Getting from Symi to Zakynthos

If you are heading to Zakynthos from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to one of the most beautiful of the Ionian islands, on the opposite side of Greece. It has Navagio Beach, the shipwreck cove with towering white cliffs and turquoise water that is one of the most photographed places in the Mediterranean.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Zakynthos. No Dodecanese island is connected by sea to any Ionian island. 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 either flying to Zakynthos or driving to Kyllini on the northwestern Peloponnese coast for the ferry to Zakynthos, which takes around 1 hour 15 minutes and runs frequently.

Getting there by air

Zakynthos has an international airport with 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 Zakynthos takes around 50 to 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 Zakynthos. 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 to Kyllini for the ferry across to Zakynthos.