The crossing from Santorini to Mykonos is the busiest island hop in the Cyclades, and for most of the year it is genuinely simple: a high speed ferry, two to three hours, several sailings a day. The complications are all at the edges — what happens when the meltemi blows, what the ports are actually like at each end, and whether the day trip everyone asks about is worth taking. We meet the boats at Athinios every day of the season, so this page covers the practical half rather than the timetable half. Our Santorini Tours and transfers are timed around exactly these departures.
Most people making this journey are doing one of two things: island hopping with luggage between the two most famous islands in Greece, or attempting a day trip in one direction and back. Those are very different problems, and the honest answer to the second one is shorter than you would expect.
The Short Answer
Take the high speed ferry. Two to three hours, several daily in season, and the only sensible way to travel from Santorini to Mykonos.
Book ahead for July and August. This is the most popular route in the Cyclades and the good sailings sell out days in advance.
Do not fly. Direct flights are rare and seasonal, and connecting through Athens takes most of a day for a journey the boat does in two hours.
Leave from Athinios, the port below the cliff, which is twenty-five minutes from Fira and forty-five from Oia. Build that into your morning.
Keep a spare day if the crossing sits between two fixed points, because high speed sailings are cancelled by wind.
The Island You Are Leaving
Every Way to Travel From Santorini to Mykonos
| Option | Time | Frequency | Why choose it | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High speed ferry | 2 to 3 hours | Several daily in season | The standard crossing | Cancelled first in strong meltemi |
| Conventional ferry | 4 to 5 hours | Less frequent, seasonal | Cheaper and far steadier | Long day, fewer sailings |
| Flight | About 35 minutes | Rare and seasonal | Fastest in theory | Usually routes via Athens, taking most of a day |
| Private catamaran or charter | 4 to 6 hours | On request | Door to door, no queue | Expensive |
| Organised day trip | Full day | Seasonal | Everything booked as one | Long day, very little time ashore |
| Via Naxos or Paros | Half a day | Daily in season | Breaks the journey usefully | Two tickets, two ports |
| Out of season | Not direct | Rare or none | The route thins to nothing | Go via Piraeus |
One row matters more than the rest. In season, the high speed ferry does everything you need, and every other option on that table is either slower, dearer or both.
The Santorini to Mykonos Ferry in Detail
Where it leaves from. Athinios, the commercial port on the west coast below the caldera cliff. Not the old port below Fira, which is for cruise tenders and excursion boats only.
How long it takes. Two to three hours on a high speed vessel, depending on whether the sailing calls at Ios, Naxos or Paros on the way. Conventional ferries take roughly twice as long.
How often. Several high speed departures a day through the summer, thinning either side of the season and largely disappearing in winter.
Where it arrives. Mykonos has two ports. The New Port at Tourlos, a few kilometres north of the town, takes most of the large ferries. The Old Port sits beside the town itself and takes some smaller vessels. Check your ticket, because arriving at the wrong one with luggage and no transport is the classic error on this route.
Getting into Mykonos town. From the New Port there are buses, taxis and hotel shuttles. From the Old Port you walk.
What the crossing is like. Open Aegean water. On a calm day it is pleasant and quick. In a meltemi the high speed craft pitch hard, and there is nowhere to go: sealed cabins, forward-facing seats and no open deck.
Luggage. Left unattended in racks near the doors and collected by you on arrival. Nothing is tagged. Board early enough to place yours where you can see it.
Booking. Buy in advance for July and August. The Santorini to Mykonos route is the busiest hop in the Cyclades and the convenient sailings go first.
Wind, Cancellations and the Spare Day
The meltemi is the whole story. A dry northerly that blows through July and August and either side of them, building a short steep sea across exactly this stretch of water.
High speed craft cancel first. Operators are conservative and sensibly so, and a conventional ferry may sail comfortably on a day when the fast boat does not run.
Decisions come late, often the same morning.
What you get. A transfer to a later sailing or a refund. What nobody covers is your onward flight.
The rule. Never make the Santorini to Mykonos crossing the last leg before a flight home. Put a night in between.
Seasickness. If you are prone to it, take the conventional ferry where one runs, sit low and central, and take something before boarding.
Checking. Watch the wind forecast rather than the rain forecast. Rain here is irrelevant; wind decides everything.
Is the Santorini to Mykonos Day Trip Worth It?
We are asked constantly, so here is the honest answer: usually not.
The arithmetic. Two to three hours each way, plus getting to Athinios and out of Tourlos, leaves perhaps five hours in Mykonos on the best available pairing of sailings.
What five hours buys. Mykonos town, the windmills, Little Venice and a lunch. Not a beach, not Delos, and not the nightlife that the island is actually famous for.
The risk. If the afternoon boat is cancelled you are staying the night on an expensive island at no notice.
