastern Attica coast. 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 taking a taxi to Rafina, around 25 kilometres from Athens Airport, for the ferry to Andros taking around 1 to 2 hours with up to 11 daily departures in summer. This avoids crossing the city to Piraeus entirely.

Getting there by air

Andros has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Symi has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Taking the ferry from Symi to Rhodes, flying from Rhodes to Athens and then taking a taxi to Rafina for the ferry to Andros gives a total journey time of 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 take a taxi to Rafina for the ferry across to Andros. Rafina is a short taxi ride from Athens Airport and avoids crossing the city to Piraeus entirely. 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 to Rafina for the ferry across to Andros.