Schinoussa and Koufonisia are two of the four inhabited Small Cyclades, the low islands strung between Naxos and Amorgos. Schinoussa is the sleepy one, with a village on the hill, a few hamlets and sandy coves you reach on foot. Koufonisia is the one everyone talks about: pale beaches, water in impossible shades of blue and, in July and August, a buzzing little village. Moving from Schinoussa to Koufonisia is a classic step on a Small Cyclades hop, usually heading east towards Amorgos or back to Naxos.
We want to be straight about what we know. There is no Ferryhopper page for this pair, and our timetable sample only includes the reverse direction. On 12 August 2026 the Express Skopelitis of Small Cyclades Lines, the little ferry that links these islands, left Koufonisia at 09:30 and reached Schinoussa at 10:00, for a fare from €4.50. The same boat works its way back and forth through the group, so it is the most likely way to make this crossing, but we cannot confirm times for this direction.
Our older route data lists Blue Star Ferries and Seajets here, with fares from €20 and a journey of about 2 hours. We have not been able to match that to a dated timetable, and the 30-minute sailing in the other direction suggests the real crossing is much shorter, so we treat those figures as unconfirmed.
The upshot: this is likely to be a cheap, short trip, but on a thinly served link where the day of the week matters. Search your exact date on the booking page, check the days either side, and book your onward boat from Koufonisia at the same time. If nothing direct runs, going via Naxos or Iraklia works.