Getting from Thessaloniki to Hydra

If you are heading to Hydra from Thessaloniki you are making your way from the second largest city in Greece 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.

Getting there by air

Hydra has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Thessaloniki has an international airport with daily connections to Athens. Flying from Thessaloniki to Athens and then taking 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, gives a total journey time of around 4 to 5 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 Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra runs up to 12 times daily. The drive from Thessaloniki to Piraeus takes around 5 to 6 hours via the E75 motorway.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Thessaloniki to Hydra. Getting there means traveling to Athens and then taking the Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra.

Your best option

Fly from Thessaloniki to Athens and take the Saronic ferry from Piraeus 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. It is the most practical approach at around 4 to 5 hours total. Note that Hydra is car-free so no vehicles can be taken to the island. If you are traveling with a car, drive from Thessaloniki to Piraeus via the E75 motorway and leave your car there before boarding the Saronic ferry to Hydra.