Kerkyra Lines

Who they are

Kerkyra Lines is a Corfu-owned ferry company whose business is built around the short crossing between Igoumenitsa on the Greek mainland and Corfu (Kerkyra), the most visited of the Ionian Islands. Kerkyra is the Greek name for Corfu. The company started in 2010 with one ship, the Nikolaos, on Corfu–Igoumenitsa, and says it has since become the company with the largest fleet on Corfu.

Igoumenitsa is the Greek arrival port for international ferries from Italian ports such as Ancona, Bari and Brindisi, and many of those passengers continue straight on to Corfu. Kerkyra Lines provides much of the domestic shuttle that turns those arrivals into Corfu arrivals.

Network and routes

The core service is Igoumenitsa to Corfu Town, with many sailings a day all year, starting in the early hours of the morning and running until late evening. The route carries residents, tourists arriving from Italy via Igoumenitsa, and the trucks that supply the island. The crossing takes about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1.5 hours.

Kerkyra Lines also sails between Igoumenitsa and Paxos, and between Corfu and Paxos, where the Paxos Island hydrofoil (and from June 2026 the Paxos Island II) takes about 55 minutes. It runs the lifeline service from Corfu to the small Diapontia Islands (Erikousa, Mathraki and Othoni) north-west of Corfu.

Some ferries from Igoumenitsa land at Lefkimmi in southern Corfu instead of Corfu Town, which can be quicker for the southern resorts. These are not part of Kerkyra Lines' published network, so check the operator and port when you book.

Fleet and on board

Kerkyra Lines' website lists 12 vessels, a mix of enclosed and open-deck car ferries plus hydrofoils and a small ship for the Diapontia Islands. The Igoumenitsa–Corfu ferries include the Ionian Express, Kerkyra Express, Corfu Spirit, Nikolaos, Alkinoos, Kerkyra, Menekratis, Agia Theodora and Ano Hora II. The Ionian Express, which entered service in December 2025 after a long refit, is the fastest at about 1 hour 10 minutes.

The crossing is short, so there are no cabins, but most ships have air-conditioned lounges and a snack bar. Pets can travel on the outside decks, and small pets in carriers inside. Open deck space gives good views of the Epirus coast and the approach to Corfu Town, past the old Venetian fortifications.

Booking and tips

Foot passengers can usually buy an Igoumenitsa–Corfu ticket on the day. Tickets are sold at the port and on Kerkyra Lines' website, which offers an online discount. Drivers in July and August should book ahead, especially if arriving on an international ferry and hoping to catch an immediate connection.

Corfu Town's new port handles most ferry traffic. Check which port your sailing uses when you book, particularly if you are heading for the south of the island.

If you are arriving from Italy at Igoumenitsa, check your onward Corfu connection before you set off. The international timetable does not always line up with the domestic ferries, and a wait at Igoumenitsa is common.