This week’s one-way discussion has been mainly about water; Neil and Harry diving, plumbing, sternas and water tanks, water bottles and so on. Today, I want to take you on a seabound adventure and welcome you aboard the Blue Star Patmos from Symi to Athens. I am in no way on the Blue Star payroll, nor do I receive income from them for advertising. Lol. All I am doing is sharing the experience in case you are ever interested in making the journey.
Why Should You?
For one reason, it’s more romantic than the alternative route: Boat to Rhodes, bus or taxi to airport, plane to airport, bus, train or taxi to the city, or remain at the airport for X hours before your onward flight, blah, blah.
How Much is it?
That depends on how you travel. A friend recently found a special discount offer that got her from Athens (by which I mean Piraeus) to Symi for €20.00. She did have to camp out in one of the airline seats, but many people do that anyway. At the other end of the scale, you can book a cabin and pay anything up to €150.00 or more per person, depending on the cabin you take. They have inside ones, two and four berth, and outside ones, by which they mean inside but with views of outside, and they also have ‘green’ ones for people who are allergic to modern life. You can pay a supplement and have a two berth to yourself, or you can take potluck and do a shared cabin with a random stranger, or end up on your own. In the case of random sharing, it’s male or female only, so no worries there.
If you’re up for it, you can get a deck ticket or an airline seat, and they are much cheaper, though not as comfortable.
Ship Vs Plane.
It’s not always cheap to go by boat; sometimes it’s cheaper to fly to Athens. However, it is more fun and more adventurous, and it can be cheaper when you consider what can be involved in flying from Rhodes.
For me, a trip to Athens by plane can be more expensive and more hassle than by boat. Again, it depends on the time of year. We usually travel in the winter, because we can’t in the summer due to work, and so, often have to leave Symi a day or so ahead of the flight, in case bad weather stops the smaller ferries. In this case, we have to take into account:
Ferry to Rhodes. Overnight hotel + feeding. Taxi/bus to airport. Flight to Athens. At times, that can cost more than by sea, and it involves shifting your luggage around.
Going by boat to Athens involves walking down to the port, getting on, leaving your suitcase below, and getting off at the other end. It’s certainly more convenient, and, coming the other way, it is door-to-door. Or it would be if the ship docked in the village which it doesn’t/can’t, but you know what I mean.
What do you Find in a Cabin?
Assuming it’s yours, you find your bed and luggage. If you wander into someone else’s who knows what you will discover. You can’t actually do that, because each cabin comes with an electronic key.
Tip: Don’t keep them with your mobile phone, otherwise you will strip the magnet strip and have to return to reception to have them reset.
Cabins can be tight. On occasion, Neil and I have had to call, ‘I’m coming out,’ when leaving the bathroom, so as not to whack the other person with the door. Oh, cabins have bathrooms, btw, or shower rooms with a shower, WC and sink. All very nice. The bunks are fold-down for the upper ones, and it’s important to remember not to move the ladder if you are below and get up before your companion, else you will leave them stranded above. There’s also a narrow wardrobe, life jackets, and the ladder, a desk, TV and a chair. There’s a phone too, so reception can ring you with an alarm call.
Again, I am basing this on the Patmos. Other ships may vary.
How Long is the Journey from Symi to Piraeus on the Blue Star?
Depends on the day of sailing. Some routes go via Tilos and Nissiros (Friday), while others miss them out and/or stop elsewhere. You’re looking at a sailing time of 14 to 16 hours, depending on the ship and the route. Usually, from Symi, you’d arrive at Piraeus in the late morning, but check.
Do You See the Islands?
If you are awake, yes. The ferry from Symi usually leaves in the evening (sometimes late afternoon) which means you tend to arrive at many of the Dodecanese islands after dark. You can stand at the stern and watch the frenetic activity below, as it’s lit up, and you get to see some islands in daylight or at sunset/sunrise. En route, you pass through the Cyclades and get views of their islands from a distance.
Coming in the other direction, Piraeus to Symi works in the same way, in that you pass by the Dodecanese islands, usually, during the night, and arrive at Symi in the early hours, or as I like to call it, lunchtime (5.30 am, 6.60 am, it depends).
What Facilities are Available?
All of them, usually.
It depends on the ship. The Patmos is my favourite because it has a very reasonably priced a la carte restaurant which adds more romance and glamour to the trip. It also has a self-service. Other ships have other dining arrangements, but all have a café or two, and one of them will stay open all night. They also have comfortable lounges, airline seats, televisions, outdoor seating, WCs, kennels for dogs, a play area for the luttle’uns, a shop, receptions, a purser, and other things to explore during your 14 to 16 hours aboard.
What Happens When You Reach Piraeus?’
You get off.
After doing that, you have a choice of how you go further, and it depends on where you are going. There is a courtesy bus to take you to the main gates, a walk of some 45 minutes otherwise, and the bus station is opposite the boat. From there, you can take a bus to the airport via a journey of around 1.30 to 1.45 hours depending on traffic. From the main gates, you cross the road and turn left to find the underground/overground (Wombling free) station and head into town. Syntagma Square is about eight or nine stops and takes about 30 to 40 minutes, I think. There’s also a train to the airport, but I’ve not used that.
If you book a taxi, say through www.welcomepickups.com (a company I recommend), they will be waiting for you when you disembark.
You Have Arrived at Your Destination.
There you go. My quick guide to travelling over water to reach Piraeus/Athens.
You can find the Blue Star Ferry website here (translate to English is on the top right of the page), or you can contact any of the travel companies on Symi who will advise you and book tickets.
