Naxos To Santorini Ferry Travel
Key takeaways
- Naxos-Santorini: 5–8 summer ferries daily, 1h15–2h55, SeaJets €66 (fastest), Blue Star €31.50.
- SeaJets fastest 1h25m; Blue Star slower 2+ hours cheaper €31.50; book early for August travel.
- Year-round service (February 1–2 daily), arrive 30 min early; day trips possible but overnight.
- Most straightforward Cyclades ferry connection; ferries depart Naxos Chora port only.
On this page
Ferries From Naxos To Santorini
The popular Greek island destinations of Naxos and Santorini have many ferry connections between them. During the peak summer season in Greece, there can be anywhere up to eight different Naxos to Santorini ferry crossings per day.Travel times for the ferry ride between Naxos island and Santorini vary from 1 hour and 15 minutes to 2 hours and 55 minutes. The variation is due to different ferry operators, ferry types, and how many stops may be on the way on the ferry route from Naxos to Santorini.
You can find the latest Naxos - Santorini ferry timetables at: Ferryscanner
Naxos and Santorini are often included on a Greek island hopping itinerary in the Cyclades of Greece. Some people also choose to make a day trip from Naxos to Santorini in the summer, dependent on ferry timetables of course.
This guide aims to give you all the information you need on planning how to get from Naxos to Santorini by ferry. It's actually one of the simplest ferry trips in Greece!
Naxos Santorini Ferry Routes
Ferries between Naxos and Santorini sail all year round, which makes the two Greek islands a good choice for off season travel.Even in February, there are 1 or 2 ferries a day.
The summer months are when the most ferries sail the Naxos Santorini route though, and in August there can be between 5 and 8 crossings a day.
Ferry companies that sail from Naxos to Santorini include Blue Star ferries, Minoan Lines, and SeaJets.
For the latest ferry schedules and to book ferry tickets online, visit: Ferryscanner
Naxos - Santorini Ferry Tickets & Prices
The price of a ferry ticket from Naxos to Santorini depends on which vessel you take and the time of year.
Typically, high speed ferries operated by the SeaJets ferry company have the most expensive ticket prices. You could expect a Naxos to Santorini ticket with SeaJets to cost nearly 66 Euros.
SeaJets do have the quickest crossings from Naxos to Santorini though, and the journey takes around 1 hour and 25 minutes.
At the other end of the scale, there is Blue Star Ferries who operate bigger, slower, conventional ferries. The ferry trip from Naxos to Santorini takes longer with a travel time over 2 hours, but tickets for passengers are cheaper at just 31.50 Euro.
Check the latest ferry schedule and work out which itinerary is best for you at: Ferryscanner
Naxos to Santorini Blue Star Ferries or Seajets
So, which ferry company should you choose?
This is entirely up to you, as all these ferries are fine, though you might want to stick to bigger ferries that are more stable in strong winds.
I would personally go for one of the larger Blue Star Ferries, as the trip isn't really very long, and these ferries are more comfortable to travel on. In addition, the price is significantly lower than most of the other ferries.
You should be able to get tickets even last minute for many of these boats, though for certain times of the year (e.g. the weeks around 1-20th of August, when most Greeks go on holiday), it is best to book them in advance.
In fact, like with any boat trip in Greece, if you have booked your hotels already, it's a good idea to book the ferries as well.
Buy a ferry ticket online: Ferryscanner
Leaving Naxos Port
All ferries departing from Naxos, leave from the main ferry port in Chora.
Passengers are advised to arrive at the departure port at least a half hour before boats leave.
Why visit Naxos?
Naxos is one of the most upcoming Greek destinations. With stunning beaches, lovely villages, great food, and a fantastic Chora, it is ideal for a relaxing holiday in Greece.
Whether you are travelling with friends, your other half or your family, it's hard to not like Naxos.
I often recommend Naxos as an alternative to Mykonos for people planning a trip to Greece. It's far more authentic than Mykonos, and Naxos is a really good destination for family vacations in Greece.
There is also a fair amount of nightlife, minus the Mykonos prices.
