Getting here
Unless you own a helicopter, everyone arrives on this legendary island by sea just as Odysseus did. Except you will be on a ferry and hopefully it won’t have taken 20 years to get here.
Most of you will probably fly into nearby Kefalonia EFL, get to the port of Sami and arrive by a short, but captivating ferry ride to Piso Aetos on Ithaki’s western shore.
Though Ithaki is a small island and all distances are short, public transport is limited. To explore the island, the beaches and its beauty, some means of transport would be required. Be it a car, a scooter or an electric bicycle, all will do.
If hiring a car or scooter or motor bike that will be ready for you when you arrive at the port of Piso Aetos.
Rental companies Otherwise, you would need to get a taxi to get to the port or to your accommodation. The cost of taxi on Kefalonia and Ithaki are expensive. Expect to pay xxxx
By air:
KEFALONIA: is the nearest airport. It is an international airport with direct flights to many European cities, besides Athens and other cities in Greece.
PREVEZA: Is the international airport, across from Lefkada on the mainland.
Flights to Kefalonia from other Greek cities are operated by:
Arriving by ferry
Here ferries operate to seasonal timetables. Once the season is completed,the new timetable is announced. There may be significant changes between the seasons, and the weather too can play its part. That said, Ithaki has regular and all year round connections by sea and is very easy and pleasant to get to on the ocean wave.
• From Kefalonia, the port of Sami to Piso Aetos on Ithaki
There are two ferry companies running this itinerary.
For the current timetable go to both:
https://www.levanteferries.com/
http://www.ionionpelagos.com/
Even if timetable is not announced for the time period in question, as a general rule, ferries run twice per day, in the morning and in the afternoon.
And also, do not worry if you have not booked the tickets a lot in advance. For this part of the journey, you will find tickets.
If you miss the latest ferry or do not want to wait, there is a sea taxi service.
• From other ports: Connection of Ithaki to mainland and other ports.
Patra https://www.levanteferries.com/
Daily, most of the year (except a couple of months in the winter)
Astakos http://www.ionionpelagos.com/
Daily, all year long. Though schedule may vary considerably from summer to winter.
Lefkada http://www.ionionpelagos.com/
From Lefkas to Frikes port.
Daily, only for the months of July, August, early Sep.
All Ionian Islands: Lefkada Palace Passenger Boat:
During the summer, there is a passenger only boat from Corfu to Zante and back, connecting all the Ionian islands. Usually, this travels from Corfu to Zante on Mondays, Wednesday and Friday, while the return trip sails on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. This route is under consideration every year.
https://lefkadapalace.com/
By coach: From Athens to the lively and increasingly popular international port of Patras, you can take a coach from central Athens that will drop you off in Patras at the coach station, a short distance from the port or book a coach all the way to Sami. Services to Patras run frequently throughout the day from early morning to the evening.
The coach from Athens to Sami and back runs once a day.
https://ktelkefalonias.gr/en/routes/athens-patra
WINTER MONTHS
Travelling to Ithaki in the winter months, takes more effort.
By Air: Direct international flights to Kefalonia discontinue in the winter months, So, arrival by air is via Athens International Airport.
Aegean Airlines
Sky express
By Ferry:
Though ferries to Ithaki run on a daily basis, there are considerable changes in itineraries according to the time of the year.
For the current timetable visit the site of both companies.
http://www.ionionpelagos.com/
https://www.levanteferries.com/
The port of origin is changed for a couple of months in the winter, along with the timetable.
January February:
The ferry departs from KILLINI, To POROS (Kefalonia) to PISO AETOS (Ithaki)
while the rest of the year, route is
PATRA-SAMI-PISO AETOS
