An easy guide for how to get to Samos by Ferry. Schedules and prices for the Ferry tickets to Samos and recommendations for public transportation services. Explore the website and find all necessary details for the Ferry to Samos; Destinations and Routes with schedules and prices, Accommodation options with real time Availability and helpful tips for transfer opportunities in Samos!
We have prepared a small user guide that will help passengers to get to Samos as easily and pleasantly as possible.
Find useful information on how to get to Samos by ferry, local public transportation options to reach your overnight hotel in Samos, port addresses and embarkation offices, ferry schedules, prices and real-time departures and arrivals.
- Samos is easily reached by conventional ferries from Piraeus (Athens). The journey takes about 8 to 14 hours (depending on ferry type) and the ferry vessels arrive at both ports in Karlovassi and Vathi.
- There are also frequent ferry connections to Chios, Lesvos and to other islands of the Dodecanese (Kos, Patmos, Kalymnos, Lipsi, Leros and Rhodes) with fast catamaran ferries that are scheduled in the summer period.
- Furthermore, frequent departures from Kavala (north Greece) to Samos via Lesvos and Chios.
- Samos is also connected to Kusadasi (Turkey) with daily catamaran ferries from the port Vathi and Pythagorion.
Getting to Samos by ferry is the best option you have and it can be a very nice and exciting experience and especially if you are doing some island-hopping too. Greek islanders are seasoned ferry experts and they prefer to travel by ferry because of the convenience and flexibility it affords!
Cars are allowed on most ferries for an additional fee and children usually travel for half price!
- There is a choice of Conventional and High-speed catamaran ferries running frequently to Samos with stops along the way.
Give a departure port and a date and find all possible ferry destinations!
Notice: Each year and depending on the period, there may be more or fewer connections to Samos. The biggest shipping companies (ferry operators) announce the new ferry schedules to and from Samos by the end of December and the rest of them by January-March each year!
Public transportation services in Samos
The ports of Samos
The island has three major ferry ports:
- Pythagorion
- Karlovassi
- Vathi
Road network on Samos
- The road network on Samos is very good, offering visitors the chance to explore and visit various villages, beaches and destinations around the island.
Public Bus Services on Samos
- The island of Samos has a good public bus service which serves various villages and beaches until 8pm.
From the town of Samos:
- 13 daily dep. to Kokkari and Pythagorion
- 8 dep. to Agios Konstantinos and Agios Dimitrios
- 7 dep. to Karlovassi
- 6 dep. to the Heraion
- 5 dep. to Mytilinii village
- 2 dep. to Ormos Marathokampou, Avlakia and Votsalakia
During summer, daily departures from Samos town to the beaches of Tsamadou, Psili Ammos and Heraion.
From Heraion:
- 6 daily dep. to Pythagorion
- 2 dep. to Mytilini and Karlovassi
From Vathi bus station, frequent daily departures:
- To Kokkari (20 min.)
- To Pythagorio (25 min.)
- To Agios Konstantinos (40 min.)
- To Karlovasi (1 hour)
- To Heraion (25 min.)
- To Mytilinii village (20 min.)
- To Portrokali (20 min.)
Tickets cost 1,50 to 4,00 Euro depending on distance.
From Pythagorio:
- 5 daily dep. to Heraion (15 min.)
- 4 dep. to Mytilinii (20 min.) and Marathokampos (1 hour)
Tickets cost 1,50 to 7,00 Euro depending on distance.
From Karlovassi daily departures to:
- Agioi Theodori
- Pirgos
- Koumandarei
- Vathi
- Pythagorion
- Chora
- Ormos Marathokampou
- Votsalakia
- Agia Kyriaki
- Drakei
- Public bus phone: +30 2273027262, +30 2273027270
Taxis on Samos
The major resorts of Samos Town (Vathi) and Pythagorion are well served by taxis. The main taxi station in Samos Town is on the main waterfront and there are always taxis waiting there. It is the same in Pythagorion where the taxi center is on the main street just at the junction with the harbour waterfront.
Online Taxi Service
- Samos Taxis: +30 2273028404
- Karlovasi Taxis : +30 2273030777
- Marathokampos Taxis: +30 2273031000
- Pythagoreion Taxis: +30 2273061450
- Kokkari Taxis: +30 2273092585
- Chora Taxis: +30 2273091100
- Mytilinii Taxis: +30 2273051400
Note: All above information for Samos was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice.
