Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
The crossing
Roughly two hours on high-speed craft and up to about four on a conventional ferry, depending on the calls.
Both kinds run through the season; conventional ferries carry cars and keep sailing in weather that stops the catamarans. Boats leave Rhodes town and arrive at Kos town, and both ports are in the middle of their towns, which is unusually convenient.
The islands in between
This is the useful part. The line passes some of the best small islands in Greece and several sailings call at them:
- Symi, an hour or so from Rhodes: a harbour of neoclassical mansions in ochre and cream stacked around a bay, and one of the most photographed arrivals in Greece.
- Nisyros, off Kos: a volcanic island with a caldera you can walk down into, on ground that is warm and steaming.
- Tilos and Chalki, both very quiet.
Any of these turns the crossing into a trip rather than a transfer.
Rhodes or Kos as the base
Rhodes is bigger and has more of everything: the medieval walled Old Town, which is a UNESCO site and one of the best-preserved in Europe, plus Lindos, a long coastline and a serious winter population.
Kos is flatter, greener and easier: excellent cycling, long sandy southern beaches, the Asklepion above the town, and a shorter, simpler island to drive.
Both have direct flights from across Europe in summer, so an open-jaw trip flying into one and out of the other, with the ferry in between, is the neat way to do it.
Practical notes
- Book cars ahead on the conventional ferries in August.
- Fast craft stop first in wind, and the Dodecanese blows in summer.
- Onward to Turkey from either: Bodrum from Kos, and Marmaris or Fethiye from Rhodes.
Last checked August 2026. Dodecanese schedules change seasonally - see our editorial policy.
Common questions
How long is the ferry from Rhodes to Kos?
About two hours on high-speed craft and up to four on a conventional ferry, depending on the islands it calls at.
Can you take a car from Rhodes to Kos?
Yes, on the conventional ferries. High-speed catamarans are passenger only.
What islands are between Rhodes and Kos?
Symi, Tilos, Chalki and Nisyros, several of which appear as calls on the Dodecanese line.
Should you base yourself on Rhodes or Kos?
Rhodes for the medieval Old Town, Lindos and a bigger island; Kos for flat cycling, long sandy beaches and simpler driving.
Can you fly into one and out of the other?
Yes. Both have international airports with summer flights from across Europe, which makes an open-jaw trip with the ferry in between straightforward.