Getting from Symi to Patras

If you are heading to Patras from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to the third largest city in Greece on the southern shore of the Gulf of Corinth, the main gateway to the Ionian islands and western Europe.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Patras. 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 the KTEL bus or driving west to Patras, which takes around 2 to 2.5 hours from Athens via the E65 motorway. Alternatively take the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry in reverse and then drive or take the bus west to Patras.

Getting there by air

Patras has a small seasonal airport at Araxos, around 40 kilometres from the city, operating limited flights from May to October only. Symi has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Taking the ferry from Symi to Rhodes, flying from Rhodes to Athens and then taking the KTEL bus or driving west to Patras 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 the KTEL bus west to Patras. The bus from Athens Kifissos terminal runs frequently and takes around 2.5 to 3 hours. From Patras you have ferry connections to the Ionian islands and international connections to Italy. 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 west to Patras via the E65 motorway.