Athens to Milos Ferry

Five ferry companies sail from Piraeus to Milos, with a boat every day of the year. The fastest option in summer 2026 was the Seajets Olympic Champion Jet, leaving Piraeus at 09:00 and reaching Adamas port in 2 h 10 min to 2 h 45 min depending on the month. The cheapest is a deck seat on a conventional ferry, from €36.50 on Fast Ferries or around €44 on Minoan Lines. The thing first-timers should know: the two year-round ships (Minoan Lines and ANEK/Blue Star) leave Piraeus at night and reach Milos between 01:00 and 02:35, so plan your accommodation and transfer for a small-hours arrival.

Milos sits about 84 nautical miles from Piraeus, in the southwest Cyclades. The Athens to Milos ferry route is one of the busier lines out of the port of Piraeus in summer, with up to six departures per day and around 37 sailings per week in peak season. It is also one of the few Cycladic routes with a conventional ferry every day all winter.

Ferry options compared

There are two types of boat on the Athens Milos route, and they suit different travellers.

High speed ferries (Seajets)

Seajets is the only ferry company running high speed vessels from Piraeus to Milos. It runs two services in summer:

• Olympic Champion Jet sails nonstop to Milos and then continues to Santorini. It is the fastest ferry on the Athens to Milos route.
• Champion Jet 2 and Speedrunner Jet 2 call at Serifos, Sifnos or Kythnos on the way and take about 3 h 20 min.

High speed vessels have numbered seats, airline-style, in closed lounges. There are no outdoor decks to sit on while under way. Economy costs €78.70 on the published 2026 fare list, with Club-Business at €87.70 and Platinum at €96.70. These boats carry cars too, but the ride is bumpier than on a big ferry when the wind picks up. If you get seasick, sit low and near the middle of the vessel and take something before boarding.

Conventional ferries (Minoan, ANEK/Blue Star, Fast Ferries)

Each conventional ferry on the route is larger, slower and cheaper than a high speed ferry:

• Minoan Lines sails Piraeus to Milos every night at 21:00 on the Knossos Palace, arriving at 01:00, then continues to Heraklion in Crete.
• ANEK Lines and Blue Star Ferries (the two brands sell the same sailings) share a nightly 22:00 departure to Chania in Crete via Milos, using the Ariadne, Blue Star 1 or Kissamos. It reaches Milos at 02:35.
• Fast Ferries (despite the name, a conventional ship) sails the Dionisios Solomos at 07:00 on a daytime run via Kythnos, Serifos and Sifnos, reaching Milos at 13:35.

These ships have restaurants, cafés, cabins, outdoor decks and a garage for cars and motorbikes. They are the cheapest way to reach Milos and the best choice for a family with a car, a traveller on a budget, or anyone who dislikes rough water. The drawback is timing: the overnight boats land in Adamas in the middle of the night, and the daytime boat takes most of a day.

Some booking sites still list Aegean Sea Lines and its ferry Anemos on this route. That listing is out of date: the company sold Anemos to Seajets in June 2026 and has stopped running ferries (see our Aegean Speed Lines guide).

Which ferry for which traveller

• Short trip, want time on the island: the 09:00 Olympic Champion Jet.
• Cheapest ticket: a deck seat on Fast Ferries or Minoan Lines.
• Taking a car: Minoan or ANEK/Blue Star at night, or Fast Ferries by day.
• Travelling out of season: the overnight conventional ferries, which run all year.
• Continuing to Crete: the same night boats continue to Heraklion (Minoan) and Chania (ANEK/Blue Star).

Timetable and season

Frequency on the Athens to Milos route changes a lot through the year, from around 37 sailings per week in high season to two or three a day in winter.

• Summer months (June to mid-September): up to five or six ferries per day. In summer 2026 the first ferry was the Fast Ferries departure at 07:00, followed by Seajets at 07:45 and 09:00. The last were the overnight ships at 21:00 and 22:00.
• Spring and autumn (April–May, late September–October): Seajets runs a reduced high-speed timetable, leaving Piraeus at 09:00 or 12:00 depending on the day, and the Olympic Champion Jet operates from late May to late September only.
• Winter (November to March): the two overnight conventional ferries keep running every day according to the published 2026 timetables. High speed ferries do not operate, so a conventional ferry is the only option.

There is also a slow alternative from Lavrio port, east of Athens, but it calls at many islands and takes about 16 hours, so it only makes sense if Lavrio is closer to where you are staying.

Ferry schedules for the summer are usually announced in the spring, and they change during the season. Always check the departure time on your ticket a day before you travel.

