Getting from Tilos to Karpathos

If you are heading to Karpathos from Tilos you are making your way from a volcanic island in the southern Dodecanese to a long mountainous island in the same group, to the southeast. 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 a ferry connection from Tilos to Karpathos via Rhodes on the Blue Star and Dodekanisos Seaways routes. Getting there means taking the ferry from Tilos to Rhodes, which takes around 1 hour 10 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes and runs 4 to 7 days per week, and then boarding the Rhodes to Karpathos ferry, which runs several times a week and takes around 3 to 4 hours. This keeps the journey entirely within the Dodecanese network and avoids Athens entirely.

Getting there by air

Karpathos has its own airport with daily connections from Athens. Tilos has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Taking the ferry from Tilos to Rhodes and then flying from Rhodes to Karpathos gives a total journey time of around 3 to 4 hours and keeps the journey within the Dodecanese entirely. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Tilos to Rhodes and then fly or take the ferry across to Karpathos. Both options keep the journey within the Dodecanese and avoid Athens entirely. Check the Tilos to Rhodes schedule before booking as departure days and times vary by season. If you are traveling with a car, the Rhodes to Karpathos ferry takes your vehicle directly to the island.