You can travel from Athens to Paros by both ferry and plane. The quickest ferry takes 2 hours 55 minutes, and a flight takes 40 minutes.
How to go from Athens to Paros in Greece
The Greek island of Paros is located in the Cyclades island group. It is a popular destination to include on a Greek island hopping trip, and also a lovely island to visit from Athens.
There are two ways to get from Athens to Paros – Travel by ferry or take a flight.
Which option suits you best will be based on a number of factors such as your travel itinerary in Greece, how you value your time, and perhaps even your budget.
For example, some people prefer to arrive in Athens airport and then take a flight straight out to Paros. Others prefer to travel from Athens to Paros by ferry so that they don't have to pay extra checked luggage fees for flights.
Personally, I value my time when on vacation, so would choose whichever option got me to Paros in the less amount of time (allowing some buffer time for connections).
Most people seem to choose to travel to Paros from Athens by ferry. So, let's start there!
Athens to Paros Ferry Services
Thanks to its popularity, Paros is one of the best connected islands when it comes to ferry services from Athens.
There's daily direct ferries from Athens to Paros even in winter, and ferries leave from all three Athens ports – Piraeus, Rafina, and sometimes even Lavrio.
** I recommend using the Ferryhopper site when booking tickets for the ferry from Athens to Paros. **
As Paros is best visited in between June and September, these months have the most ferries scheduled.
There can be 8 ferries per day sailing from Athens to Paros in the high season, most of which leave from Piraeus Port.
High speed ferries with few stops along the way get from Athens to the island of Paros in around 4 hours. The ferry trip on slower boats, making stops at other Greek islands such as Andros, Tinos, and Mykonos along the way can take upward of 7 hours.
Ferry ticket prices have increased a lot over the last few years. In 2023, ticket prices for the Athens Paros ferry start from 40.00 Euros for the slower boats. Faster high speed ferries can cost as much as 71.00 Euro.
Note: People staying in Athens city center normally find Piraeus Port more convenient to take a ferry from. Visitors wanting to take a ferry directly after landing could see if Rafina ferries to Paros are more suitable.
For up to date ferry timetables and ticket prices, take a look at: Ferryhopper.
Piraeus to Paros ferry
Piraeus Port has the more regular connections, and so many people may find Piraeus the best port to leave from when sailing from Athens to Paros.
Piraeus port is now connected with Athens Airport by a direct metro. This means that it is now much easier to land at Athens International Airport, take a metro to Piraeus Port, and then get a ferry to Paros.
Be aware that the port of Piraeus is a large place, and very, very busy during the summer months. You'll want to know which gate your ferry to Paros leaves from (you'll find this on your ticket).
Ticket prices for the Piraeus Paros journey start at around 40.50 Euro for a 4 hour and 15 minute journey on the Blue Star Ferries boats. SeaJets offer a 2 hour and 50 minutes ferry trip from Athens Piraeus to Paros at 70.90 Euro.
For up to date ferry schedules and to book tickets online, take a look at: Ferryhopper.
Rafina Boat From Athens to Paros
I personally find Rafina port to be my favourite departure port from Athens, as its nature is a lot less chaotic than Piraeus!
Rafina is a good choice of port to leave for Paros if you want to get to your ferry directly from the airport. It also makes sense to take an Athens to Paros ferry from Rafina if you are staying in the northern suburbs of Athens or have your own vehicle.
If you find a good connection from Rafina to Paros, I'd suggest taking it.
For the ferry companies operating this route in high season, as well as other information about sailing from Rafina Port to Paros by ferry, take a look at: Ferryhopper.
Lavrio Port to Paros
Lavrio or Lavrion port is the Athens port that most visitors never hear about. This ferry port only has a limited number of routes, but Paros is one of them.
You'll find the Blue Star Ferries boat Artemis sails out of Lavrio to Paros a couple of times a week during peak season in some years.
The trip duration is rarely under 7 hours as it's a slower conventional ferry. The ticket price for this ferry ride is the cheapest though starting at just 20.00 Euros.
For up to date timetables and to book ferry tickets online, take a look at: Ferryhopper.
