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Ferry RouteKOU to JTR

Ferry from Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios).

Koufonisia to Santorini (Thira). Compare the operators, a real sailing day and dated fares, then search live times for your date.

Ferry operators
2Seajets, Blue Star Ferries

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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Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios): live times, seats and prices for your date.

Passengers
2 passengers

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

KoufonisiaSantorini (Athinios)
Map of the ferry route from Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios). Coastlines © OpenStreetMap contributors, Natural Earth

How do you get from Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios) by ferry?

A direct Koufonisia to Santorini ferry is at best a summer extra. Our route data lists Blue Star Ferries and Seajets on this crossing, but Ferryhopper has no route page or timetable for this direction to confirm them. The dependable way is via Naxos: Koufonisia to Naxos sails daily all year in 35 min to 2 hr 15 min, and Naxos to Santorini every day in about 1 hr 5 min to 3 hours.

Source: Ferryhopper route page and timetable sample · as of

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01Operators compared

Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios) 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 Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios) route
OperatorVessel typeCrossing timeVehiclesAdult fare from
SeajetsHigh-speed ferrynot confirmed for this directionNot confirmedSee live fares
Blue Star FerriesConventional ferrynot confirmed for this directionCars and motorbikesSee live fares

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

  • SeajetsListed in our route data. Our 12 August 2026 sample showed a Seajets boat in the opposite direction, Santorini to Koufonisia, taking 1 hr 50 min; search your date for a return sailing.
  • Blue Star FerriesListed in our older route data only; we could not confirm a direct Blue Star sailing from Koufonisia to Santorini.

02Schedule by season

Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios) ferry schedule by season.

Our route data describes a seasonal direct link, strongest in summer and thin or absent in winter, but we have no dated monthly figures for this direction and no sampled timetable. The connecting legs are well documented. Ferryhopper lists Koufonisia to Naxos on 6 to 7 days a week all year, and Naxos to Santorini every day of the year, with Blue Star Ferries sailing daily and Seajets adding fast boats in summer. Koufonisia to Amorgos also runs 6 to 7 days a week, and Amorgos to Santorini from February to October. In winter, plan on going via Naxos.

The Journey

The Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios) crossing.

Koufonisia, the tiny, flat island of the Small Cyclades famous for its turquoise coves, and Santorini, the caldera island with the international airport, make an obvious pair at the end of a trip. Plenty of travellers finish a week of swimming and cycling on Koufonisia with a few nights on Santorini, or simply need to reach Santorini to catch a flight home.

The difficulty is that the direct sea link is poorly documented. Our older route data lists Blue Star Ferries and Seajets sailing from Koufonisia to Santorini, with a crossing of around 2 hours, but we have no recent Ferryhopper route page, fare table or sampled timetable for this direction to back that up. In the opposite direction, our 12 August 2026 sample did show a Seajets high-speed boat from Santorini to Koufonisia, so a summer return on the same line is possible. Treat it as something to search for rather than something to rely on.

The good news is that the two-leg route through Naxos is easy and runs all year. Boats leave Koufonisia for Naxos every day, and Naxos has daily sailings to Santorini, including fast boats in summer. With a sensible connection time, you can do the whole journey in a day.

Whichever way you go, book early for July and August, keep your first night on Santorini flexible, and do not plan to arrive on the same afternoon as a flight: a missed connection in Naxos or a windy day can push you back by hours.

How long the crossing takes

We cannot confirm a direct crossing time for this direction. Our older route data suggests about 2 hours, and in the opposite direction the Seajets boat on our 12 August 2026 sample took 1 hr 50 min, but a direct sailing from Koufonisia, if it runs on your date, may call at other islands first. The reliable yardstick is the route via Naxos: Koufonisia to Naxos takes 35 min on Seajets in summer and about two to two and a half hours on Blue Star Ferries or the Express Skopelitis, and Naxos to Santorini takes about 1 hr 5 min on the fastest boats and 2 to 3 hours on Blue Star. Add your connection time in Naxos on top.

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03The ports

Where the Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios) ferry docks.

