Getting from Volos to Hydra

If you are heading to Hydra from Volos you are making your way from a city on the Pagasetic Gulf at the foot of the Pelion peninsula 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.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Volos to Hydra. Getting there means driving from Volos to Piraeus, which takes around 3 to 3.5 hours via the E75 motorway, and then boarding 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. It is a straightforward two-step connection with Piraeus serving as the natural hub.

Getting there by air

Hydra has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Volos has a small airport at Nea Anchialos with limited connections from Athens. Driving from Volos to Piraeus and boarding the Saronic ferry to Hydra gives a total journey time of around 4 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Drive from Volos to Piraeus and board the Saronic ferry 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. The drive from Volos to Piraeus takes around 3 to 3.5 hours via the E75 motorway. Note that Hydra is car-free so no vehicles can be taken to the island. If you are traveling with a car, leave it in Piraeus or at a nearby garage.