Ferries between Ios and Santorini operate all year round, on six to seven days a week. The trip takes between 30 minutes and 1 hr 20 min, depending on the ferry type. Ticket prices start at just €6.50. The route is served by Seajets, Blue Star Ferries, Golden Star Ferries, Fast Ferries and Maistros Santorini.
For most people this is the final leg of a trip south through the Cyclades, or the first step away from Santorini towards somewhere quieter. The two islands are close enough that you see Santorini's cliffs rising ahead soon after leaving Ios, yet they feel worlds apart: Ios is beaches, a compact Chora and a young, relaxed crowd, while Santorini is the famous caldera, cliff-top villages and sunset viewpoints.
You leave from the small port of Ios on the west coast, a short hop below Chora, and arrive at Athinios, Santorini's main ferry port, tucked beneath the caldera wall. Athinios is functional rather than pretty, and the real work starts after you land: getting up the switchback road to Fira, Oia or your hotel. Sorting that transfer is as important as choosing the boat.
There is a big price gap between boats. The conventional ferries are cheap and take about an hour or a little more, while high-speed seats on Seajets and Golden Star Ferries cost many times more for a crossing that is often only 20 to 30 minutes shorter. On a peak summer day there are departures from very early morning to evening, so you can usually match the boat to your hotel check-in.