The cost. Two high speed fares plus transfers at both ends, for a hurried afternoon.
When it does make sense. If you have a week on Santorini, a calm forecast and a genuine curiosity, take the first boat out and the last boat back and treat it as a long day.
What we would suggest instead. Move between the islands properly, with two or three nights on each, or take a boat trip within the caldera and see Thirassia. Our day trips guide covers the alternatives, and our Santorini versus Mykonos comparison explains what each island is for.
Leaving for Mykonos: The Part That Goes Wrong
The crossing is straightforward. Getting to the boat is where people lose time on the Santorini to Mykonos route.
Athinios is at the bottom of a cliff. A concrete quay, a few ticket offices, no town, and one switchback road in and out.
Allow more time than the map says. Twenty-five minutes from Fira, forty-five from Oia, and considerably more when several ferries load at once in August.
Arrive thirty minutes before departure as a foot passenger, an hour with a vehicle.
The road congests when boats arrive and depart together, and the queue backs up the switchback.
Buses run to the port and fill in the order people reach them, which with luggage on a hot morning is not the arrangement you want.
Taxis are scarce. The island’s fleet is small enough that this is not a plan. See our taxi guide.
What we would do. Book a transfer to the port, timed to the sailing. Our island transfers do this every morning of the season, and the whole Santorini to Mykonos journey becomes simple once the first twenty-five minutes are solved.
Arriving in Mykonos From Santorini
Two ports. The New Port at Tourlos takes most large ferries; the Old Port beside the town takes some smaller ones. Your ticket says which.
From the New Port. Buses to Fabrika and the Old Port, plus taxis and hotel shuttles. It is a few kilometres and walkable only if you are travelling very light.
From the Old Port. Walk into town in a few minutes.
Mykonos taxis are famously limited in number, exactly as they are on Santorini, so arrange transport if you are arriving late.
Luggage and cobbles. Mykonos town is a maze of narrow flagstone lanes closed to traffic. Ask your hotel where a vehicle can drop you.
Wind. Mykonos is one of the windiest islands in the group. It affects the beaches you choose and, on bad days, the boats to Delos.
The contrast. After the caldera, Mykonos looks low, dry and rocky. Its appeal is the town, the beach clubs and the nightlife rather than the geology, which is the essential difference between the two ends of the Santorini to Mykonos journey.
Santorini to Mykonos, or Mykonos to Santorini First?
A genuine question for anyone planning both, and the order matters more than most itineraries admit.
Santorini first, Mykonos second. The most common order. You get the scenery and the archaeology while you are fresh, then the beaches and the nightlife. It also suits flights home from Mykonos or a return through Athens.
Mykonos first, Santorini second. Better if you want to finish somewhere calm, and better for honeymooners who want the quiet half at the end.
How many nights each. Three on Santorini and two or three on Mykonos is the standard split. Santorini needs the extra day because the interior takes one.
Do not do one night each. Two islands in three nights is a travel schedule rather than a holiday.
Where the ferry fits. Mid-morning, so you arrive with an afternoon in hand rather than at dinner time.
The wider chain. Naxos or Paros between the two breaks the journey and costs a fraction of either island. Our ferry tickets guide covers the whole network.
Flying From Santorini to Mykonos Instead
Direct flights are rare. Both islands have busy airports and almost all of that traffic runs to Athens and northern Europe rather than between them.
Connecting via Athens means two flights, a connection and two airport processes, which turns a two hour boat into most of a day and costs more.
When flying makes sense. Out of season, when the direct ferry thins or stops, and for travellers who genuinely cannot manage a sea crossing.
The airports. Santorini’s is fifteen minutes from Fira on the flat east side; Mykonos’s is a few minutes from town. See our airport guide.
Our view. For the Santorini to Mykonos leg specifically, the ferry wins on time, money and simplicity in every month the route runs.
Santorini to Mykonos Season by Season
April and May. The route opens up through April. Fewer sailings, cheap tickets, easy availability.
June. Full schedule, comfortable crossings, book a week or two ahead.
July and August. Maximum frequency and maximum demand, with the meltemi at its strongest. Book early and keep the plan flexible.
September. Still frequent, calmer seas, slightly easier to book.
October. The schedule thins through the month.
November to March. No reliable direct service. Travelling from Santorini to Mykonos out of season usually means going via Piraeus, which is a full day in the wrong direction.
Mistakes People Make on the Santorini to Mykonos Route
Going to the wrong port. Athinios, not the old port below Fira.
Arriving at the wrong Mykonos port. Tourlos and the Old Port are several kilometres apart.
Leaving Oia forty minutes before the sailing. It is forty-five minutes to Athinios in good traffic.
Booking a fast ferry in a meltemi week without a fallback.
Connecting the crossing to a same-day flight. The single most expensive error on this route.
Attempting the day trip on a whim. Five hours ashore, two fares and a real cancellation risk.
