Getting from Symi to Katerini

If you are heading to Katerini from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to a city at the foot of Mount Olympus on the Pierian coast of northern Greece, with the mountain rising steeply behind it and the beaches of the Pieria coast below.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Katerini. Katerini is a mainland city with no ferry connection. 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 Thessaloniki, followed by a bus or drive south to Katerini, which takes around 1 hour. Alternatively take the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry in reverse and drive north via the E75 motorway to Katerini.

Getting there by air

Katerini has no airport. The nearest airport is Thessaloniki, around 70 kilometres to the north. 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 Thessaloniki, followed by a bus or drive south to Katerini, gives a total journey time of around 6 to 7 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 Thessaloniki and take the KTEL bus or drive south to Katerini. It is the fastest and most practical approach. 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 north via the E75 motorway to Katerini.