Departure port

Koufonisia

KOU · 36.9333° N 25.6000° E

Boats leave from the harbour of Pano Koufonisi, the inhabited island, which sits right beside the main village, so most visitors simply walk to the quay with their bags. The island is small and flat and there is little in the way of public transport; you get around on foot, by bicycle or by scooter, so if you are staying out of the village arrange how you will get your luggage down to the port. There are a café and a few shops near the quay for a last coffee. Be there in good time with your e-ticket ready, and check the vessel name on your ticket before boarding.

Arrival port

Santorini (Thira)

JTR · 36.3932° N 25.4615° E

Every boat to Santorini ends at Athinios, the island's main port, at the foot of the caldera cliffs on the west coast. It is small for the traffic it handles, and in July and August the quay and the single zigzag road up to Fira get congested when several ships arrive together. Buses run to Fira, where you can change for other villages and the airport, and taxis wait at the port, but both run short at peak times. Pre-book a transfer, especially if you are heading to Oia or straight to the airport.

04On Board

On board the Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios) ferry.

Your boat depends on the route you take. On a Seajets high-speed leg you sit in an enclosed, air-conditioned lounge with a snack bar and not much outside space. On a Blue Star Ferries leg you get a large conventional ship with lounges, open decks, cafés and room to stretch. The little Express Skopelitis of Small Cyclades Lines, which serves Koufonisia to Naxos, is simpler, with deck and lounge seating. None of these legs needs a cabin. There is no luggage check-in, so keep your bags with you or in the luggage area, and label them clearly if you are changing boats in Naxos.

05Weather and cancellations

Wind, weather and cancellations on the Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios) route.

Koufonisia sits in open water south-east of Naxos, and the summer meltemi, the strong north wind of July and August, can make the crossings choppy. High-speed boats are the first to slow down or be held in port by the port authority, while Blue Star's big conventional ships usually keep going. If a sailing is cancelled, the operator will rebook or refund you. On a two-leg trip the risk is a missed connection, so book with a generous gap in Naxos, and if the fast boat is in doubt, consider the conventional sailings for one or both legs.

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06Travel Tips

Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios) ferry travel tips.

  1. Search the direct route first; if nothing shows, book Koufonisia to Naxos and Naxos to Santorini as two tickets.

  2. Leave a comfortable gap between the two legs in Naxos, as boats can run late in summer winds.

  3. In winter, Naxos is the dependable connection: both legs are listed all year.

  4. Book your transfer from Athinios before you arrive; taxis and buses run short when several ships dock.

  5. Flying out of Santorini? Aim to arrive the day before your flight rather than the same afternoon.

07Alternatives

Other ways between Koufonisia and Santorini (Athinios).

For the outbound direction, see our Santorini to Koufonisia page. The main ways to Santorini from Koufonisia are via Naxos, which runs all year, or via Amorgos, where Koufonisia to Katapola runs 6 to 7 days a week and Amorgos to Santorini runs from February to October. Koufonisia has no airport. Naxos (JNX) and Santorini (JTR) both have airports, but check current flights yourself before relying on them.

The return crossingSantorini (Athinios) → Koufonisia1h 50m · from €99.70
Change boat in Naxos
  1. Leg 1: Koufonisia → Naxos
  2. Leg 2: Naxos → Santorini (Athinios)1h 5m · from €31.50
Change boat in Paros (Parikia)
  1. Leg 1: Koufonisia → Paros (Parikia)
  2. Leg 2: Paros (Parikia) → Santorini (Athinios)1h 30m · from €33
Change boat in Mykonos
  1. Leg 1: Koufonisia → Mykonos
  2. Leg 2: Mykonos → Santorini (Athinios)2h 10m · from €79
Change boat in Amorgos (Katapola)
  1. Leg 1: Koufonisia → Amorgos (Katapola)25 min · from €7
  2. Leg 2: Amorgos (Katapola) → Santorini (Athinios)1h 15m · from €77.70

Other ferries to Santorini (Athinios)

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

08Island Hopping

Island hopping from Santorini (Athinios).

All direct ferry routes

09Route matrix

All ferry routes from Koufonisia.

