Chios sits in the north Aegean, hard against the coast of Asia Minor, which puts it a long way from Piraeus and a short flight from Athens. Both work, and they suit different trips.
Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
The two ways
By air. Chios has an airport just south of the main town, with a short domestic hop from Athens. This is the sensible option for a four-day trip, because the alternative costs a night.
By sea. From Piraeus, on the north Aegean line, and it is an overnight run rather than a day crossing. Cabins are worth it on this route in a way they are not on a Cycladic hop.
We print no durations or fares. Those are set per season by each operator; the shape of the route is what holds. Check the day’s schedule before you commit.
What else is on the line
The north Aegean line is a chain running out past Chios to Lesvos and down towards Samos, which is what makes combining these islands possible without returning to Athens each time.
The sailings are less frequent than a Cycladic line, so a two-island trip out here wants checking rather than assuming. Samos vs Chios sets out how the two big north Aegean islands differ.
Hire a car before you land
The single most useful piece of planning for Chios, and it belongs on this page rather than buried in the guide.
Chios is one of the largest Greek islands, its draws are scattered across the south and the interior, and its one real town sits on the east-central coast. You cannot see it on foot or from a single base. The medieval mastic villages, the mosaics at Nea Moni and the good beaches are all long drives from each other.
Book the car with the flight or the boat. Renting a car in Greece covers the practicalities.
Onward, and across the strait
Chios sits a narrow strait from Cesme on the Turkish coast and there is a crossing, which is unusual and worth knowing. It is an international sailing, so check visas and entry requirements before counting on it.
North-east, small local boats reach Oinousses, and further out lies Psara. Both are infrequent. Day trips from Chios covers what is realistically reachable.
Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
Where this leaves you
Fly if the trip is short, sail overnight if you want to arrive at the island rather than at an airport and you can spare the night. Either way, hire a car, because Chios is large, its mastic villages and monastery are far apart, and nothing about the island works without one. The north Aegean line carries on to Lesvos and Samos if you want to keep going.
Quick answers
Does Chios have an airport?
Yes, just south of the main town, with a short domestic flight from Athens. It is the sensible option for a shorter trip, because the ferry alternative is an overnight run.
How long is the ferry from Athens to Chios?
It is an overnight crossing from Piraeus on the north Aegean line rather than a day sailing. Times vary by operator and season, so check the current schedule rather than relying on a printed figure.
Do you need a car on Chios?
Yes, emphatically. Chios is one of the larger Greek islands with its mastic villages, monastery and beaches scattered across the south and interior, and a single base on the east coast. Book the car with your travel.
Can you get to Turkey from Chios?
Yes, Cesme is a short crossing across the strait. It is an international sailing, so check your own entry and re-entry position for the Schengen area before you plan a day around it.