Getting from Syros to Halki

If you are heading to Halki from Syros you are making your way from the capital of the Cyclades to a car-free island just off the western coast of Rhodes in the Dodecanese group, on the opposite side of the Aegean. It has neoclassical sponge merchant mansions around a horseshoe harbour and a pace of life that is as slow as it gets in Greece.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Syros to Halki. Getting there by sea means taking the ferry from Syros to Piraeus, which runs up to 6 daily crossings in summer and takes around 2 hours on the fast boat, and then boarding the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry, followed by the local ferry from Rhodes to Halki taking around 1.5 to 2 hours and running several times a week. Flying is considerably more practical for most travelers.

Getting there by air

Halki has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Syros has a small domestic airport with limited connections from Athens. Taking the ferry from Syros to Piraeus and flying from Athens to Rhodes, followed by the local ferry from Rhodes to Halki, 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 Syros to Piraeus and fly from Athens to Rhodes, then take the local ferry across to Halki. It is the most practical approach. Give yourself at least two nights on Halki. The island is small enough to walk across in an afternoon and the pace of life rewards those who stay long enough to settle into it. Note that Halki is car-free so your vehicle would remain in Rhodes. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Syros to Piraeus and board the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry and leave your car there.