Santorini to Naxos Ferry (and Back): Times, Prices & Day Trips

The Santorini to Naxos ferry is one of the easiest hops in the Cyclades: it runs all year, it's short, and you can choose between a fast catamaran and a big conventional ship. The crossing takes 1 hr 10 min on the quickest boat and up to 2 hr 35 min on the slower ones, from Athinios, Santorini's ferry port, to the harbour in Naxos town. We run a small cave hotel in Fira, about 8 km from Athinios, so this guide covers the route both ways and what happens at the Santorini end. For the rest of your planning, see our Santorini travel guide.

We checked the times and prices below in October 2026. They shift by season and by sailing, so confirm on the booking page before you buy.

Photo: Manfred Werner (Tsui), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Santorini to Naxos ferry at a glance

What you want to know	Answer	Source
Ports	Athinios (Santorini) and Naxos town harbour	Ferryhopper route data
Season	All year	Ferryhopper route data
Crossings	Up to 8 a day in summer	Ferryhopper route data
Journey time	1 hr 10 min to 2 hr 35 min	Ferryhopper route data
Fares	from €31.50	Ferryhopper fare data
Distance by sea	43 nautical miles (around 79 km)	Ferryhopper route data
Companies	Blue Star Ferries, Seajets	Ferryhopper route data

Fast catamaran or conventional ferry?

Take the Blue Star ship unless the clock really matters. On this route the slow boat takes about an hour longer and costs a lot less.

According to Ferryhopper's Santorini to Naxos page, Blue Star Ferries' conventional ships need 2 hr to 2 hr 35 min, while Seajets' high-speed catamarans take 1 hr 10 min to 2 hr 35 min. The longer catamaran times are the ones that stop at other islands first.

	High-speed (Seajets)	Conventional (Blue Star Ferries)	Source
Journey time	1 hr 10 min to 2 hr 35 min	2 hr to 2 hr 35 min	Ferryhopper route data
Seats from	Economy €69, business €89, VIP €98	Deck-lounge €31.50, business about €44	Ferryhopper fare data
Cabins	None, numbered airplane-type seats	Cabins for 1-4 passengers from about €59	Ferryhopper fare data
Season	March to October	All year	Ferryhopper route data

Our view: a two-hour crossing on a big ship with an open deck is a pleasant way to leave Santorini. You watch the caldera cliffs slide away instead of looking at a screen in a sealed cabin. Save the catamaran for the day trip, when every hour on Naxos counts.

Photo: Zde, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How long is the ferry from Santorini to Naxos?

Between 1 hr 10 min and about 2 hr 35 min, per Ferryhopper. The fastest boats are Seajets' Worldchampion Jet and Champions League Jet 2, which do it in 1 hr 10 min (source: Ferryhopper route data). Weather and the number of stops decide where in that range your sailing lands.

How much does the ferry from Santorini to Naxos cost?

The lowest fare is a deck-lounge ticket on the conventional ship, from €31.50, according to Ferryhopper's fare data. On the catamarans, economy starts from around €69.

Other prices Ferryhopper lists for the route:

• A car: from around €60, a motorbike from €25 (Ferryhopper vehicle data)
• Discounts of up to 50% for some passenger groups, and infants and toddlers usually free (Ferryhopper discount data)

These are "from" prices. A catamaran on an August weekend costs more.

The Naxos to Santorini ferry

The return leg runs on the same two companies. Ferryhopper lists the Naxos to Santorini crossing at about 1 hr 5 min to about 3 hr, depending on the boat and the stops (source: Ferryhopper Naxos data). Catamaran seats from Naxos start from around €59 in economy, €84 in business and €93 in the VIP lounge, according to the same Ferryhopper page.

Most sailings are in daylight. Blue Star sometimes runs late-night crossings between 23:55 and 00:45, per Ferryhopper's Naxos data, which land you at Athinios in the small hours. If that's your boat, book a transfer before you leave Naxos, because you won't find a bus waiting.