Naxos Santorini Ferry Ride
Readers interested in the ferry schedule between the Cyclades islands of Naxos and Santorini often have similar questions about the journey:
How long is the ferry ride from Naxos to Santorini?
The quickest ferry from the Greek island of Naxos to Santorini is SeaJets and takes just 1 hour and 20 minutes. Other ferry companies may take around 2 hours to reach the ferry port at Santorini on the same route.
Can you do a day trip from Naxos to Santorini?
Theoretically, it is just about possible to make a day trip, but it would be better to spend a few days in Santorini rather than just a few hours.
Can you visit Santorini from Naxos?
During the high season, there are at 8 vessels sailing the Naxos to Santorini ferry route every day.
Is Naxos better than Santorini?
The two Greek islands are very different to one another. Naxos is larger, has much better beaches, and offers a lot more of an authentic experience. Santorini on the other hand has unique caldera views and picturesque Cycladic architecture.
Are there direct flights between Naxos and Santorini?
There are no direct flights between Naxos airport and Santorini airport. Naxos only has direct flight connections with Athens.
Traveling to other Greek Islands?
If you are planning to travel to some of the other islands in Greece, these other guides may be useful.
- Athens Santorini Mykonos Itinerary
- How to get from Athens to Santorini
- How to get from Athens to Mykonos
- Island hopping from Naxos
- Mykonos to Naxos ferry guide
- How to get from Mykonos to Santorini
- How to get from Piraeus to Athens
- Santorini 1 day itinerary
- How to get from Santorini to Naxos by ferry
- Santorini island hopping
Pin this guide on how to get from Naxos to Santorini for later
Feel free to add this pin on getting from Naxos to Santorini to one of your boards. This way, you can come back to it later!
Have you been to both Santorini and Naxos? Which one did you prefer? Let us know in the comments!
Dave is a UK travel writer living in Athens since 2015. With 20 years of firsthand travel experience and over 80,000 km of bicycle touring across six continents, he's been blogging at Dave's Travel Pages since 2005. Every guide is based on places he's actually been.
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Hey, do you know if there are boats that leave from Naxos to Santorini in May of 2020? I could not find any ferry's that show on Monday May 25th, 2020. I couldnt find anything in June for reference either (Naxos to Santorini) and I thought maybe their schedules are not out yet? Do boats leave from Naxos to Santorini in May on Mondays or Tuesdays?
Hi, I hope you had a great weekend! The schedules for next year are most likely not released yet. (Maybe not for several months in fact!). They are running right now on Mondays (in October), so it's most likely they will be running next year on Monday's as well.... but don't hold me to that!
Dave - Your travel posts have been super helpful in working on our trip plans. I will be traveling from Santorini to Naxos at the end of May 2020 So the reverse order of your travel page. I will be traveling with 2 US college students will their student IDs offer any discounts? I'll look at Blue Star Ferries as you recommend that in your travel page. I have read other travel posts that say ferry prices go up as you get closer to departure so booking in advance is advisable.
Hi Lesley, Glad you've found these guides useful so far! For their student ID's, they may need ISIC cards (if their id's say this on them, it should be fine). If they don't say ISIC on them, you may be able to get ISIC cards online through STA Travel. You'd just need to do the math to see if applying for the card still makes the ferry tickets cheaper. For booking ferries, you can also use Ferryhopper which which will give you a good idea of times. As we're still relatively early in the year, not all the routes may be up. Because you are traveling in May, I wouldn't expect tickets to rise by very much if at all - so you could leave booking until a month before without it making much difference. The only exception is if you are traveling with a car, as you'd be wanting to guarantee your space. Have a great time in Greece!
Hi Dave, the earliest ferry departure from naxos on July 7th that I can see is 10.30am. I'm concerned I won't make the 13.15 flight from Santorini to Dublin. Do you know of any early morning ferry crossing. Thank in advance
Hi Breda,
Yes that does leave it a bit tight! There is the midnight ferry as well (which isn't of much use to anyone!). I think if I was in your shoes, I'd aim to spend the last night on Santorini.