Getting from Thassos to Karpathos

If you are heading to Karpathos from Thassos you are making your way from the northernmost island in Greece to a long mountainous island in the southern Dodecanese, on the opposite side of the country. It has a strong local culture and the extraordinary village of Olympos in the north where centuries-old customs are still very much alive.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Thassos to Karpathos. Getting there means taking the ferry from Thassos to Kavala, which runs almost hourly in summer and takes around 1 hour 30 minutes, and then either flying from Kavala to Athens and then Athens to Karpathos, or driving to Piraeus for the Piraeus to Karpathos ferry, which runs around 3 times a week and takes around 13 to 20 hours. Flying is considerably more practical for most travelers.

Getting there by air

Karpathos has its own airport with daily connections from Athens. Thassos has no airport. The nearest airport is Kavala. Taking the ferry from Thassos to Kavala, flying from Kavala to Athens and then Athens to Karpathos takes around 1 hour 15 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 Thassos to Kavala and fly from Kavala to Athens, then fly from Athens to Karpathos. It is the fastest and most practical approach. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Thassos to Kavala and drive to Piraeus for the Piraeus to Karpathos ferry, which takes your vehicle and arrives in around 13 to 20 hours depending on the route.