Athens to Naxos Ferry

The Athens to Naxos ferry sails from Piraeus to the port of Naxos, in Naxos Town. Blue Star Ferries and Seajets share the route. The fastest option in summer 2026 was the Seajets 08:00 high speed ferry, which called at Paros and reached Naxos at 11:20, with tickets from about €62. The cheapest option is a Blue Star conventional ferry, from about €42 to €52.50, taking 5 to 6.5 hours. The one thing to know: almost every ferry from Athens stops at Paros or Mykonos first, so check the stops when you book tickets.

The ferry route covers about 97 nautical miles (179 km) across the Aegean Sea. Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades, with long sandy beaches, mountain villages and good food, and its central position makes it a natural base for island hopping.

Ferry options compared

High speed ferries (Seajets)

Seajets runs the fastest ferries to Naxos with large high speed catamarans. In summer 2026 there were three daily departures from Piraeus:

• 07:00 via Syros and Mykonos: reached Naxos at 10:25, then continued to Ios and Santorini. Ran daily from 1 June to 18 October.
• 08:00 via Paros: Champion Jet 3 reached Naxos at 11:20 and continued to Koufonissi and Amorgos. Ran daily from 19 June to 14 September, with a reduced pattern from 29 May.
• 09:30 via Syros, Tinos, Mykonos and Paros: reached Naxos at 13:50, then continued to Santorini and Heraklion in Crete. Ran daily from 2 May to 6 October, leaving at 09:15 in April and October.

High speed ferries have reserved seats in air-conditioned lounges and snack bars. They are more sensitive to strong winds and can feel rough in choppy seas.

Conventional ferries (Blue Star Ferries)

Blue Star Ferries runs large conventional ferries, including Blue Star Delos, Blue Star 1 and Blue Star Naxos, all year. They carry cars and trucks, have open decks, cafes, a restaurant, and cabins for longer trips. Economy tickets give you a free seat in the lounges or on deck.

• Morning: the morning Blue Star ferry (07:25 in its 2026 service notices) calls at Paros and reaches Naxos around 12:40, then continues to Ios and Santorini.
• Evening: the 17:30 departure reaches Naxos between 23:15 and 00:15, depending on whether it calls at Syros.
• Small Cyclades line: on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, Blue Star Naxos leaves Piraeus at 17:30, reaches Naxos at 22:45 and continues to Donoussa, Aegiali (Amorgos) and Astypalaia.

Which ferry suits you

Trip duration on the Naxos route ranges from about 3 hours 20 minutes to 6 hours 45 minutes, and ticket prices vary depending on the vessel and seat class. In practice the choice is simple: pay more for a high speed ferry to save 2 hours, or take a conventional ferry and enjoy the space and the open decks.

• Fastest: Seajets 08:00 via Paros in summer.
• Cheapest: a Blue Star economy seat.
• With a car: Blue Star is the cheaper choice for vehicles.
• Worried about seasickness: Blue Star; the large ships are much steadier.
• Arriving in Athens after lunch: the 17:30 Blue Star gets you to Naxos the same night.

Timetable and season

Ferryscanner counts about 44 weekly crossings from Piraeus to Naxos between June and September, and Ferryhopper lists up to 7 daily crossings at the peak. The first ferry of the day leaves Piraeus around 07:00 and the last at 17:30.

Summer (June to September): two or three Blue Star ferries and two to four Seajets high speed ferries a day.

Spring and autumn (April, May, October): Seajets runs fewer departures and shifts some times. Blue Star keeps its daily service.

Winter (November to March): Blue Star is the main option, with one or two conventional ferries a day. There are no high speed ferries for most of the winter, and wind cancels sailings more often.

Timetables change every season. Check the departure time a few days before you travel.

Getting to Piraeus port

The port of Piraeus is about 12 to 15 km south of central Athens. Ferries to Naxos usually leave from gates E4, E6, E7, E9 or E10. Blue Star's Paros–Naxos line uses gate E6 for foot passengers and E7 for vehicles.