Schedules, prices & availability
Book your ferry tickets to Samos with any ferry company that suits you better and enjoy your journey in Greece! The “Easy-Way” booking system of go-Ferry.com, allows the most reliable online ferry reservations and offers cheaper, faster and better services for your ferry ticket.
With go-ferry.com you are able to connect online with the reservation systems of the most Greek shipping companies, to compare prices, to find information about routes and vessels, to look for alternative routes and to print instantly your Samos ferry confirmation.
Ferry timetables may change by season, so take an optical canvassing via our search engine to receive the latest cull of dates, schedules, prices and availability. With so many accommodation options to cull from, you can be sure to find the best deal for the ferry to or from Samos at a price that fits your budget.
Complete the under bellow fields and click on "search" to compare the prices of all operators that run to and from Samos by ferry!
Book in advance your ferry tickets
Arrange your ferry journey in advance
It is very important that you have organized your ferry ride in advance, having arranged all the details. You don't want something to go wrong, and you can achieve perfect holidays with a great organization. In addition to hotel accommodation and air-tickets, when you book the ferry tickets you know that everything is under control even before leaving home.
There are many reasons why you should arrange to book in advance your ferry tickets to Samos. Here are some of the most important:
Pay for Hotel in Samos without using it!
During the high season in Greece, and especially in July and August, it is likely that you won't find ferry tickets to popular destinations, such as Samos, if you don't book them in advance. So, don't make the mistake to book your hotel without having booked the ferry pass. The last thing you want is to get to the port and not find an available ferry!
Save time!
Although we charge a commission for acquiring ferry bookings, this allows you not only to secure your ferry tickets but also to save time; besides receiving a service and attention of first.
Have a bigger choice of Ferry Tickets!
Buying in advance gives you a better chance of getting the ferry tickets, on the ferry you prefer and at the schedule you want. It does not make sense that your trip is interrupted by not finding available ferry departures, but it is possible.
Find more Ferry routes!
If you want to organize your vacations, it is wise to check all the possible routes and timelines in order to make the right combinations between Samos and other destinations as well as between the air and the ferry tickets. Online, you can have an overview of all the routes going to or from Samos.
Get the best deal!
Ferry tickets to your destination can be expensive, so it’s natural to want to get the best deal on them. It has become a regular practice for ferries to announce special rates and deep discounts for booking ferry tickets to or from Samos up to 3-6 months in advance.
Feeling Great having your ferry ticket in your pocket!
You will feel a great feeling when having the ferry confirmation in your hands. The reservation with us will allow you to secure your ferry ticket, you will be relieved to have the confirmation in your hands or on your smartphone!
Available accommodation options
Find out about the ferry types, choose the ideal accommodation option on the ferry to Samos and get fresh and relaxed at your destination. Comfortable armchairs, business class comfort seats, outside and inside cabins or economy deck chairs. There is a range of accommodation options to choose for a day or night ferry.
About Samos
Lush green island with beautiful beaches, traditional settlements, significant archaeological sites and famed wine. The island extends over a surface of 500 km2, its coastline is 150 km long, and it has 34,000 inhabitants.
From the evidence that has been found, derives that human beings have lived on Samos since the 3rd millenium BC, if not earlier. Its history, however, begins at the time of Polycrates, 6th century BC. Before that, history is vague and obscure, mythical folklore being the only existing reference.
In ancient times, Samos, although small, played a trully significant role in culture and politics, not only for the region of Ionia, but for the entire ancient Greece.
THE ANCIENT HISTORY
In the times of Polycrates, Samos became the center of the Ionian civilization. Various important monuments were constructed, such as the Eupalinion Tunnel, the temple of Hera, open-air theaters, as well as palaces, which Roman emperor Caligula tried to restore much later. In addition, Polycrates was the first to establish a library containing all significant texts produced by the human spirit up-till then.
His royal court used to be a spiritual center offering hospitality to the top intellectuals of the world of his time. He had created a very powerful navy and his fleet used to be the leading one in the Aegean Sea being comprised by fast war-ships called Samenas. According to Herodotus, the predominant city-states of the sea were three: Knossos of king Minos (15th century BC), Samos (6th century BC) and Athens (5th century BC). Therefore Polycrates had rendered Samos a leading city-state among the Greeks and the Barbarians. He was also the first who tried to unite all Greeks against the Persians.
Following Polycrates’ assasination in 522 BC, many wars took place and Samos was the focal point of the conflicts between the Greeks and the Persians. It was finally devastated by the Athenians under Pericles in 439 BC after a siege that lasted for several months.
