Athens To Spetses Ferry: Schedules, Tickets and Information

There are 7 ferries a day going from Athens to Spetses island. The travel time ranges between 2 and 3 hours, and all ferries to Spetses from Athens depart from Piraeus Port. Here's all the information you need to know to plan a trip from Athens to Spetses.

Traveling from Athens to Spetses by ferry

Ferries From Athens To Spetses

The Greek island of Spetses is one of the Saronic islands of Greece. It's about 2 or 3 hours away from Athens (depending on which ferry you take). This means it's just about possible to go from Athens to Spetses on a day trip if you take the earliest ferry out and latest ferry back.

It probably wouldn't leave you too much time in Spetses though, so I'd suggest planning to stay on the island for at least a night or two.

As Spetses is a reasonably popular weekend break destination for Athenians, you might want to visit mid-week if you are flexible on your travel times to avoid crowds.

You can find the latest Athens to Spetses ferry timetables and buy tickets online at: Ferryscanner

View of Spetses island

How to get from Athens to Spetses

Spetses is an island without an airport, so the only way to get there is by ferry.

During the peak months of summer, you may expect up to 7 ferries a day in the summer from Athens to Spetses. These ferries to Spetses from Athens are operated by Blue Star Ferries and Alpha Lines.

Ferries leave from the main ferry port of Piraeus

The fastest connection from Athens going to Spetses takes around 2 hours and 15 minutes. The slow ferry sailing to Spetses from Athens takes around 3 hours and 10 minutes.

You can get E tickets when you book online at no extra cost at the Ferryhopper website. Tickets start at around 48.00 Euro.

It is also possible to buy a ferry ticket at Piraeus, but keep in mind that in peak season this ferry route may sell out. It's advisable to book ferry tickets at least a few weeks in advance.

An important note: There are no car ferries going to Spetses. This is because Spetses, just like Hydra, is one of the traffic free Saronic islands. One you are there, you'll appreciate the absence of vehicles!

Getting to Piraeus Port

If you're staying in Athens city center, you can take the X96 bus from Syntagma Square to Piraeus. This X96 is the same bus that goes all the way from Athens Airport to Piraeus

It's also possible to get to Piraeus on the metro using the green line. Monastiraki is a good place to take the metro from if you're centrally based.

One more option is to take a taxi. You can pre-book a Piraeus taxi at Welcome, and the journey this way will take you around 25 minutes.

The benefit of the taxi, is that they can take you straight to your ferry departure gate in Piraeus.

If you arrive at the port using the other methods you might have some walking to do to get to where you Spetses ferry leaves from.

Ferries from Piraeus to Spetses normally leave from gate E12, but you should check when you buy your tickets.

Ferry trip to Spetses from Athens

My advice when taking Greek ferries is always aim to be at your departure point an hour in advance of when the boat is scheduled to leave. This is especially the case when using public transport or taxis in Athens. Traffic can cause some delays at times!

All the ferries have toilets to use. Only some of them may have a bar or cafe service, the prices of which are higher than normal prices in Athens. I always take my own food and water when traveling by ferry.

As you might expect, on a windy day, the Spetses ferry might not be totally smooth. Take some motion sickness tablets before you board!

Look at the Ferryhopper website for the latest ferry schedule updates and for booking online.

Spetses ferries from Athens Piraeus

All the boats used in the Piraeus Spetses ferry route are slightly different to one another.

Blue Star Ferries run the Flying Cat 4, Flying Cat 6, Flying Cat 5, Flying Cat 1, Flying cat 4, and Flying Dolphin vessels.

Alpha Lines run the Speed Cat 1.

If you want to geek out on how fast each boat travels along with other statistics, take a look at my Ferries in Greece guide. There's a lot of info there you might see 'emulated' elsewhere online!

Spetses Island Travel Tips

A few travel tips for visiting Spetses island:

  • Ferries for Spetses depart from Piraeus port of Athens. Ferries arrive at the main port close to Spetses town.

  • Staying in the main town makes the most sense. I suggest looking at Booking for hotels and other accommodation.

  • As mentioned, Spetses is virtually traffic free, although there are public buses that will take you to points of interest around the island. Hiring a bicycle in the best way to really enjoy Spetses.

  • If you're looking to take a ferry from Athens, Greece to Spetses Island in the Saronic Gulf make sure you book your tickets at least a few weeks in advance.

  • One of the best places to look at ferry schedules and to check ferry ticket prices online is at Ferryhopper. You can also go into any travel agency as they sell ferry tickets, and you'll normally find these at an island's ferry port.



Ferry schedules from Athens to Spetses FAQ

Readers sometimes ask these question about traveling to Spetses from Athens include:

How do you get from Athens to Spetses?

You can only travel from Athens to Spetses by ferry. Two ferry companies run services out of Athens Piraeus port to Spetses, and there are up to 7 ferries a day in the summer.

Is there an airport on Spetses?

There is no airport on Spetses island. The closest international airport to Spetses is Athens International Airport, which receives flights from all Greek islands and many foreign countries. Every day, several ferries depart from the port of Piraeus in Athens for Spetses.

How long is the ferry ride from Athens to Spetses?

The ferries to Spetses from Athens take between 2 hours and 15 minutes and 3 hours and 10 minutes. Ferry operators on the Athens Spetses route may include Blue Star Ferries and Alpha Lines.

Where do you get ferry tickets to Spetses?

The easiest way to get hold of ferry tickets in Greece is by using Ferryhopper. Although I recommend you book your Athens to Spetses ferry tickets in advance, you might also prefer to use a travel agency in Greece when you have arrived.

Can you drive from Athens to Spetses?

Spetses is one of the traffic free islands in the Saronic Gulf of Greece. You can not take your car there from Athens.

Athens to Spetses Ferry Travel Guide

More island hopping guides

If you're planning to visit other islands either from Athens or on a Greek island hopping adventure, I've plenty of other travel guide that can help.

A good starting point is here: Greek Island Hopping Blog

And here are some popular Greek islands to visit from Athens:


Dave Briggs: Writer at Dave’s Travel Pages creating Greece travel guides, Greece travel planning tipsDave Briggs
Dave is a travel writer from the UK who lives in and writes about Greece. As well as writing this travel blog post about ferries from Athens to Spetses, he's also written many more travel blogs about destinations in Greece. Follow Dave on social media for travel inspiration from Greece and beyond:

2 thoughts on “Athens To Spetses Ferry: Schedules, Tickets and Information”

  1. Hi Dave,

    This is so incredibly helpful!
    I am trying decide if i will make the first ferry at 08.30 from Piraeus to Spetses with my flight arriving into Athens at 03.50. It’s hard to know which ferry to book to allow for any flight delays etc as 4 of us are travelling and it’s a lot of money to lose if we miss it. The other ferry time options are 09.30, 10.00 or 13.00.
    I’m guessing if you miss it you would have to pay to board the next ferry if there is space. I cannot find an open ticket option either…any of your thoughts on this would be very appreciated.

    Reply
    • Hi Sharon,

      Without checking the timetables, I’d say getting the 09.30 Piraeus Spetses ferry gives you a balance of margin of safety and not too much hanging around.
      You should allow an hour to get through customs and baggage collection. If you have pre-booked a taxi, then the drive time would be another hour to the port.
      Top tip – book the taxi for after 05.00, and you will avoid the nighttime rate which is double fare!
      There are no open tickets – if the Spetses ferry is delayed or cancelled, the ferry company sorts you out. If you miss a ferry, it means buying a new ticket.
      Have a great trip to Greece!
      Dave

      Reply

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