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Ferry RouteIRK to JNX

Ferry from Iraklia to Naxos.

Iraklia to Naxos. Compare the operators, a real sailing day and dated fares, then search live times for your date.

Fastest crossing
1h 30mSmall Cyclades Lines · checked 24 Sept 2026
Ferry operators
1Small Cyclades Lines

Dated numbers: a Ferryhopper check or a one-day timetable sample, never live. The search shows live times and prices.

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By George K. · Updated

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Iraklia to Naxos: live times, seats and prices for your date.

Passengers
2 passengers

Live availability and booking via Ferryhopper, our ferry booking partner.

IrakliaNaxos
Map of the ferry route from Iraklia to Naxos. Coastlines © OpenStreetMap contributors, Natural Earth

How do you get from Iraklia to Naxos by ferry?

To get from Iraklia back to Naxos, plan on the Express Skopelitis of Small Cyclades Lines, the local conventional ferry that links the Small Cyclades with Naxos. We have no dated timetable for this direction; in the other direction it took 1 hr 30 min on 12 August 2026, from €7. Ferryhopper had no route page for Iraklia to Naxos, so check your date early, as sailings are limited.

Source: Ferryhopper route page and timetable sample · as of

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01Operators compared

Iraklia to Naxos ferry operators compared.

Who sails this route, on what kind of boat, how long it takes and the lowest adult fare we found.

Ferry companies on the Iraklia to Naxos route
OperatorVessel typeCrossing timeVehiclesAdult fare from
Small Cyclades LinesConventional ferryabout 1 hr 30 min in the Naxos to Iraklia direction on 12 August 2026Cars and motorbikesSee live fares

Source: Ferryhopper route page, checked by our editors · as of

  • Small Cyclades LinesThe Express Skopelitis, which calls at Iraklia and Schinoussa on its Naxos to Koufonisia run. It started at €7 in the other direction on our sample day; we have no dated fare for this direction.

02Schedule by season

Iraklia to Naxos ferry schedule by season.

We cannot give a reliable pattern for this direction. Ferryhopper had no route page for Iraklia to Naxos when we checked, and our only timetable sample is for the opposite direction, where on 12 August 2026 there was a single afternoon sailing. Our older route data describes the route as running all year, with more sailings from April to October and fewer in winter, but those figures are unconfirmed. Assume roughly one boat on the days it runs and none on some winter days, and confirm your date in the booking box as soon as you know it.

The Journey

The Iraklia to Naxos crossing.

Leaving Iraklia usually means heading back to Naxos, the big island that connects the Small Cyclades to the rest of Greece. After a few days of empty paths and quiet coves, Naxos feels like a city: a busy port town, long sandy beaches on the west coast, mountain villages inland, an airport just outside Chora and ferries to Piraeus, Paros, Mykonos and Santorini.

The boat that makes this link is the Express Skopelitis of Small Cyclades Lines, a small conventional ferry that shuttles between Naxos and the Small Cyclades. Ferryhopper describes it as calling at Iraklia and Schinoussa on its run between Naxos and Koufonisia, and on its outbound leg on 12 August 2026 it took 1 hr 30 min from Naxos to Iraklia, with fares from €7. We do not have a timed sailing in this direction, so we cannot tell you when it leaves Iraklia on a given day.

Our older route data also lists Blue Star Ferries and Seajets on this crossing. Blue Star's larger ships do serve the Small Cyclades, but we found no dated departure to confirm either company between Iraklia and Naxos, so we have not included their times or fares. If one of them appears in the booking box for your date, treat it as a welcome extra option.

The practical advice is simple: book the boat before you book your last night on Iraklia, and if you have a flight from Naxos or a Piraeus ferry afterwards, leave a buffer of a day. Small-boat schedules shift with the weather, and there is not always a second sailing to fall back on.

How long the crossing takes

We do not have a timed sailing from Iraklia to Naxos. The closest guide is the opposite direction: on 12 August 2026 the Express Skopelitis left Naxos at 14:30 and reached Iraklia at 16:00, a trip of 1 hr 30 min, with Iraklia as its first stop after Naxos. On the way back, how long it takes depends on whether the boat has come straight from Iraklia or is finishing a longer loop through the other Small Cyclades. Our older route data quotes about 2 hours but is undated. Check the arrival time in Naxos for your own sailing, especially if you have an onward connection.

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03The ports

Where the Iraklia to Naxos ferry docks.

Departure port

Iraklia

IRK · 36.8333° N 25.4667° E

Boats leave from the harbour at Agios Georgios, Iraklia's main village, so if you are staying there the quay is a short walk from your room. There is no big terminal: expect a simple quay with the village behind it, so buy water and snacks before you head down. Everyone on the island who is leaving turns up when the boat is due, so be there in good time with your e-ticket ready on your phone. If you are staying elsewhere on the island, ask your accommodation in advance how to reach the port for your sailing.

Arrival port

Naxos

JNX · 37.1066° N 25.3756° E

You arrive at the main port of Naxos, part of Chora, the island capital. The old town and waterfront are a short walk away, and KTEL buses and taxis serve the port for the rest of the island. Naxos airport is about 3.5 km from the port, so you can connect to a flight, but with a small-boat crossing it is wiser to leave a generous margin. In summer the quay is busy, with several ships sometimes coming and going together, and taxis can be stretched, so arrange a transfer if you have heavy luggage.