Return trips follow a similar pattern. In summer 2026 the Champion Jet 2 left Milos at 13:15 and reached Piraeus at 16:30, and the overnight ships pass Milos northbound between 01:30 and 02:00, reaching Piraeus around 06:10–06:30.

Getting to Piraeus

All Milos ferries from Athens leave from the port of Piraeus, the main departure port of the Greek capital, about 12 km southwest of the city center. Public transport reaches it easily.

• From Athens city center: metro Line 1 (green) runs from Monastiraki and Omonia to Piraeus station, which faces the main port entrance. A taxi takes roughly 25 to 40 minutes depending on traffic.
• From Athens International Airport: the best way to get to Piraeus depends on luggage and time. Metro Line 3 (blue) runs to Piraeus in about 60 minutes. The X96 express bus runs 24 hours and takes around 90 minutes. A taxi costs roughly €60–75 by day and takes 45–60 minutes.
• Gates: Cyclades ferries normally use gates E6, E7 and E9. E6 and E7 are a short walk from the metro. The overnight ships to Crete may use gates E2 or E3, which are much further; a free shuttle bus runs inside the port.

We recommend arriving at Piraeus port at least 45 minutes to an hour before departure, and earlier if you have a car. The port is large and gates can change. Numbered seats on high-speed boats mean you do not need to queue for a spot, but big luggage goes on racks at the entrance, so board with your valuables in a small bag.

For more on the port, see our Piraeus port guide.

Arriving in Milos

Every ferry docks at Adamas port (Adamantas), the port of Milos and main and transport hub on the north side of Milos's large natural bay. The village with shops, restaurants and car rental offices is a two-minute walk from the quay, and the bus station is about four minutes away.

• Buses: KTEL public buses run from Adamas to Plaka, Pollonia and several beaches. Service is frequent in summer and thin in winter.
• Taxis: Milos has only around 15 taxis for the whole island. Pre-book one if you arrive on a night ferry or in August.
• Car or ATV rental: the most practical way to explore Milos. Book ahead in summer and ask the rental office to meet the boat.
• Airport: Milos airport is about 5 km from the port.

If you arrive on an overnight ferry at 01:00 or 02:35, choose accommodation in Adamas itself so you can walk from the ship.

Our Milos ferry port page has more on onward connections, including Milos to Santorini.

Tickets and prices

You can book ferry tickets on each ferry company's own website or on a comparison site such as Ferryhopper or Direct Ferries, which show all available ferry schedules for your date in one search. Most operators issue e-tickets, so you can board by showing the ticket or its QR code on your phone.

What drives the price:

• Ferry type: ticket prices on high speed vessels are roughly twice a deck ticket.
• Seat class: deck, reserved air seat, or cabin on conventional ferries; economy, business or VIP on high-speed boats.
• Vehicles: a car under 4.25 m costs about €83 one way; a motorcycle costs €29.70 on Seajets.
• Timing: fares are fixed by class, but cheap classes sell out first in high season.

When to book: in peak season (July and August), book two to four weeks ahead at minimum, and earlier if you need a car space or a cabin. Ferryhopper recommends three to four months ahead for peak summer. Outside peak season, a few days ahead is usually enough.

Discount policies vary by company. Minoan Lines offers a 25% discount for passengers over 60, and Seajets ran a 40% discount on same-day returns between Cycladic islands in summer 2026. Children and students often get reduced fares; bring ID to prove eligibility at boarding.

Tips

• Weather conditions: the meltemi, a strong north wind, blows in the summer months. High speed ferries can be delayed or cancelled in strong winds, while conventional ferries usually still sail. Leave a buffer day before an international flight.
• Peak days: Fridays and weekends in July and August sell out first, as does the week around 15 August, a Greek public holiday.
• Seat choice: on high-speed ferries pick a seat towards the back and centre if you are prone to motion sickness. On conventional ships, a reserved air seat or cabin is worth it on the overnight run.
• Food on board: all boats have a snack bar or café. Conventional ships also have self-service restaurants.
• Pets: pets are generally accepted, but rules differ by company (kennels, pet-friendly cabins or carriers). Declare the pet when you book.
• Flying instead: Olympic Air and Sky Express fly from Athens International Airport to Milos in 40 to 50 minutes. Flying is the fastest way to travel if you land in Athens from abroad, but seats are few in summer and the ferry from Athens is usually cheaper.

Milos is a good start or end point for island hopping through the western Cyclades islands, and a quieter alternative to the busiest Greek islands. See our Greek island hopping guide and the operator pages for Seajets, Minoan Lines and Blue Star Ferries.