Ferry RouteIOS to AMO
Ios to Amorgos. Compare the operators, a real sailing day and dated fares, then search live times for your date.
Dated numbers: a Ferryhopper check or a one-day timetable sample, never live. The search shows live times and prices.
By George K. · Updated
The direct ferry from Ios to Katapola on Amorgos is a once-a-week sailing by Small Cyclades Lines, running from May to September and taking 2 hr 45 min to 3 hours. When we checked Ferryhopper on 24 September 2026, one adult cost from €11.20. There is no direct boat from October to April, and on the other days of the week most travellers connect through Naxos or Santorini.
Source: Ferryhopper route page and timetable sample · as of
Live AIS
Ferries sailing between Ios and Amorgos (Katapola) right now.
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01Operators compared
Who sails this route, on what kind of boat, how long it takes and the lowest adult fare we found.
| Operator | Vessel type | Crossing time | Vehicles | Adult fare from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Small Cyclades Lines | Conventional ferry | 2 hr 45 min to 3 hr | Not confirmed | €11.20 |
Source: Ferryhopper route page, checked by our editors · as of
02Fares
The lowest fares Ferryhopper showed for each party when we checked on 24 September 2026. Each row can come from a different sailing.
| Passengers | Ios → Amorgos (Katapola) | Amorgos (Katapola) → Ios |
|---|---|---|
| 1 adult | €11.2 | €11.2 |
| 2 adults | €22.4 | €22.4 |
Source: Ferryhopper route page · checked
Lowest fares shown on Ferryhopper when we checked on 2026-09-24. Fares change with the date, vessel and demand; the booking page shows the current price for your date. Ferryhopper showed no price for cars or for a family with a car on this route. Outbound is Ios to Amorgos; inbound is Amorgos to Ios.
03Schedule by season
This is a seasonal, once-a-week service. Ferryhopper shows the Ios to Katapola direction from May to September, with a frequency of once per week, and its monthly company table, which reflects last year's data, lists only Small Cyclades Lines in this direction, once a week in each month that has data. Outside that window the table shows no data, so do not expect a direct boat between October and April. We have no sampled timetable for this route, so the weekday and departure time for your month should be checked in the booking box before you build the rest of your plans around it.
The Journey
Ios and Amorgos are an appealing pair on paper: the lively beach island at the centre of the southern Cyclades and the long, rugged island to the east, loved by walkers and by anyone after a slower pace. On a map they look close. In practice the direct connection is thin, and knowing that before you plan will save you a lot of frustration.
In Ferryhopper's data for this direction there is a single company, Small Cyclades Lines, sailing once a week from May to September into Katapola, the main port of Amorgos. The trip takes around 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours, as the small ferry takes its time and may call at other islands, and the fare is low: from €11.20 for one adult when we checked. The high-speed Seajets boats that appear on this route only run the other way, from Amorgos to Ios.
That makes this route a matter of timing. If the weekly boat falls on a day that suits you, it is the cheapest and simplest way across. If it does not, the practical answer is a two-leg trip: Ios to Naxos and on to Amorgos, which works for much of the year, or Ios to Santorini and then Santorini to Amorgos in the warmer months.
Before you book, confirm the day of the weekly sailing for your month, check that your accommodation on Amorgos is near Katapola or that you have a way to reach it, and keep an eye on the forecast. A once-a-week boat leaves little room for error if the wind rises.
Ferryhopper lists 2 hours 45 minutes as the shortest trip from Ios to Katapola, and in last year's monthly data the Small Cyclades Lines sailing took between 2 hours 45 minutes and 3 hours. That is slow for the distance, and the likely reason is the itinerary: this company runs local lifeline services between smaller islands, and the booking page shows any stops for your date. Ferryhopper's Santorini to Amorgos page notes that this company's sailings between those two islands stop at Ios. Allow a good half day for the journey once you add the wait at the port. The quicker high-speed crossings on this pair only run from Amorgos to Ios.
04The ports
Departure port
IOS · 36.7233° N 25.2811° E
The boat leaves from the port of Ios, known as Ormos, on the west coast of the island. Chora sits on the hill above the harbour, so if you are staying up there or at a beach, arrange a taxi or transfer to the port the day before, as rides are harder to find when several ships are due. On a once-a-week service, missing the boat means a long wait, so aim to be on the quay well before departure and keep your e-ticket on your phone.