04On Board

On board the Iraklia to Naxos ferry.

Expect a small ferry rather than a big car carrier. The Express Skopelitis has indoor seating and an open deck, and on a calm day the deck is the place to be as Iraklia falls behind and Naxos grows on the horizon. Ferryhopper notes that the boat takes vehicles, though space is tight. Keep your luggage with you or in the luggage space, as there is no luggage check-in. In a fresh northerly the boat moves noticeably, so sit outside and low if you tend to get seasick.

05Weather and cancellations

Wind, weather and cancellations on the Iraklia to Naxos route.

Iraklia sits in open water south of Naxos, exposed to the meltemi, the north wind that blows hardest in July and August. The Express Skopelitis heads straight into it on the way to Naxos, and in strong wind it may be late, skip calls or be kept in port by the port authority. Because there is roughly one sailing on the days the boat runs, a cancellation can mean an extra night on Iraklia. The operator will change or refund your ticket. Build that possibility into your plans and do not book a same-day flight out of Naxos.

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06Travel Tips

Iraklia to Naxos ferry travel tips.

  1. Book the boat to Naxos before you book your last night on Iraklia: sailings are limited.

  2. Leave a spare day before any flight or Piraeus ferry from Naxos; small-boat schedules shift with the weather.

  3. Buy water and snacks in the village before heading to the quay.

  4. If the direct boat does not suit your date, check sailings via Schinoussa or Koufonisia.

  5. On arrival in Naxos, the port is in Chora and about 3.5 km from the airport.

07Alternatives

Other ways between Iraklia and Naxos.

For the trip in the other direction, see our Naxos to Iraklia page. Iraklia has no airport; Naxos (JNX) is the nearest island with one, but check airlines yourself for flights. Iraklia also has routes to Paros, Schinoussa, Koufonisia and Athens (Piraeus), so if the Naxos boat is not running on your date, going straight to Piraeus or on to another island may work better.

The return crossingNaxos → Iraklia1h 30m · from €7
Change boat in Koufonisia
  1. Leg 1: Iraklia → Koufonisia
  2. Leg 2: Koufonisia → Naxos
Change boat in Schinoussa
  1. Leg 1: Iraklia → Schinoussa10 min · from €4.50
  2. Leg 2: Schinoussa → Naxos

Other ferries to Naxos

Times and fares on these links come from one-day timetable samples, not live data.

08Island Hopping

Island hopping from Naxos.

All direct ferry routes

09Route matrix

All ferry routes from Iraklia.

Every direct route from Iraklia 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.

Direct ferry routes from Iraklia: fastest sampled crossing, lowest sampled adult fare and sailings on the sampled day
RouteFastestLowest fareSailings that dayOperators
Iraklia → KoufonisiaBlue Star Ferries, Seajets
Iraklia → NaxosYou are hereSmall Cyclades Lines
Iraklia → PiraeusBlue Star Ferries, Small Cyclades Lines
Iraklia → Schinoussa10 min€4.501Small Cyclades Lines

Source: Ferryhopper timetable samples, one sailing day per route · sailing day

Questions

Iraklia to Naxos ferry: frequently asked questions.

  • We have no timed sailing in this direction. In the other direction, the Express Skopelitis took 1 hr 30 min from Naxos to Iraklia on 12 August 2026, and our older route data quotes about 2 hours. Check the duration for your own sailing in the booking box.

  • We do not have a dated fare for this direction. On our 12 August 2026 sample for the opposite direction, the Express Skopelitis started at €7, which gives a good idea of the price level on the local boat. Search your date to see the current fare.

  • Usually one at most. We have no timetable sample for this direction, and our older data, which is unconfirmed, suggests fewer sailings in winter, when some days may have none. Check your exact date before you plan around a boat.

  • Ferryhopper says the Express Skopelitis carries vehicles, but space is very limited, so book early. Most visitors to Iraklia travel without a car and hire one on Naxos if needed.

  • Search your date in our booking box, which is powered by Ferryhopper, see which boat runs and when, and book an e-ticket for your phone. Book before you fix your last night on Iraklia, as sailings are limited.

  • Small Cyclades Lines, with the Express Skopelitis, is the operator we could confirm on this link. Our older data also names Blue Star Ferries and Seajets, but we found no dated sailing for either between Iraklia and Naxos.

  • We have no sampled timetable for this direction, so we cannot give reliable times. Departures change with the season and day of the week. Search your date in the booking box to see the current time.

  • Only if a morning boat to Naxos and an evening boat back both run on your date, and we have no evidence that they do. With roughly one sailing a day at most, plan on at least one night on Naxos.

  • We could not confirm one. Our older data mentions Seajets, but we found no Seajets sailing on this link. The Express Skopelitis, a conventional ferry, is the boat to plan on.

  • From the harbour at Agios Georgios, the main village, a short walk from most rooms. Facilities at the quay are basic, so buy anything you need in the village before you go down.

  • The small Express Skopelitis is sensitive to the summer meltemi and can be held in port. The operator will offer a change or refund, but the next boat may be the next day, so keep a spare day before any flight or ferry from Naxos.

  • The Express Skopelitis sails from Naxos to Iraklia. On 12 August 2026 it left Naxos at 14:30 and arrived at 16:00, from €7. See our Naxos to Iraklia page for details.

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