Leaving Tinos for Paros usually means trading quiet villages and pilgrimage-town calm for the busiest hub of the central Cyclades. Paros has long sandy beaches, the harbour town of Naoussa and boats to almost everywhere, so it works well as the next base after a few slower days on Tinos, or as the jumping-off point for Naxos, Antiparos and the islands further south.
You leave from the harbour of Chora, the Tinos capital on the south coast, where the bus station, banks, cafés and car rental offices are all close to the quay. You arrive at Parikia, the capital of Paros on its west coast, and can walk straight into the old town. Anyone staying in Naoussa or at the beaches will need a bus, taxi or hire car from the port.
The main thing to know is that this is a seasonal direct route. Ferryhopper shows sailings from Tinos to Paros between March and October, on 1 to 7 days a week depending on the month. That is different from the other direction, which runs all year. If you are travelling in winter, plan a change of boat, usually on Syros.
In season you have a real choice. The Seajets high-speed boats take about an hour and cost the most; Golden Star's Superexpress is close behind on time. The slower conventional ships of Fast Ferries and Golden Star call at other islands on the way and take two to three hours or more, but they are cheaper and have open decks.
