Getting from Volos to Ios

If you are heading to Ios from Volos you are making your way from a city on the Pagasetic Gulf at the foot of the Pelion peninsula to an island in the southern Cyclades, on the opposite side of the Aegean. It has some of the finest beaches in the Cyclades on its south coast and a Chora above the port that comes alive in the evening.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Volos to Ios. Volos is the main departure point for the Sporades group and has no connection to the Cyclades 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 Piraeus to Ios ferry, which runs multiple times daily in summer and takes around 4 to 7 hours. Alternatively drive to Athens and fly to Santorini and take the short ferry from Santorini to Ios, which takes around 35 minutes.

Getting there by air

Ios has no airport. The nearest airport is Santorini. Volos has a small airport at Nea Anchialos with limited connections from Athens. Driving from Volos to Athens and flying from Athens to Santorini, followed by the short ferry to Ios, 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 Santorini, then take the short ferry across to Ios. It is the most practical approach. If you are traveling with a car, drive to Piraeus for the conventional Piraeus to Ios ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to the island.