Getting from Symi to Thessaloniki

If you are heading to Thessaloniki from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to the second largest city in Greece, on the opposite side of the country. It has a waterfront that stretches for kilometres past the White Tower, exceptional food and a history shaped by Byzantine, Ottoman and modern Greek influences.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Thessaloniki. 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, or taking the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry in reverse and driving north via the E75 motorway to Thessaloniki, which takes around 5 to 6 hours from Athens.

Getting there by air

Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki takes around 55 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 Thessaloniki. 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 Thessaloniki.