Arrival port
AMO · 36.8333° N 25.8500° E
Your ticket names Katapola, the main port of Amorgos, in the south of the island. It is a proper harbour village with places to eat and stay, and Chora, the island's capital, lies inland up the hill. Amorgos is long, and its other port, Aegiali, is in the north, so if you are staying at that end of the island, arrange onward transport in advance. After a three-hour trip that may arrive late in the day, a booked pickup is the calmest way to finish the journey.
05On Board
Small Cyclades Lines runs a small conventional ferry, built for the short hops between the lesser-visited islands rather than for comfort on long runs. Facilities are simpler than on the big Piraeus ferries, so bring water and something to eat for a trip of nearly three hours. On a calm day, the open deck is the place to be. On a windy day, a small ship moves more than a big one, so if you are prone to seasickness, sit low and near the middle and take any remedy before you sail.
06Weather and cancellations
The small ferry on this route is more exposed to rough seas than the large ships on the main lines, and in July and August the meltemi, the strong north wind of the Aegean summer, can make the open stretches choppy. The port authority can hold departures when conditions are bad. Because this direction only has one sailing a week, a cancellation here is more disruptive than on busy routes: ask the operator to change or refund your ticket, then look at the two-leg options via Naxos or Santorini, which have more boats and larger vessels, rather than waiting a week for the next direct sailing.
07Travel Tips
Find out which weekday the Small Cyclades Lines boat sails in your month before you book anything else on Amorgos.
At €11.20 for one adult when we checked, the direct boat is cheap; the catch is its frequency, not its price.
If the weekly sailing does not fit, plan Ios to Naxos to Amorgos, or Ios to Santorini to Amorgos in the warmer months.
Check that your ticket says Katapola, and arrange transport if you are staying in Aegiali or elsewhere on Amorgos.
Leave a buffer day before any flight home: with one boat a week, a weather cancellation can cost several days.
08Alternatives
For the trip back, see our Amorgos to Ios page: that direction has more sailings, including Seajets high-speed boats in summer. From Ios, you can also reach Amorgos in two legs. Ios to Naxos takes from about 40 minutes, and Naxos has boats to Amorgos, arriving at Katapola or Aegiali. Ios to Santorini takes under an hour on the fast boats, and Santorini to Amorgos runs from February to October. Neither Ios nor Amorgos has an airport; the nearest are on Santorini (JTR) and Naxos (JNX).
Times and fares on these links come from one-day timetable samples, not live data.
09Island Hopping
10Route matrix
Every direct route from Ios with a page on Discover Cyclades, with the fastest crossing and lowest fare from its one-day timetable sample. The route you are reading is marked.
| Route | Fastest | Lowest fare | Sailings that day | Operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ios → Amorgos (Katapola)You are here | Small Cyclades Lines | |||
| Ios → Folegandros | 1h 20m | €5.50 | 2 | Seajets, Fast Ferries |
| Ios → Milos (Adamas) | 2h 50m | €14.50 | 2 | Seajets, Fast Ferries |
| Ios → Mykonos | 1h 30m | €72 | 3 | Seajets, Golden Star Ferries |
| Ios → Naxos | 45 min | €22.50 | 4 | Blue Star Ferries, Seajets |
| Ios → Paros (Parikia) | 55 min | €24.50 | 5 | Blue Star Ferries, Seajets, Golden Star Ferries |
| Ios → Piraeus | Seajets, Blue Star Ferries, Fast Ferries | |||
| Ios → Santorini (Athinios) | 35 min | €6.50 | 7 | Blue Star Ferries, Seajets, Golden Star Ferries, Fast Ferries |
| Ios → Sikinos | 30 min | €4 | 1 | Fast Ferries |
Source: Ferryhopper timetable samples, one sailing day per route · sailing day
Questions
Island Guides
Ferryhopper · live
Real-time sailings from Ferryhopper. Prices are per adult passenger.
| Operator | Departs | Duration | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Operators AvailableView on Ferryhopper | 07:30 | ~5h (estimated) | €45 | Book |
