Getting from Volos to Karpathos

If you are heading to Karpathos from Volos you are making your way from a city on the Pagasetic Gulf at the foot of the Pelion peninsula to a long mountainous island in the southern Dodecanese, on the opposite side of Greece. 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 no direct ferry from Volos to Karpathos. 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 Piraeus to Karpathos ferry, which runs around 3 times a week and takes around 13 to 20 hours. Flying is considerably more practical for most travelers.

Getting there by air

Karpathos has its own airport with daily connections from Athens. Volos has a small airport at Nea Anchialos with limited connections from Athens. Driving from Volos to Athens and flying from Athens to Karpathos takes around 1 hour 15 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 4 to 5 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Drive from Volos to Athens and fly from Athens to Karpathos. It is the fastest and most practical approach. If you are traveling with a car, drive to Piraeus for the Piraeus to Karpathos ferry, which takes your vehicle and arrives in around 13 to 20 hours depending on the route.