Getting from Thassos to Patras

If you are heading to Patras from Thassos you are making your way from the northernmost island in Greece to the third largest city in Greece on the southern shore of the Gulf of Corinth, the main gateway to the Ionian islands and western Europe.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Thassos to Patras. 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 driving west via the Egnatia motorway and Ioannina to Patras, which takes around 5.5 to 6 hours from Kavala and avoids Athens entirely, or flying from Kavala to Athens and taking the KTEL bus or driving west to Patras, which takes around 2 to 2.5 hours from Athens via the E65 motorway.

Getting there by air

Patras has a small seasonal airport at Araxos, around 40 kilometres from the city, operating limited flights from May to October only. Thassos has no airport. The nearest airport is Kavala. Taking the ferry from Thassos to Kavala, flying from Kavala to Athens and then taking the KTEL bus or driving west to Patras 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 Thassos to Kavala and drive west via the Egnatia motorway and Ioannina to Patras. At around 7 to 7.5 hours total it avoids Athens entirely and keeps the journey on some of the finest driving roads in northern and western Greece. If you prefer not to drive the full distance, fly from Kavala to Athens and take the KTEL bus west to Patras. From Patras you have ferry connections to the Ionian islands and international connections to Italy.