In the time of Alexander the Great, and during the Roman period, no significant events took place that were important enough to be mentioned.
THE MIDDLE AGE
During the Byzantine period, Samos, just like all islands, suffered great catastrophes by various invaders and pirates. In the time of the Crusaders, it came under Venetian rule, later it came back to the Byzantines and it eventually fell to the Genovese in 1346. Since Samos was in the focal point of the pirate raids, its inhabitants started to abandon it and in 1476 the last inhabitants fled, along with the Genovese. So Samos became almost desolate with only a few inhabitants living on the mountains.
In 1549 the Turkish fleet came to Samos, commanded by Admiral Khilich Ali Pasha. He was a Frenchman and a former pirate, who after having been captured by the Turks, managed to become an admiral because of his abilities.
He admired the Samian environment and when he realized that the island was desolate, he requested the sultan to cede it to him as a present, a wish that the Sultan granted him. The pasha then intended to have the island repopulated by granting unprecedented privileges to the new inhabitants, who had to be Greek Orthodox Christians. Then new inhabitants started to come along from the nearby islands, Asia Minor and a little later from Peloponnese and Crete and thus the first villages were formed.
Following Khilich Ali’s death, the privileges began to gradually be abated and so a Turkish commander was established on the island, though the Samians kept being in a more advantageous position than the rest of the Greeks.
NEW GREEK HISTORY
In 1821 Samos was one of the places rising in revolt against the Turks. The few Turks that were, at the time, on the island just had the time to leave and despite many attempts of the Turkish fleet to reconquer the island, they never made it.
After the Greek State was established in 1827, the Great Powers of the time England, France and Russia did not include Samos as a part of it, even though it was at liberty. The Samians would not accept it, so in 1834 they were granted a form of political independence, under the patronage of the Great Powers, with the obligation of paying tribute to the Ottoman Empire. This regime remained until 1912, when Samos joined Greece. During this period, Samos experienced a significant economic prosperity.
PERSONALITIES
At ancient times, Samos pushed forward numerous eminent men and women in all spiritual domains, the leading one being Pythagoras, the greatest philosopher and mathematician through the centuries.
Distinguished Samians include Aristarchus, who put forward the idea of an heliocentric system several centuries before Copernicus, Agatharchus, a great painter who was the first to deal with scenography and perspective, Theodore, an eminent artist and architect, Aesop, the famous myth-maker, Damo, philosopher, daughter of Pythagoras, Kolaeus, who was the first to travel to the Atlantic and many others.
What to see in Samos
A walk around the city will bring you close to the main sights. Do not forget to walk around:
- Pythagoras or Lion square near the sea. It is named after the huge marble lion standing in its center.
- The Archaeological Museum where among others findings from Ireon as well as the colossal Kouros of Lefkias (5 m height) of 580 B.C. are kept .
- The Parliament
- The Court House
- The memorial to the Fallen
- The municipal garden.
- The Art Gallery which is housed in the wonderful neoclassical Town Hall. Here you will see heirlooms of the island’s history from 1821 till modern times, the “Samos Constitution” as well as portraits of freedom fighters and leaders.
- The Ecclesiastical Byzantine Museum whic is housed in the metropolitan hall and includes a collection of jewelry, gold thread embroidery, icons and manuscripts on membranes.
- The beautiful district of Ano Vathy. An exceptional sample of post Byzantine architecture is the chapel Ai-Giannakis.
- The Samos Wine Museum in Malagari location, a creation of the Union of Viniculture Cooperatives of Samos.
The monastery of Zoodochos Pigi tou Kotsika (1695) on the peninsula bearing the same name (4.5 km N), with a view to the passage between Samos and Asia Minor, Mykali mountain, Nea Efesos and Chios.
- The monastery Aghia Zoni 5 km E, which was built in 1695.
Villages
Samos was a desert island until the middle of the 16th Century. The people of Samos have emigrated mainly to the nearby Greek island of Chios, to Asia Minor and other nearby areas. This is mostly due to the fact that hundreds of pirates used to use Samos and other Aegean islands as their hide-outs.
During this period, the Turkish Navy with their admiral Khilits Ali Pasas, (a French who used to be a pirate himself and became a Turkish admiral after he was captured by the Turks) passed by Samos and decided that he really liked the island. When he returned to Istanbul, he demanded it and the Sultan gave it to him as a present. Kilits Ali Pasas then put the islanders’ repatriation to Samos as his first priority.
