Piraeus to Crete & the Saronic Islands by Ferry

Two very different corridors share this page for a simple reason: they’re the opposite ends of the Greek ferry experience. Crete is the long haul — most travellers sail it overnight in a cabin. The Saronic islands are the short hop — Aegina alone can see twenty-plus sailings a day, making it the highest-frequency route in the network. Between them, they bracket everything the Aegean offers.

Crete: the overnight institution

Piraeus serves Crete’s two main ports: Heraklion (for Knossos, the east and the airport) and Chania via Souda (for the west and the old Venetian town). The classic pattern is the overnight ferry: depart Piraeus in the evening, sleep in a cabin, dock around dawn — roughly 8–9 hours, and you save a hotel night. Minoan Lines and ANEK/Blue Star ships run this route with proper cabins, restaurants and vehicle decks; daytime sailings and seasonal high-speeds also appear in summer. Deck/seat fares are moderate, but a decent cabin roughly doubles the price — and is worth every euro. Book cabins well ahead in summer (see when to book).

The Saronic: Athens’ island backyard

Aegina is 40 minutes to just over an hour away depending on the boat — close enough for a day trip, which is exactly what half of Athens does on summer Sundays. Agistri lies just beyond. Poros, Hydra and Spetses stretch further down the gulf, served mainly by fast hydrofoils and catamarans — around 1½–2 hours to Hydra. Two things to know: Hydra allows no cars at all (donkeys handle the luggage — pack accordingly), and hydrofoils have no outside decks and feel the chop, so on a windy day the slower conventional to Aegina is the more pleasant ride. Saronic gates at Piraeus are the closest ones to the metro — the easiest ferry departure in Greece (see the port guide).

Which corridor is for you?

Short on time in Athens but want an island? The Saronic is your answer — Aegina or Hydra as a day trip needs no planning beyond checking the return times. Building a proper Crete holiday? Take the overnight ferry one way and fly the other, and you’ve spent almost zero daylight hours in transit. Either way, live schedules and fares are in the search below.