• Metro: Line 1 (green) and Line 3 (blue) end at Piraeus station, opposite gate E5, about 25 minutes from the city center. A 90-minute ticket costs €1.20.
• From Athens International Airport: metro Line 3 goes direct to Piraeus in about an hour for €9. The X96 express bus costs €5.50 and takes 60 to 90 minutes. Piraeus is about 45 km from the airport.
• Taxi: about €20 from Syntagma Square by day and €25 at night.
• Inside the port: a free shuttle bus runs from near gate E5 to the far gates. E6 and E7 are a short walk from the metro station.

Arrive at least 1 hour before departure, or 1.5 to 2 hours with a vehicle. Electronic display boards at the port show the gate for each ferry; check them, because gates can change.

If you are going by taxi or car, allow extra time in weekday rush hour traffic; the drive from central Athens can take far longer than the metro. The metro is the most reliable way to get to Piraeus port with luggage.

From Rafina

Most Athens ferries to Naxos use Piraeus, but the two Athens ports serve different parts of the city. Rafina port is 33 km east of the center and much closer to the airport. Seajets also runs a daily high speed ferry from Rafina, the port closest to the airport. In 2026 it left Rafina at 14:20 and reached Naxos at 18:40 after stops at Andros, Tinos, Mykonos and Paros. Fares from Rafina were €69.70 to €99.70. It is slower than the Piraeus ferries but useful if you land at the airport around midday.

Arriving in Naxos

Ferries dock at the port of Naxos, on the edge of Naxos Town (Chora). The Portara, the huge marble doorway of an unfinished temple, stands on the islet next to the harbor and is the first thing you see.

• On foot: the waterfront, old town and many hotels are a few minutes' walk from the quay.
• Bus: the KTEL bus terminal is at the port. Buses to Agios Prokopios and Agia Anna cost €1.80 and take about 17 minutes. Buy tickets at the bus office; they are not sold on board.
• Taxis and transfers: there is a taxi rank at the port. For mountain villages such as Filoti or Apiranthos, a rental car gives you the most freedom.

Returning to Athens, ferries leave from the same quay. In the 2026 timetables Blue Star's morning return left Naxos at 09:30 and reached Piraeus at 14:45 to 15:00, and the Champion Jet 3 left Naxos at 14:20 and reached Piraeus at 17:50.

Naxos ferry tickets and prices

Book Naxos ferry tickets on the Blue Star or Seajets websites, on booking sites such as Ferryhopper, or at a travel agency. E-tickets with a QR code work on both operators, so you can board directly.

What drives the price:

• Vessel type: high speed ferries cost €10 to €35 more than Blue Star economy.
• Seat class: business or VIP seats start at around €73; cabins at around €84.
• Vehicles: from about €85 for a car and €33 for a motorcycle.
• Discounts: reduced fares for children, students, people with disabilities and island residents. Rules vary by operator.

The cheapest tickets and car spaces sell out first in July and August. Early booking matters most around 15 August, a major Greek holiday, when many Greeks travel to the islands.

Breaking the journey on Paros

Because most ferries to Naxos stop at Paros, it is easy to split the trip. Paros and Naxos are only 25 to 60 minutes apart by ferry, with many regular crossings a day in summer. A common plan is Athens to Paros for a few nights, then a short hop to Naxos, then on to Santorini or the Small Cyclades. Book each leg as a separate ticket; see our Naxos to Paros ferry page for that crossing.

Ferry or flight to Naxos

Olympic Air and Sky Express fly from Athens International Airport to Naxos in about 45 minutes. Flights suit travelers who land at the airport and want to reach Naxos the same day. The ferry suits everyone else: it leaves from central Athens, costs less, carries more luggage and lets you see Paros on the way.

Tips

• Meltemi winds: strong north winds in July and August sometimes delay or cancel sailings. On 31 July 2026 bad weather disrupted several Blue Star sailings in the Cyclades. Keep a spare day before a flight home.
• Strikes: Greek seamen's unions call occasional 24-hour strikes, such as on 28 February 2026.
• Seats: on Blue Star, the upper outdoor deck has the best sea views as you sail past Paros. On Seajets, pick a seat in the middle of the vessel if you get seasick.
• Pets: allowed on both operators, usually on outdoor decks or in pet cabins. Dogs must be on a leash; small pets travel in a carrier.
• Onward travel: from Naxos, ferries go to Paros, Mykonos, Ios and Santorini several times a day in summer.

See also our guides to Naxos ferries, Piraeus, Blue Star Ferries, Seajets and the Cyclades ferry itinerary.