He made a call for people to settle down in Samos, in return for receiving generous benefits from the Turkish Government. The new inhabitants had to be Christian Orthodox Greeks and they were going to be given the freedom to practice their religion, to be self-administered, as well as the privilege of not paying tribute to the Turkish Government for seven years. Khilits Ali Pasas looked primarily for descendants of people who were originally from Samos and tried tosupport their repatriation to the island of their ancestors. This is when the first settlements and villages appeared on the island.
Because of the fear of pirate incursions, the new inhabitants of the island were building their houses away from the coast. Their houses were hidden inside forests or up on the hills and mountains, close to each other with very narrow streets in between so that they could defend themselves and their properties when they were in danger from the pirates. It wasn’t until after the beginning of the 19th Century that some villages appeared by the coast. It wasn’t until this time that it was considered that the pirates no longer posed a threat to islanders.
Up until 1998 there were 2 towns and 33 villages on the island of Samos. Since then, it has been a unification of the villages which has ended up comprising the formation of 4 Municipalities:
1. Municipality of Vathi, which incorporated 9 villages on the North-East of Samos, and it is 125.2 sq.km in extent with a population of 11.997.
2. Municipality of Karlovasi (total extent: 100.3 sq.km, population: 8.728) which incorporated 10 villages on the North-West of Samos.
3. Municipality of Pythagorio (total extent: 164.7 sq.km, population: 9.455) which incorporated 11 villages on the South-East of Samos.
4. Municipality of Marathokampos (total extent: 87.3 sq.km, population: 2.859) which incorporated 5 villages on the South-East of Samos.
Heraion of Samos
Tradition has it that Hera was born and raised here, and for this reason her temple at Heraion was the largest in the antiquity. The most important archaeological site includes the huge (109 m in length, 55 m in width and 25 m. tall) temple of Hera (widely known as Kolona due to the single column that still stands up to this day), the grand altar and the sacred road (the road leading from the city, today known as Pythagoreion, to the temple). Between Pythagoreion and Heraion are the artificial Lakes Glyfades. Also it is worth seeing Sarakinis Tower (1577) at Heraion plain. Agios Ioannis and Agios Georgios churches are located right next to the tower. Another significant archaeological site is at Myloi precinct, with relics from various ages. For swimming, go to the beaches of Ireon and Papas. By boat you can access some more, such as Mylonas, Kyriakou, Kakorema as well as Samiopoula. In July and August “Irea” event is taking place, which is a festival of ancient theatrical performances. It is located 17.5 km southwest of the capital.
Useful Phone Numbers
Archaeological Site: 22730-95.277
Eupalinian aqueduct
A marvelous project of the engineer Eupalinos, which provided the water supply to the ancient city of Pythagoreion through a 1,036m tunnel starting at the northern slope of the Castle ending at the southern.
Museums - Samos
Archaeological: 22730-27.469
Ecclesiastic- Byzantine Museum: 22730-27.312
Samos wine: 22730-87.510
Paleontological (Mytilinioi): 22730-52.055
Monasteries
Vronta Monastery
It is located a few kilometers south of the village of Vourliotes in a magnificent woodland and on an altitude of 460 meters, with an extraordinary view to the North and East where you can see the Asia Minor coast. It was founded in 1566 by the monks (and brothers) Jacob and Makarios and it is dedicated to the natal of Virgin Mary. There are many frescoes, a woodcut temple and a lot of holly ware.
Monastery of Virgin Mary
(Megali Panagia)
It is located two kilometers Southeast of the village of Koumaradei and on the side of the road that leads to Miloi, in a very nice environment with an altitude of 225 meters. It has a lovely view of the plain of Chora, Pythagorio and the Asia Minor coast (the mountain of Mikali). It was founded in 1586 the monks (and brothers as well) Neilos and Dionysios and it is dedicated to the Assumption. It has to show a very nice woodcut temple, some frescoes and a lot of holly ware.
Monastery of the Holly Cross
(Timiou Stavrou)
It is located two kilometers Southeast of the village of Mavratzeoi next to the road and on altitude of 200 meters. In 1582, monk Neilos has founded a small church and in 1604 he and his brother Dionysios expanded it. There are frescoes, a magnificent woodcut temple and a lot of holly ware.
Monastery of prophet Elias
It is located three kilometers Southeast of Karlovasi, next to the road that leads to Konteika and on an altitude of 210 meters. There used to be a small church and a few cells that monks Neofilos and Gregorios had built and on 1739 the priest-monk Gregorios built the church that stands also today. There are a lot of holly ware, a few frescoes and a woodcut temple.
