Each summer Skyros Shipping Co. typically offers services on its Achilleas ferry between the port of Kimi (located on the island of Evia) and Alonnisos. Kimi (sometimes spelled “Kymi”) is located about three and a half hours from Athens by coach bus, and the boat ride is just over two hours (an hour shorter than the trip from Volos to Alonnisos). Ticket pricing can be found on the Skyros Shipping Co. website.
To reach Kimi by bus from the Athens airport you will first need to take the X93 bus to the Bus Terminus B bus station in Athens. To see a long distance bus schedule (the most recent I could find in January of 2016) for buses departing from Bus Terminus B click here. The total time it will take you to get to Kimi from the airport via Bus Terminus B will be perhaps as much as five hours, but could be more based on traffic conditions. To book reservations on this bus click here. If you’d prefer to take a taxi to Bus Terminus B, please page down to see information regarding a taxi driver in Athens that I recommend.
If your arrival time is too late to connect with the Achilleas ferry you will obviously need to book a hotel in Kimi. I highly recommend the Vallendi Village Hotel. Click here to learn more about this wonderful hotel.
One other note, in addition to bus X93 from the airport, you can also reach Athens City Centre via the Metro Train line. Ask the information desk at the airport for directions to the on-site Metro station (it’s on the lower level). If you do take the Metro, you’ll also need to ask what stop to use in order to facilitate the most direct access to Bus Terminus B for your next travel segment to Kimi. Note that travel via train gets you to the city center in perhaps half the time.
To Kimi via Taxi/Limo
If you aren’t as much concerned about cost as you are about comfort and speed, you also have the option of taking a taxi/limo from the Athens Airport directly to Kimi. Because this is a fairly lengthy distance, the cost of the taxi is significant ( €220 or more). While this is obviously much more expensive than bus travel, if two or more people are traveling together the price is much more reasonable, especially considering that the cost of a hotel in Athens is probably at least €30 – 40 more than one in Kimi. With the taxi/limo you can stay in Kimi, sleep in a bit, and then take the ferry in the morning.
If you are interested in taking a taxi/limo, I highly recommend the services of a driver in Athens named Spiros Halkides. Not only is he a great guy, but he also speaks fluent English from his experience in living in New York for many years. Here is his contact information: Telephone: 30-2109944771 (H) & (30)-6944285686(MOBILE) [Note that 30 is the country code for calling Greece.] To visit Spiros’ website click here. To contact Spiros via email, click here.
Staying in Athens
If you aren’t able to make the bus to Kimi, and don’t want to spend the extra money to take a taxi/limo, please review the Category Archives (to your right) under “Hotels in Athens” for information regarding properties I recommend.
Making a Boat Reservation from Kimi to Alonnisos
If you are planning to reach Alonnisos via the ferry Achilleas, then prior to your trip you of course need to reserve and pay for tickets. Please check the Skyros Shipping Company timetable for the specific date you are interested in booking passage. If you want to purchase tickets click on this link to find a list of travel agencies that sell tickets on their behalf.
To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.
