How To Get From Athens To Kefalonia In 2024

A complete guide on how to get from Athens to Kefalonia including direct Athens Kefalonia flights, buses, driving, and ferry options.

Getting from Athens To Kefalonia

Taking a flight from Athens to Kefalonia is by far the easiest and quickest way to get there. The travel time by plane from Athens to Kefalonia is only an hour, and there are flights every day.
Driving from Athens to Kefalonia can be an option, but only if you have your own vehicle. Car rental companies generally don’t allow their cars to be taken on ferries, and part of the journey driving between Athens and Kefalonia will involve taking a ferry.
Taking the bus from Athens to Kefalonia is a long journey taking upwards of 8 hours. Perhaps an option for backpackers if there’s an overnight travel option, or if you are traveling with windsurfing gear.
There is no direct Athens to Kefalonia ferry.
Dave’s Advice: Flying from Athens to Kefalonia is the best way to travel, as it only takes an hour, it is less hassle all around!

Athens to Kefalonia Flights

If you want to travel from Athens to Kefalonia, the odds are you want to include Kefalonia into a larger Greece travel itinerary. In case you didn’t know, I thought I’d mention that Kefalonia has a small international airport. This means that you can fly directly in and out of Kefalonia to other European destinations.

If you can’t fly directly there though, and want to visit Kefalonia after Athens, you really need to fly rather than taking a bus. Taking a plane from Athens to Kefalonia is going to save you a great deal of time, and is easier all around.

All things considered, flying between Athens and Kefalonia is not that much more expensive than other travel option, especially if you get your flights plenty of time in advance. You can compare flight prices for Athens to Kefalonia connections at Skyscanner.

Two Greek airlines Aegean Airlines (Olympic Air) and Sky Express operate the Athens Kefalonia flight route. As you might expect, there are more flights available during the high season between April and October than there are over the winter.

Flights leave from Athens International Airport and arrive at Kefalonia International Airport (Anna Pollatou) in just under an hour. You can get to Athens airport by metro, bus, or taxi.

Kefalonia airport is located on the southwest of the island, and is just 8kms away from Argostoli, Kefalonia’s capital. You can travel from Kefalonia airport using a bus or taxi, and then either stay in Argostoli or get transport out to where you want to stay in Kefalonia.

Athens to Kefalonia Bus

I have a friend who travels from Athens to Kefalonia and back again a couple of times a year who uses the bus. She does this because she is normally traveling with a lot of odd sized luggage and belongings as she goes to and from her parent's house.

If I’m to be honest, this is about the only reason to use the bus to get from Athens to Kefalonia! The journey is a long one of 8 hours or more, and of course also involves a ferry trip either from Patras or Kyllini (normally Kyllini on the buses).

Still, if you’re determined to use a bus to travel from Athens to Kefalonia, here’s how you go about doing it.

First, you need to get to Kifissos (sometimes written Kifissou) bus terminal in central Athens. The X93 bus runs directly from Athens Airport to Kifissou Bus Station. If you want to get from a hotel in Athens center to the station, it’s probably best to get a taxi.

From there, you will look for KTEL Kefalonia Buses, who are the company running bus services between Athens and Kefalonia.

Ticket prices do not include the ferry ticket, but you will be given time to buy this when you arrive at the port.

The bus will take you on to Argostoli Town, the captial of Kefalonia, and the entire journey take 7.5 – 8 hours including the ferry crossing.

Athens to Kefalonia Driving

Because I live in Athens, I’ve previously driven from Athens to Kefalonia when visiting the island. I liked the benefit of having my own vehicle to better explore Kefalonia, but the journey was over 7 hours!

As car rental companies in Greece don’t normally allow their vehicles to be taken on the ferries, driving from Athens to Kefalonia is really only for those with their own vehicle. However, sometimes car rental companies let you pay extra insurance to take cars on a ferry, so you could always check.

The route out of Athens goes to Patras, and from Patras Port you would then take a ferry to Kefalonia. This is the route I’ve previously taken when driving to Kefalonia with my own car. You can check ferry schedules with Ferryhopper.

An alternative route is to drive out to Kyllini Port on the west of the Peloponnese. You might want to consider this if you feel like spending some time at Ancient Olympia first, but it would be a really long day.

Planning to rent a car in Greece? I highly recommend Discover Cars. They have partnerships with local Greek car rental companies and major international brands, offering attractive prices as well! As mentioned, they don’t normally allow car rentals on the ferries. Make sure you are covered if this is what you are planning to do.

Athens to Kefalonia Ferry

There are no ferries sailing from Athens to Kefalonia. Instead, you would take a ferry from Patras Port in the Peloponnese to Kefalonia, or from Kyllini Port.

Ferries on these routes are normally very reliable, but on days with strong winds Greek ferries can be cancelled or delayed. Additionally, strike days do cause disruption, particularly on May 1st. Ferry schedules are not normally made public until 3 months in advance (and even then, some companies may not be bothered to do so!). As a rule of thumb, if a bus is going from Athens to Kefalonia on the day you want to travel, then of course the ferry is running.

For ferry ticket bookings in Greece, my top recommendation is Ferryhopper. Remember, ferry schedules typically become available only 2-3 months beforehand. So, if you're planning a trip a year ahead, be patient as schedules may not be out yet!

Athens Kefalonia Travel Questions

Readers who want to travel between Athens and Kefalonia often ask questions similar to:

Is there a ferry from Athens to Kefalonia?

There is no direct ferry from Athens to Kefalonia. Typically, to reach Kefalonia by ferry, travelers would need to travel to a port that offers ferry services to Kefalonia, such as Patras or Kyllini on the Peloponnese peninsula.

What is the best way to get to Kefalonia from Athens?

The best way to get to Kefalonia from Athens is by taking a 1-hour direct flight. This method is recommended for its speed and convenience, avoiding the longer journey that involves buses and ferries.

What is the best way to get to Kefalonia?

If you are within Europe, checking for direct flights to Kefalonia from your location is advised as a potentially better option than flying to Athens and then transferring. For those needing to travel via Athens, the direct flight remains the best option due to its quickness and direct access to the island.

How far is Athens to Kefalonia by plane?

The flight from Athens to Kefalonia takes approximately 1 hour.

What is the duration of the ferry ride from Kyllini to Kefalonia?

The ferry ride from Kyllini to Kefalonia takes about 1.5 hours.

How can one travel from Athens International Airport to KTEL Kifissou Bus Station?

The best way to travel from Athens International Airport to KTEL Kifissou Bus Station is by taking the Express Bus X93.

Also read these travel guides to Kefalonia and other Ionian Islands in Greece:

About Dave Briggs and Dave’s Travel Pages in Greece

– Dave Briggs

Dave is a travel writer who's been living in Greece since 2015. In addition to this complete guide on getting from Athens to Kefalonia, he’s written hundreds of other useful travel guides to help you plan a trip to Greece.

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Best Ways To Travel From Athens To Kefalonia