Every direct route from Koufonisia 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 Koufonisia: fastest sampled crossing, lowest sampled adult fare and sailings on the sampled day
RouteFastestLowest fareSailings that dayOperators
Koufonisia → Amorgos (Katapola)25 min€73Seajets, Small Cyclades Lines
Koufonisia → Donousa1h 10m€71Small Cyclades Lines
Koufonisia → IrakliaBlue Star Ferries, Seajets
Koufonisia → Milos (Adamas)Seajets
Koufonisia → MykonosSeajets
Koufonisia → NaxosBlue Star Ferries, Hellenic Seaways, Seajets, Small Cyclades Lines
Koufonisia → Paros (Parikia)Blue Star Ferries, Seajets
Koufonisia → PiraeusBlue Star Ferries, Hellenic Seaways, Seajets
Koufonisia → Santorini (Athinios)You are hereSeajets, Blue Star Ferries
Koufonisia → Schinoussa30 min€4.501Small Cyclades Lines

Source: Ferryhopper timetable samples, one sailing day per route, sampled between 12 August 2026 and 15 August 2026

Questions

Koufonisia to Santorini (Athinios) ferry: frequently asked questions.

  • Possibly in summer, but we cannot confirm it. Our route data lists Blue Star Ferries and Seajets, yet Ferryhopper had no route page or timetable for this direction when we checked. A Seajets boat did sail Santorini to Koufonisia on our 12 August 2026 sample. Search your date; if nothing appears, go via Naxos.

  • A direct sailing, where one runs, is listed at about 2 hours in our older data. Via Naxos, allow 35 min to 2 hr 15 min for Koufonisia to Naxos, plus about 1 hr 5 min to 3 hours for Naxos to Santorini, plus your connection time. A fast summer combination can get you there in half a day.

  • We cannot quote a direct fare, as we could not confirm a direct sailing on Ferryhopper. Via Naxos you buy two tickets; our Koufonisia to Naxos and Naxos to Santorini pages list the lowest fares Ferryhopper showed for each leg, and the conventional ships are much cheaper than the fast boats.

  • For the direct link, we have no confirmed frequency; our route data calls it seasonal. The legs via Naxos run much more often: Koufonisia to Naxos on 6 to 7 days a week all year, and Naxos to Santorini every day of the year.

  • Our route data lists Blue Star Ferries and Seajets on the direct crossing. For the two-leg route, Blue Star Ferries, Seajets and Small Cyclades Lines sail Koufonisia to Naxos, and Blue Star Ferries, Seajets and Golden Star Ferries sail Naxos to Santorini.

  • Blue Star Ferries carries vehicles on both legs via Naxos, so that is the practical option with a car. Koufonisia itself is small and flat, and most visitors leave the car on the mainland or on Naxos and get around the island on foot or by bike.

  • Yes, via Naxos. Ferryhopper lists Koufonisia to Naxos all year on 6 to 7 days a week, and Naxos to Santorini every day, with Blue Star Ferries running daily. Do not expect a direct sailing or high-speed boats in winter.

  • Yes, from February to October. Koufonisia to Katapola on Amorgos runs 6 to 7 days a week, often in under an hour on the fast boats, and Amorgos to Santorini runs from February to October, mainly on Seajets. Outside those months, use Naxos.

  • From the harbour of Pano Koufonisi, right by the main village, so most people walk to the boat. Transport on the island is mostly on foot, by bike or by scooter, so plan how to move your bags if you are staying away from the village.

  • At Athinios, the main port below the caldera cliffs on the west coast. Buses run up to Fira and taxis wait at the port, but both are stretched in summer, so pre-book a transfer, especially if you are going to Oia or the airport.

  • Summer meltemi winds can delay or cancel the fast boats. The operator will rebook or refund a cancelled sailing. On a two-leg trip, a delay can break your connection in Naxos, so leave a generous gap, and if the forecast is poor, choose Blue Star's conventional ships, which usually keep sailing.

  • In summer there is a direct Seajets high-speed sailing on some days; on our 12 August 2026 sample it took 1 hr 50 min. Otherwise go via Naxos, Paros or Amorgos. See our Santorini to Koufonisia page for details.

Island Guides

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