Getting from Zakynthos to Ikaria

If you are heading to Ikaria from Zakynthos you are making your way to one of the world's Blue Zones, a mountainous island in the northeastern Aegean where people live measurably longer than almost anywhere else on earth and the local explanation tends to involve sleeping late, eating well and ignoring schedules.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Zakynthos to Ikaria. No Ionian island is connected by sea to any Aegean island. Getting there by sea means taking the ferry from Zakynthos to Kyllini and then travelling by road to Piraeus for the Piraeus to Ikaria ferry, which runs around 3 to 5 times a week and takes around 7 to 11 hours. The total journey takes the better part of two days.

Getting there by air

Both Zakynthos and Ikaria have airports. Sky Express operates a direct seasonal service between the two islands around 4 times a week, with the flight taking around 1 hour 15 minutes via Athens. This is the most practical approach by a significant margin. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights and all connections go via Athens.

Your best option

Fly via Athens. At around 4 hours total it is the only realistic approach for most travellers. If you are travelling with a car, take the ferry from Zakynthos to Kyllini and drive to Piraeus for the overnight ferry to Ikaria. Build flexibility into your plans once you arrive. Ikaria runs on its own schedule and that is entirely the point.