Getting from Volos to Halki

If you are heading to Halki from Volos you are making your way from a city on the Pagasetic Gulf at the foot of the Pelion peninsula to a car-free island just off the western coast of Rhodes in the Dodecanese group, on the opposite side of Greece. It has neoclassical sponge merchant mansions around a horseshoe harbour and a pace of life that is as slow as it gets in Greece.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Volos to Halki. Volos is the main departure point for the Sporades group and has no connection to the Dodecanese ferry network. Getting there by sea means driving from Volos to Piraeus, which takes around 3 to 3.5 hours via the E75 motorway, and then boarding the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry, followed by the local ferry from Rhodes to Halki taking around 1.5 to 2 hours. Flying is considerably more practical for most travelers.

Getting there by air

Halki has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Volos has a small airport at Nea Anchialos with limited connections from Athens. Driving from Volos to Athens and flying from Athens to Rhodes, followed by the local ferry from Rhodes to Halki, gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Drive from Volos to Athens and fly from Athens to Rhodes, then take the local ferry across to Halki. It is the most practical approach. Give yourself at least two nights on Halki. The island is small enough to walk across in an afternoon and the pace of life rewards those who stay long enough to settle into it. Note that Halki is car-free so your vehicle would remain in Rhodes.