Getting from Symi to Volos

If you are heading to Volos from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to a city on the Pagasetic Gulf at the foot of the Pelion peninsula in Thessaly, on the opposite side of Greece. It is the departure point for ferries to the Sporades and has a long waterfront lined with ouzo bars and seafood restaurants.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Volos. 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 driving or taking the KTEL bus north to Volos, which takes around 3 to 3.5 hours from Athens via the E75 motorway. Alternatively take the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry in reverse and drive north to Volos.

Getting there by air

Volos has a small airport at Nea Anchialos, around 20 kilometres from the city, with limited 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 driving or taking the KTEL bus north to Volos 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 drive or take the KTEL bus north to Volos via the E75 motorway. It is the 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 to Volos. From Volos you have direct ferry connections to Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos in the Sporades running daily in summer.