Getting from Symi to Schinoussa

If you are heading to Schinoussa from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to one of the Small Cyclades, on the opposite side of the Aegean. It has more than 18 beaches scattered around a coastline that you can walk across in an afternoon.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Schinoussa. 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 Rhodes ferry in reverse, arriving at Piraeus and then boarding the direct Piraeus to Schinoussa ferry, which runs around 3 times a week and takes around 7 to 9 hours. Alternatively fly from Rhodes to Athens and then Athens to Naxos and take the local Express Skopelitis ferry to Schinoussa, which takes around 2 hours and runs almost daily in summer.

Getting there by air

Schinoussa has no airport. The nearest airport is Naxos. 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 Naxos, followed by the local ferry to Schinoussa, 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 Naxos and take the local Express Skopelitis across to Schinoussa. It is the most practical approach. Give yourself at least two nights on Schinoussa and come with everything you need as facilities on the island are limited. 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 then board the conventional Piraeus to Schinoussa ferry.