Assuming a taxi will be waiting. At neither end.
Taking a hire car across. Most rental agreements forbid it.
Booking one night on each island. Two islands in three nights is a schedule, not a trip.
Santorini to Mykonos: Common Questions
How long is the ferry from Santorini to Mykonos?
Two to three hours on a high speed ferry, depending on whether it calls at Ios, Naxos or Paros. Conventional ferries take roughly twice as long.
How often do ferries run?
Several high speed sailings a day through the summer, thinning either side of the season and largely stopping in winter.
Which port does the ferry leave from?
Athinios, the commercial port on the west coast below the cliff, twenty-five minutes from Fira and forty-five from Oia.
Which port does it arrive at in Mykonos?
Usually the New Port at Tourlos, a few kilometres north of the town. Some smaller vessels use the Old Port beside the town. Check your ticket.
Can you do Santorini to Mykonos as a day trip?
Technically yes, and we would not. The best pairing of sailings leaves about five hours ashore, which covers the town and nothing else, with a real risk of a cancelled return.
Is it better to fly?
No. Direct flights are rare and seasonal, and connecting through Athens takes most of a day.
Do the ferries get cancelled?
Regularly, in strong northerlies. High speed craft stop before conventional ships do.
How far in advance should I book?
Days ahead in July and August for the convenient sailings, and earlier with a vehicle.
Which island should I visit first?
Santorini first for most itineraries, then Mykonos, with three nights and two or three nights respectively.
Is the crossing rough?
It can be. This is open Aegean water and the summer meltemi builds a short steep sea.
Santorini to Mykonos: Key Points
- The high speed ferry is the only sensible way to travel from Santorini to Mykonos.
- The crossing takes two to three hours depending on the stops.
- Departures are from Athinios, not the old port below Fira.
- Most arrivals are at the New Port at Tourlos, a few kilometres from Mykonos town.
- Book days ahead for July and August on this route.
- Strong northerlies cancel high speed sailings at short notice.
- Never put the Santorini to Mykonos crossing on the same day as a flight home.
- The day trip leaves about five usable hours and carries a real cancellation risk.
- Flying usually routes via Athens and takes most of a day.
- Three nights on Santorini and two or three on Mykonos is the standard split.
- Allow forty-five minutes from Oia to the port, more in August.
- Hire cars generally may not cross between the islands.
- Out of season the direct route disappears and you travel via Piraeus.
Which Santorini to Mykonos Crossing Suits You
Couples on a two-island trip. Mid-morning high speed ferry, reserved seats, and a transfer to Athinios booked the night before.
Families with children. The conventional ferry where the timetable allows, for the space and the open decks. A sealed catamaran in a swell with small children is a long two hours.
Island hoppers with luggage. High speed, boarding early to place the cases, and never two connections in one day.
Anyone prone to seasickness. Conventional, low and central, and medication before boarding.
Groups of four or more. Book the transfer to the port per vehicle rather than paying four bus fares and queueing.
Older travellers. The ferry itself is easy; Athinios and the Mykonos cobbles are the difficult parts. Arrange transport at both ends.
Anyone on a tight schedule. Take the earliest Santorini to Mykonos sailing of the day, which is the least likely to be affected by building afternoon wind.
Planning the Whole Santorini to Mykonos Journey
The Santorini to Mykonos leg is one line in a chain, and the chain is where trips go wrong.
The night before. Confirm the sailing, confirm the transfer, and pack so one adult can carry everything.
The morning. Leave Fira an hour before departure, Oia an hour and a quarter. Athinios has no waiting room and no shade worth the name.
The crossing. Two to three hours. Bring water; what is sold on board is poor value on every line.
The arrival. Know which Mykonos port your ticket names and how you are getting from it into town.
The rest of the trip. Do not schedule anything for the arrival afternoon that cannot be moved.
The return leg. If you are coming back, the same applies in reverse, and Mykonos taxis are as scarce as Santorini’s.
The flight home. Never on the same day as a Santorini to Mykonos crossing, in either direction.
If Your Santorini to Mykonos Ferry Is Cancelled
Check the operator first, then the port office, then your booking platform.
Ask about the conventional ferry. It frequently sails when the fast craft does not.
Consider going via Naxos or Paros, which sometimes keeps running when the direct sailing does not.
Accept the extra night. If the wind is genuinely up, another evening on Santorini is not a hardship, and our nightlife guide covers what to do with it.
Do not chase a flight. Rebooking a cancelled Santorini to Mykonos crossing into a same-day departure is how people end up stranded at an airport.
Quick Answers on Santorini to Mykonos
Best way? The high speed ferry, every time in season.
How long is Santorini to Mykonos? Two to three hours by high speed ferry.
Which port here? Athinios.
Which port there? Usually Tourlos, the New Port.
