Getting from Syros to Hydra

If you are heading to Hydra from Syros you are making your way from the capital of the Cyclades to one of the most immediately compelling islands in Greece, a car-free island in the Saronic Gulf with elegant stone mansions, exceptionally clear water and a quality of silence unlike anywhere else within easy reach of Athens.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Syros to Hydra. Getting there 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 Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra, which takes around 1 hour 5 minutes to 2 hours with up to 12 daily crossings year-round. It is a straightforward two-step connection with Piraeus serving as the natural hub between the two islands.

Getting there by air

Hydra has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Syros has a small domestic airport with limited connections from Athens. Taking the ferry from Syros to Piraeus and then boarding the Saronic ferry to Hydra gives a total journey time of around 4 to 5 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Syros to Piraeus and board the Saronic ferry to Hydra. The arrival into Hydra port with the mansions rising above the waterfront and the donkeys waiting on the quayside is one of the best in Greece. Plan your Syros departure around the Hydra ferry schedule to avoid a long wait at Piraeus. Note that Hydra is car-free so no vehicles can be taken to the island.