Getting from Thessaloniki to Arki

If you are heading to Arki from Thessaloniki you are making your way from the second largest city in Greece to one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Dodecanese, between Patmos and Lipsi in the northern Dodecanese, on the opposite side of the country. It has no cars, no proper roads and an atmosphere of complete isolation.

Getting there by air

Arki has no airport. The nearest airports are Leros and Kos. Thessaloniki has an international airport with daily connections to Athens. Flying from Thessaloniki to Athens and then Athens to Leros, followed by the local ferry to Arki via Lipsi, which runs a few times a week in summer and takes around 1 to 2 hours, gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Take the train, bus or drive

Thessaloniki is connected to Athens by train, taking around 4 to 5 hours, and by KTEL bus, taking around 5 to 6 hours. From Athens the overnight Piraeus to Leros ferry runs 3 to 5 times a week, followed by the local ferry to Arki. Flying from Thessaloniki is considerably more practical than the combined train and ferry journey for most travelers.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Thessaloniki to Arki. Getting there by sea means traveling to Piraeus for the overnight ferry through the Dodecanese network to Arki.

Your best option

Fly from Thessaloniki to Athens and then fly from Athens to Leros, then take the local ferry across to Arki. Check the schedule carefully as connections to Arki run only a few times a week in summer. Come entirely self-sufficient as the island has almost no facilities and the isolation is the whole point of being there. Note that no cars are permitted on Arki itself.