Monastery of Holly Zone
(Agia Zoni)
It is located to the East of the town of Samos, within Vlamari Valley and on an altitude of 120 meters. It has been founded by the priest-monk Meletios in 1695. It has frescoes, a woodcut temple and a lot of holly ware
Monastery of the Life-giving Fountain (Zoodohou Pigis)
It is located on Rampaidoni mountain to the Northeast of Samos town and on an altitude of 300 meters. From there, there is a fantastic view to the narrows of Mikali and the eye is lost in the depths of Asia Minor. It was founded in 1756 by the priest-monk Dorotheos. It has a lot of holly ware, frescoes and a wonderful woodcut temple.
Monastery of Holly Trinity
(Agia Triada)
It is located North east of Mitilinioi village and on an altitude of 129 meters. It was founded by the priest-monk Neofytos in 1824.
Metohia
There are 14 more smaller monasteries the so called “Metohia” out of whom the most important one are the following:
St. John the Merciful
It is located on the Northwest part of the island and it’s the only one of it’s kind to be close to the beach, in a lovely bay, opposite of the islands of Fournoi and the rocky island of Katergo. There are great springs in the area and it is indeed an oasis in the wilderness. It was founded in 1867, it belongs to the Holly Sepulture. In nowadays it has been rented to a civilian. The area used to be a place where pirates couched waiting for the ships that crossed the straits.
Spiliani.
Not far from Pythagorio and to the Northwest, within a large cave lies a small church dedicated to the Entrance to the Temple (Isodia) of Virgin Mary. Here is an old picture of Virgin Mary, whose face cannot be seen anymore and next to the church is “Agiasma”, a spring where (as the story says) holy water emerges. Out of the cave is a church dedicated to St. George and a few cells. This “Metohi” belongs to the Monastery of “Hozeviotisa” in Amorgos. This church is also known as “ Kaliarmenisa” (= kind Armenian woman).
Evangelistria of Mt Kerkis or St. Vasilios.
It is the oldest church standing on Samos since it was built in the 10th century and is on the highest altitude of them all, 700 meters. It is located on the South part of Mt. Kerkis, west of Marathokampos village. A country road leads up till 400 meters and from there you’ll have to climb an uphill trail. It offers a magnificent view to the South and from there you can see most of the Dodecanese Islands, Fournoi and the bay of Marathokampos. If one should follow the trail further you can find the chapel of Prophet Elias and a bit more above the summit of Mt Kerkis, Vigla, with an altitude of 1444 meters, the second highest in the Aegean after the summit “Feggari” in Samothraki.
Zoodohos Pigi (Hatzimanoli or Kakoperato)
It is located on Mt. Kerkis, Southeast of Kosmadei village, within the canyon that leads to Great Seitani beach and on an altitude of 660 meters. The surrounding area is wooded, to the west the rocky slopes of Mt. Kerkis are rising and you can see nothing but the surrounding mountains. 500 meters further there is a cave and within it a small church. In order to get there you must follow a very steep and dangerous trail and that’s where this “Metohi” took it’s name “Kakoperato” (very difficultly accessible).
A little to the South is the country church of St. John close to which is the gulch of Panaretos
Useful Information
Several times a week the Piraeus-Samos car-ferries go to Fourni. However, their timetables do not depend on flight schedules at the airport of Athen or Samos, so plan to stay for a night or two.
Hydrofoils along the Samos-Patmos route include Fourni in their schedule in summer once or twice a week. While this is the fastest way to cross the sea, these old Russian-designed yellow-blue sporty vessels need the occasional unscheduled maintenance job, most likely just as you were planning to book a fare. Note: Stormy seas keep hydrofoils moored in port. Can also be book at Irini Karla.
AG. NIKOLAOS
Also the local boat "AG NIKOLAOS" is available. It connects two times a week the island and Ikaria and goes three times a week to Karlovassi on Samos or to Marathokampos on stormy weather.
Lefteris Kotteras
Lefteris Kotteras is the man you can count on - at least if it's about seafaring he is a reliable and capable partner. Lefteris transports Humans as well as animals between the archipelago of Fourni. If the weather is settled he also goes to Samos, Ikaria and Patmos.
telephone: 0030-22750-32247
mobile: 0030-6977882849
Port Police Samos
Phone: 0030-22750-27318
Buy your tickets from Irini Karla at the cafe Kafenion, Phone: 0030-22750-51481