How often? Several Santorini to Mykonos sailings a day in summer.
Book ahead? Yes, days ahead for July and August.
Fly? No, unless it is out of season.
Day trip? Possible, and we would not.
Cancelled often? In strong meltemi, yes.
Which island first? Santorini, then Mykonos, which is why most people search Santorini to Mykonos rather than the reverse.
Biggest risk on Santorini to Mykonos? Putting the crossing on the same day as a flight home.
The Short Version
Buy a high speed ticket for a mid-morning sailing, book a car to Athinios, and know which Mykonos port you are landing at. Watch the wind rather than the rain, and keep a night between the crossing and any flight.
Done that way the Santorini to Mykonos journey is two easy hours between the two most famous islands in Greece, and the only thing that ever complicates it is the weather.
Two Islands, One Trip
Travellers who combine them usually enjoy both more for the contrast, and it is worth knowing what each one is for.
Santorini is geology and history. A drowned volcano, villages balanced on the rim, a Bronze Age town under a roof and vines growing in ash.
Mykonos is a town and a shoreline. A whitewashed maze that is genuinely beautiful, beach clubs, and the best nightlife in the Cyclades by a wide margin.
They are not alternatives. Anyone deciding between them is asking the wrong question; the Santorini to Mykonos ferry exists precisely because most visitors want both.
Delos. The reason to give Mykonos an extra day: a whole abandoned classical island half an hour away by boat, and the counterpart to Akrotiri at this end.
Cost. Both are expensive, and both have a cheaper half if you look for it.
How to weight them. Three nights here, two or three there, with the crossing mid-morning between them.
Our full comparison covers the two islands in detail.
Everything in One Paragraph
Santorini to Mykonos is a two to three hour high speed ferry crossing running several times a day from roughly April to October, leaving from Athinios on the west coast and arriving mostly at the New Port at Tourlos a few kilometres outside Mykonos town. Conventional ferries take about twice as long, cost less and ride far better in a swell. Book days ahead for July and August, allow twenty-five minutes from Fira or forty-five from Oia to reach the port, and watch the wind rather than the rain, because the meltemi cancels the fast craft first and the decision is often made the same morning. The day trip is technically possible and leaves about five usable hours, and the crossing should never share a day with a flight home.
One Line to Take Away
Take a mid-morning high speed sailing, book the car to Athinios, and put a night between the Santorini to Mykonos crossing and any flight.
Mykonos to Santorini: Coming Back
The return leg is the same route in reverse and it catches people out for different reasons.
Mykonos ports. Confirm whether you are leaving from Tourlos or the Old Port, because they are several kilometres apart and taxis there are as scarce as they are here.
Allow for the town. Mykonos town is closed to traffic, so a vehicle cannot reach most hotels; you walk to a pick-up point with your luggage.
Arriving at Athinios. Several hundred people disembark at once onto a small quay with one road out. Have a car waiting, exactly as on the outbound leg.
Timing your onward plans. A Santorini to Mykonos return sailing that lands in the evening leaves you very little of that day.
The same wind rules apply in both directions, and the same advice about spare days.
Booking With Us
We do not sell ferry tickets. We get you to the boat on time, which on this island is the harder half. A driver at your door, luggage handled, and a fixed price to Athinios timed to your sailing. Per vehicle rather than per person, no deposit, free cancellation.
Transfers
- island transfers
- VIP chauffeur service
- transfer to Oia and Finikia
- transfer to Fira and the villages
- choosing a private transfer
Tours
- full day tour
- half day tour
- north part and Oia tour
- south part and Akrotiri tour
- sightseeing tour
- historical tour
- wine tour
- food experience
- sunset tour
- shore excursion
- small group tour
- black sand beach tour
- horse riding tour
- custom tour
- coach tours
Book directly
- Full Day Tour
- Half Day Tour
- North Part and Oia Tour
- South Part and Akrotiri Tour
- Sightseeing Tour
- Small Group Tour
- Wine Tour
- Food Experience
- Historical Tour
- Sunset Tour
- Shore Excursion
- Black Sand Beach Tour
- Horse Riding Tour
- Personalised Tour
Further reading
- Santorini vs Mykonos compared
- Santorini ferry tickets
- Crete to Santorini
- Athens to Santorini
- Santorini airport
- The cruise port explained
- Day trips from Santorini
- Things to do in Santorini
- A three day itinerary
- Where to stay in Santorini
- Santorini villas
- How many days you need
- The best time to visit
- Santorini in winter
- The public bus explained
- Taxis on Santorini
- Should you hire a car?
- Akrotiri
- The volcano tour
- The best beaches
- Santorini nightlife
- Every village on the island
- Santorini on a budget
- Santorini hiking
More from this site
- All tours and prices
- About Santorini Impressive Tours
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- Pictures from our private tours
- Useful links for travellers
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- All our Santorini articles
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