Athens to Paros flights
Paros is one of only a few islands in the Cyclades to have an airport, so it is possible to fly there from Athens.
Two domestic airlines fly from Athens to Paros airport, which are Sky Express and Olympic Air.
International travelers might consider flying first into Athens International airport, and then taking a domestic flight from Athens to Paros. You should note, that unless the flights line up perfectly, this option may be longer than taking a ferry.
You should also note that there may be extra charges for checked baggage.
Take a look at flight schedule availability during the summer season at SkyScanner.
Paros Island Travel Tips
Start your Paros trip planning the right way with these travel tips and insights:
- Ferries arrive at the main port town of Parikia in Paros. Parikia is also one of the more popular areas to stay on the island. Booking has the greatest selection of hotels in Paros, all easily booked online.
- Paros ferry tickets can be purchased online from the Ferryhopper website. This is also a good site to use if you want to continue your Greek island hopping adventures on to other islands such as nearby Naxos. Tickets can also be booked at travel agencies in Athens and the other Greek islands.
- Be at Greek ferry ports an hour before you are due to sail, especially in Piraeus Port. The same applies to Parikia (Paros Port) for your departure, as during the summer it can become quite busy.
- Welcome provide an easy way to pre-book taxis to and from the ferry ports in Athens. It's a good way to get from Athens city center to Piraeus, as public transport options may involve you walking quite some distance to your desired departure gate.
- Paros can be busy in the peak month of August. If you plan to travel then, make your bookings as soon as possible, especially accommodation. I've a guide here on where to stay in Paros.
- Transport geeks should check out my ridiculously in-depth guide to Ferries in Greece. You'll find out more about the different ferry companies and the types of vessels they operate.
- I've a great guide here to public transportation in Greece you might also want to look at.
What to see in Paros Greece
Some of the best things to see and do in Paros include:
- Visiting the Panagia Ekatontapiliani (Church of 100 Doors)
- Walk through the streets of Old Town And Port Of Naoussa
- spending time in the Town of Lefkes
- Relaxing at Kolombithres Beach
- Hiking through Paros Park
- Make sure to visit AntiParos!
- You can find out much more here: Things to do in Paros, Greece
Check out my guide to the best beaches in Paros.
FAQ About taking the ferry from Athens to Paros
Other people planning to travel between Athens and Paros ask questions such as:
How do you get to Paros from Athens?
The most popular way to get to Paros from Athens is by ferry. Paros island does also have an airport with domestic connections to Athens Airport, so flying can be an option.
Is there an airport on Paros?
The island of Paros has an airport (IATA: PAS, ICAO: LGPA), and now receives seasonal charter flights from some European destinations, in addition to having connections with Athens Airport.
Where does the Paros ferry leave from in Athens?
Ferries to Paros leave from all three ports in Athens – Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio. The most regular year-around connections are from Piraeus, with the Rafina Paros route operating during the summer. Ferries from Lavrio to Paros operate on a more occasional basis.
How long does the Athens to Paros ferry take?
The ferry to Paros from Athens can take between 3 and 7 hours, depending on if the ferry is high speed, which Athens port it leaves from, and how many stops it will make between Athens and Paros. Generally speaking, the quicker the ferry journey the more expensive the ticket will be.
How do I buy ferry tickets for Paros?
Ferryhopper is a very good website to check Paros ferry schedules and to buy tickets online. You can also wait until you are in Greece, and then use a local travel agency to reserve Athens to Paros ferry tickets. Note that ferries can become sold out during the peak month of August, so buying tickets as soon as you can makes the best sense.
Share this Athens to Paros ferry guide
If you found this guide on how to get from Athens to Paros useful, please share it on social media. As Paros is also a popular island to visit after Santorini, you might also want to read my Santorini to Paros ferry guide.
You'll find sharing buttons in the bottom right hand corner of the screen, and the image below of how to get to Paros would look great on one of your Pinterest boards!
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– Dave Briggs
Dave is a travel writer who's been based in Greece for the last five years. During that time, he's written hundreds of travel blog posts including this one about getting from Athens to Paros island by ferry. He has a somewhat ambitious goal of visiting every Greek island (there's over 200!) and writing about them all.
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