Ferry from Symi (Gialos) to Astypalea

Symi to Astypalea takes around eight hours on Blue Star Ferries' Blue Star Patmos, crossing from the southern Dodecanese to the island that sits out on the group's western edge. The ship calls at other ports along the way, so the journey breaks into stages rather than being one long open-water leg. Lounges, a bar and open decks make it an easy enough day on board.

Astypalea is butterfly-shaped and feels closer to the Cyclades than the Dodecanese, whitewashed, quiet and popular with Greeks looking for somewhere unspoiled. Ferries dock at Skala, also called Pera Gialos, just below the Chora, and the Venetian kastro on the hilltop above the town is the island's landmark. Beaches are low-key and the pace stays slow even at the height of summer.

The route runs roughly once a week, so dates need to fit the schedule rather than the other way round. Current sailings and fares are listed in the timetable below, with fares from around €31.50. Astypalea has a small airport with domestic flights and ferry links both west into the Cyclades and east to Kos.

Weekly Symi to Astypalea Ferry Schedule

What each ferry company has published for the four weeks from 13 November 2026 to 10 December 2026: the days it sails and its departure times from Symi.

Symi to Astypalea Ferry Fares

Next 14 days

Every scheduled departure from Symi to Astypalea between 13 November 2026 and 26 November 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tips for the Symi to Astypalea ferry

• Symi's harbour has two separate docking points: Dodekanisos Seaways catamarans use the clock tower, while larger conventional ferries dock at the New Port, a shadeless 15-minute walk away with no shops or taxis – confirm which one applies before you set off.
• Buy or confirm ferry tickets at the Symi Tours office on the harbour front, the long-standing general agent for Dodekanisos Seaways and Blue Star Ferries, rather than assuming online booking alone will guarantee your allocated departure point.
• Don't confuse the scheduled Dodekanisos Seaways or ANES catamarans with the organised day-trip excursion boats from Rhodes, which fill the harbour around midday and typically call passengers back for a fixed afternoon return sailing.
• Booking the earliest possible outward sailing gives you the most time on the island and reduces pressure on your return connection.
• Once you arrive in Astypalea, the main town's labyrinth of whitewashed houses, traditional windmills, and blue-domed churches beneath a hilltop Venetian castle make for one of the most photogenic settings in the Aegean. The island also offers miles of unspoiled beaches, with Vatses, Kaminakia, and Livadi among the finest.

Plan a journey

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