Boats from Naxos dock at Athinios too, about 20 km from Oia, according to Ferryhopper.

Can you do a day trip from Santorini to Naxos?

Yes, in summer. Ferryhopper says a Santorini to Naxos day trip is usually possible in the high season, when there are several crossings a day (Ferryhopper day trip answer). Ferryhopper lists the earliest sailing from Santorini at 00:30, which is a night crossing, so for a day trip pick the first morning catamaran on that day's timetable. The last boats back leave Naxos at 19:35 or 23:45, according to Ferryhopper's schedule notes.

Here's how we'd do it: take the first catamaran out, book the return before you go, and keep the day simple. Walk up to the Portara by the harbour, lose an hour in the lanes of the old Kastro, eat lunch by the water, and maybe swim at a beach close to town. Don't try to see the mountain villages in one day. That's a separate trip.

Naxos deserves more than a day. It's a big island with long sandy beaches and a farming interior, the opposite of Santorini's cliffs. Two or three nights there and three or four on Santorini is a classic pairing. Our ten-day Greece itinerary builds a trip around exactly that.

Booking tips for the Naxos ferry

• Be at Athinios at least 1 hr before departure, as Ferryhopper recommends. With a vehicle, make it 90 min.
• Luggage is generous. Seajets and Blue Star both allow up to 50 kg free of charge, according to Ferryhopper's luggage notes.
• Book the return early if you're day-tripping. It's a popular route in summer.
• Watch the wind. Strong northerlies hit the catamarans first, and Ferryhopper runs a travel alerts page for cancellations and strikes.
• Board with the e-ticket. Online check-in works on most sailings.

Getting between Athinios port and Fira

Athinios sits about 8 km south of Fira and 9 km from Santorini's airport, says Ferryhopper's port notes. It's a narrow quay under the cliff, shared with the Athens, Mykonos and Crete boats.

By public bus. KTEL buses connect Fira and Athinios in 20 to 25 min, per Ferryhopper's Athinios data, and the Fira to port fare is 2.70 €, according to the KTEL Santorini fare table. Bus times are usually matched to ferry arrivals and departures.

By taxi or transfer. There aren't many taxis on the island. On a summer afternoon, a pre-booked transfer saves you the queue.

Our guide to getting around Santorini covers the bus network and car hire. Carrying on to other islands? The Santorini to Mykonos ferry and the Santorini to Crete ferry both leave from Athinios too.

Where to stay in Santorini before or after Naxos

Stay in Fira. It's where the port bus starts, it sits right on the caldera, and buses run from there to Oia, the beaches and the airport. Our guide to Fira explains why we think it's the best base.

Aroma Suites is our small hotel on Agiou Mina, on the caldera side of Fira. Choose a double with a sea view or a cave suite with an indoor heated jacuzzi. Book direct for 4 nights or more and our offers page adds a free one-way airport transfer. It's for the airport, not Athinios, so take the bus or a taxi to the ferry. We're open from March to October.

The same owner also runs Uma Ray Suites in Fira and Casa di Terra Villa, a private villa.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to travel from Santorini to Naxos?

By ferry. It's direct and runs all year. The Blue Star conventional ship is the comfortable choice and costs less. The Seajets catamaran is the quick one.

Does the Santorini to Naxos ferry run in winter?

Yes. Ferryhopper lists the route as year-round. The high-speed catamarans only run from March to October, so a winter crossing will be on the conventional ship.

Can you take a car from Santorini to Naxos?

Yes. Most ferries on the route, including the conventional ships and most catamarans, have car decks. Car transport starts from around €60, per Ferryhopper's vehicle data.

Is Santorini or Naxos better?

They do different jobs. Santorini is for the caldera, the sunsets and the wine. Naxos is for beaches, villages and slower days. If you only have time for one, choose by what you want to do, not by photos. If you have a week, do both.

Planning the Santorini part of the trip? Check availability and book direct at Aroma Suites for the best rate we offer.