Ferry RouteMLO to IOS
Milos to Ios. 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
Milos to Ios takes 1 hr 40 min to 4 hr 15 min. Seajets is fastest at about 1 hr 40 min, mainly in summer, and cost €97.70 on our 12 August 2026 sample. Fast Ferries (about 3 hr 20 min to 3 hr 35 min, from €14.50) and Blue Star Ferries (3 hr 45 min to 4 hr 15 min) sail about once a week each. Ferryhopper lists sailings all year on 2 to 7 days a week.
Source: Ferryhopper route page and timetable sample · as of
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Ferries sailing between Milos (Adamas) and Ios 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 | Sailings, 12 Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 SeajetsOlympic Champion Jet | High-speed ferry | about 1 hr 40 min | Not confirmed | €93.70 | 1 |
 Fast FerriesDionisios Solomos | Conventional ferry | 3 hr 20 min to 3 hr 35 min | Cars and motorbikes | €14.50 | 1 |
 Blue Star Ferries | Conventional ferry | 3 hr 45 min to 4 hr 15 min | Cars and motorbikes | €11.50 | 0 |
Source: Ferryhopper route page, checked by our editors · as of
02Timetable sample
Every direct sailing on one real day, 12 August 2026, as Ferryhopper listed it. It shows the pattern, not a live timetable: times and fares change by date.
| Depart | Arrive | Operator | Vessel | Duration | From | Search |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:40Fastest | 13:20 | Seajets | Olympic Champion Jet | 1h 40m | €97.70 | Book a sailing like the 11:40 one |
| 13:10Lowest fare | 16:45 | Fast Ferries | Dionisios Solomos | 3h 35m | €14.50 | Book a sailing like the 13:10 one |
Source: Ferryhopper timetable sample, one sailing day · sailing day
Retrieved03Fares
The lowest fares Ferryhopper showed for each party when we checked on 24 September 2026. Each row can come from a different sailing.
| Passengers | Milos (Adamas) → Ios | Ios → Milos (Adamas) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 adult | €14.49 | €14.50 |
| 2 adults | €28.99 | €28.99 |
| 2 adults and a car | €78.50 | €79 |
Source: Ferryhopper route page · checked
Lowest fares shown on Ferryhopper's Ios - Milos page when we checked on 2026-09-24, for the Milos to Ios direction first. Fares change with the date, vessel and demand; the booking page shows the current price. These lowest figures are for the conventional ships; Seajets costs far more. We left out a family-with-car figure that came from a much pricier sailing.
04Schedule by season
Ferryhopper lists Milos to Ios from January to December on 2 to 7 days a week. Its monthly table, based on last year's data, shows Blue Star Ferries once a week and Fast Ferries once or twice a week in every month with data, while Seajets appeared only in the summer part of the year, on 3 to 5 days a week. One month has no data. On 12 August 2026, the day we sampled, there were two departures from Adamas: Seajets at 11:40 and Fast Ferries at 13:10. Outside the Seajets season, expect only a couple of sailings a week.
The Journey
Milos and Ios are about 36 nautical miles apart, on opposite sides of the southern Cyclades. Milos is the volcanic island of coloured cliffs and sculpted coves, with Adamas as its harbour town. Ios is the party island that also hides quiet bays and hill villages. The crossing links the western chain with the islands around Santorini, which is useful if you want to build a loop rather than retrace your steps.
There is a real choice of pace here. In the summer months Seajets runs a high-speed boat that takes about 1 hr 40 min. The rest of the traffic is on conventional ships, Fast Ferries and Blue Star Ferries, each sailing about once a week and taking three and a half to over four hours, but for a small fraction of the price.
On our 12 August 2026 sample, the two sailings summed it up: the Seajets Olympic Champion Jet left Adamas at 11:40 and reached Ios at 13:20 for €97.70, while the Fast Ferries Dionisios Solomos left at 13:10 and arrived at 16:45 for €14.50. Same afternoon on Ios, very different ticket.
Outside summer, sailings are sparse, so choose your day first. Our older route data listed Blue Star Ferries and Seajets with a 2-hour crossing; Ferryhopper's more recent figures show Fast Ferries on the route too, and longer conventional crossings, so we follow those.
For Milos to Ios, Ferryhopper's schedule card shows a shortest trip of 1 hr 40 min, and that is the Seajets high-speed boat; on our 12 August 2026 sample it took exactly that. The conventional ships take much longer. In last year's monthly data, Fast Ferries took 3 hr 20 min to 3 hr 35 min (3 hr 35 min on our sample day) and Blue Star Ferries 3 hr 45 min to 4 hr 15 min. So the full range for this direction is 1 hr 40 min to 4 hr 15 min. The Ios to Milos direction runs on different times, so do not use its figures for this trip.
