Getting from Symi to Chania

If you are heading to Chania from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to the most intimate of Crete's three main cities, with a Venetian old town of narrow lanes, a fortress above the sea and a long sandy beach running east from the town centre.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Chania. Getting there by sea 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 boarding the overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry in reverse via Rhodes, or flying from Rhodes to Athens and then Athens to Chania. Flying is considerably more practical for most travelers.

Getting there by air

Chania has an international airport with daily 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 Chania takes around 50 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 Chania. It is the fastest and most practical approach. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Symi to Rhodes and board the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry in reverse, arriving at Piraeus and then boarding the overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to western Crete and arrives in the morning ready to go.