International ferries may not be the first thing that comes to
my mind when trying to figure how to get from one place to the other in the Mediterranean
sea. Still, if
possible, taking a ferry to cross international borders makes for a great
traveling experience. Sometimes, ferries are the cheapest - or the only -
option around. This article outlines regular public transport services around
the Mediterranean sea, especially Greece.
Despite of the economic crisis which
is “well-known” now, the Greek facilities are working very well. Because Greece
has over 3000 islands, Greek ferries can be great ways to get around the Greek
islands - but in the low season it can be much more challenging to see Greece
this way. Have lots of time and energy but not much money? Greek ferries are
great, off-season or high-season. On a short trip or naturally short of
patience? Avoid them if you can.
Greek Ferry best options
The availability of advance schedules for Greek ferries varies substantially, and a few companies may not commit until the end of March for the April-May period. You can usually plan that last year's schedules will more or less hold true, but you can't buy tickets for them in advance.
The weather in Greece is more variation in the spring and late fall months. In some years, bad winds kept many Greek ferries at the docks for several days, because of the waves. Most of the unreliability is said to be weather-related rather than anything "wrong" with the Greek ferry companies themselves. It can be possible also for a company to cancel or delay a departure based on upcoming weather - as a sea-based economy Greece has a very good predictive system for that.
Piraeus or Rafina?
Both of these ports serve Athens. Rafina is located about an hour outside of Athens by bus or taxi. These journeys are usually much shorter than ferries leaving Piraeus. Ferry Schedules are always updated, but if you’re in a situation where the ferries can't go for more than a day, available flights from the larger islands, even in smaller planes, look better and better. Weather usually doesn't affect flights; Greece doesn't generally have fog, and man of the airports are built in sheltered areas.
Flying is much more expensive that taking the ferry, and there are the usual hassles of dealing with an airport. Plus, the airports are small and manageable. Both Olympic Airlines and Aegean Airways offer flights between some islands, with Olympic providing the widest selection.
Check always the schedule
A ferry whose name seems to indicate greater speed may or may not be telling the truth. Check the schedules - don't fall for the name alone. The cabins, deck space, and seating in Greek ferries varies widely. Newer, bigger Greek ferries and hydrofoils have "airplane"-style seats. If you're fine with sleeping on a plane, these should suit you fine even for an overnight ferry journey. You'll generally have more room for your legs than with a standard airplane seat. Cabins allow some privacy and the ability to stretch out, but on smaller ferries the best of them are still pretty cramped. Major, heavily-traveled Greek ferry routes will offer better.
First-class cabins as well as ordinary cabins. Know what you're paying for: some ferries will assign same-sex singles to cabins together; the price in that case is per bunk, not for the whole cabin.
Deck space is just that: space on the deck for backpackers to "camp" overnight on the ferry. You probably know already if this is right for you.
The best-known are Grimaldi Lines, Minoan Lines, ANEK Lines, Blue Star Ferries, Nel Line, Agean Speed Lines and many others operate between many locations in the Aegean.
Travel with a Vehicle
Crossing Europe? Over a ferry-heavy trip, a shorter camper or RV could save you hundreds of Euro. Even on the ferries that allow vehicles, you will not be able to stay in your car for safety reasons. The occasional Greek truck driver might get away with it, but your average traveler will not..
With European Union rules gradually showing up, Greece will be opening up the ferry routes to international operators, and the crippling effect of the monopolies some companies have enjoyed will gradually improve. That's still several years ahead for now.