05The ports
Departure port
MLO · 36.7256° N 24.4489° E
Boats to Ios leave from Adamas (also written Adamantas), the port town on the north side of Milos, about 5 km from the capital, Plaka. The port itself has a tourist information office, parking, toilets and Wi-Fi, and the centre of Adamas, with cafés, restaurants, hotels and shops, is a couple of minutes' walk away. That makes it easy to wait for a late ship. In summer, aim to be at the quay an hour before departure, more if you are taking a car.
Arrival port
IOS · 36.7233° N 25.2811° E
Ferries dock at the main port of Ios on the west coast, about 2 km below Chora: roughly a 5-minute drive or a 20-minute walk uphill, with taxis and the island bus as well. Around the harbour there are cafés, restaurants, shops, ATMs, hotels and a municipal car park. If you are on a conventional ship that arrives in the late afternoon or evening, arrange a pick-up in advance, as taxis are in short supply when a big ship lands.
06On Board
On a crossing of up to four hours, the ship makes a difference. The conventional Fast Ferries and Blue Star ships have air-conditioned lounges, outdoor deck seating, bars and restaurants, and facilities for pets and for passengers with disabilities. The Seajets boat seats you indoors. There are no cabins on this route, but you can book a numbered seat, or a business or VIP seat, for more comfort. Fast Ferries sets no weight or size limit on luggage, while Seajets allows 50 kg. Pets travel free, subject to each company's rules.
07Weather and cancellations
This crossing runs east across the open southern Aegean, side-on to the meltemi, the northerly summer wind that is strongest in July and August. The Seajets high-speed boat is the most likely to be slowed or held in port by the port authority when the wind is up; the conventional ships are steadier. If your sailing is cancelled, the operator will rebook or refund the ticket. Because the conventional ships only sail about once a week each, a cancellation can leave a gap of several days, so consider routing via Santorini or Folegandros, which both link to Milos and Ios.
08Travel Tips
For the lowest fare, take Fast Ferries or Blue Star Ferries from €14.50, instead of €97.70 on Seajets.
Check which days the conventional ships sail: each runs only about once a week.
On the long conventional crossing, book a numbered seat and bring food and water.
The sea can get choppy between the islands; take seasickness remedies if you need them.
Arriving on Ios in the evening? Book a transfer before you leave Milos.
09Alternatives
For the return trip, see our Ios to Milos page. Milos has an airport (MLO), as does Santorini (JTR), a short hop from Ios; Ios itself has none. If the direct sailings do not suit your dates, go via Santorini, Folegandros, Sikinos, Paros or Naxos, all of which have boats to both Milos and Ios. Check that both legs run on the same day.
Times and fares on these links come from one-day timetable samples, not live data.
10Island Hopping
11Route matrix
Every direct route from Milos (Adamas) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milos (Adamas) → Folegandros | 1h | €7 | 2 | Seajets, Fast Ferries |
| Milos (Adamas) → IosYou are here | 1h 40m | €14.50 | 2 | Seajets, Fast Ferries, Blue Star Ferries |
| Milos (Adamas) → Kimolos | 25 min | €24.70 | 1 | Seajets |
| Milos (Adamas) → Koufonisia | Seajets | |||
| Milos (Adamas) → Kythnos (Merihas) | Blue Star Ferries, Aegean Sea Lines, Seajets | |||
| Milos (Adamas) → Lavrio | Blue Star Ferries | |||
| Milos (Adamas) → Mykonos | Seajets | |||
| Milos (Adamas) → Naxos | 4h | €104.70 | 1 | Seajets |
| Milos (Adamas) → Paros (Parikia) | 1h 45m | €89.70 | 1 | Seajets |
| Milos (Adamas) → Piraeus | Blue Star Ferries, Aegean Sea Lines, Fast Ferries, Seajets | |||
| Milos (Adamas) → Santorini (Athinios) | 2h 30m | €16 | 2 | Seajets, Fast Ferries |
| Milos (Adamas) → Serifos | 1h 10m | €45.70 | 3 | Seajets |
| Milos (Adamas) → Sifnos (Kamares) | 40 min | €39.90 | 4 | Seajets |
| Milos (Adamas) → Sikinos | Blue Star Ferries, Fast Ferries, Seajets | |||
| Milos (Adamas) → Syros (Ermoupoli) | 9h 55m | €12.50 | 1 | Hellenic Seaways |
Source: Ferryhopper timetable samples, one sailing day per route, sampled between 12 August 2026 and 15 August 2026
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 |
