Samos sits against the Turkish coast at the eastern edge of the Aegean, and it is a long way from Piraeus.
Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
The two options
The ferry from Piraeus, roughly eight to twelve hours, usually sailing in the evening and arriving in the morning. Take a cabin. The run belongs to the eastern Aegean line and calls at Ikaria, Fourni and sometimes Chios and Mykonos on the way.
The flight, about an hour, with year-round domestic services and summer charters from northern Europe.
Almost everyone flies. The boat is for people who want the islands on the way, or who are bringing a car.
Three ports, and this matters
Samos has three ferry ports, which is unusual and catches people out.
- Vathy (Samos town), on the north-east, the capital.
- Karlovasi, on the north-west, the second town and the usual call for the Piraeus line.
- Pythagoreio, on the south-east, the pretty harbour town, used by boats to the Dodecanese and to Turkey.
They are up to an hour apart by road. Check which port your sailing uses and which is nearest your accommodation.
What is there
Samos is green, mountainous and wooded, which surprises people expecting a bare Aegean island. It grows wine, particularly sweet Muscat, and olives.
Two UNESCO-listed things sit together at Pythagoreio: the ancient harbour town, and the Eupalinos tunnel, an aqueduct driven straight through a mountain in the sixth century BC by two teams digging from opposite ends and meeting in the middle. You can walk into it. It is one of the most impressive pieces of ancient engineering in Greece and almost nobody has heard of it.
The Heraion, the sanctuary of Hera, is on the plain to the west.
Onward
Kusadasi in Turkey, and from it Ephesus, is a short international crossing from Pythagoreio, with the usual passport and visa requirements. Ikaria, Fourni, Chios and Patmos are all reachable, which makes Samos a good base for the North Aegean and the northern Dodecanese.
Last checked August 2026. Ferry and flight schedules change seasonally - see our editorial policy.
Common questions
How long is the ferry from Athens to Samos?
Roughly eight to twelve hours from Piraeus, usually sailing overnight, depending on the islands the service calls at.
How long is the flight from Athens to Samos?
About an hour, with year-round domestic services and summer charters from elsewhere in Europe.
Which port on Samos should you use?
Vathy in the north-east, Karlovasi in the north-west or Pythagoreio in the south-east. They are up to an hour apart, so check both your sailing and your accommodation.
What is the Eupalinos tunnel?
A sixth-century BC aqueduct driven through a mountain at Pythagoreio by two teams digging from opposite ends. It is UNESCO listed and you can walk into it.
Can you get to Turkey from Samos?
Yes, by a short crossing from Pythagoreio to Kusadasi, the gateway to Ephesus, with passport control and the usual visa requirements.
Next
Read Samos, the North Aegean, or Ikaria.