Getting from Zakynthos to Karpathos

If you are heading to Karpathos from Zakynthos you are making your way 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 Zakynthos to Karpathos. 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 Karpathos ferry, which runs around 3 times a week and takes around 13 to 20 hours. The total journey takes the better part of two days.

Getting there by air

Both Zakynthos and Karpathos have airports. Flying from Zakynthos to Athens and then Athens to Karpathos gives a total journey time of around 4 to 5 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights. Alternatively, fly to Rhodes and take the short ferry across to Karpathos, which takes around 3 to 4 hours and is a good option if the direct Karpathos flight does not align with your dates.

Your best option

Fly via Athens. It is the most practical approach. If you are travelling with a car, take the ferry from Zakynthos to Kyllini and drive to Piraeus for the overnight ferry to Karpathos.