Getting from Kos to Kalymnos: a step-by-step guide - Climb Kalymnos (2023)

Katie says:

Hi Martin,

Flights and ferries are already operating, albeit with limitations. At the moment, whether or not you can fly into Greece depends on the country where your trip originates. Starting July 1st, there will be further loosening of restrictions. The most updated info about international flights to Greece can be found here: https://www.mfa.gr/en/current-affairs/statements-speeches/greece-welcomes-the-world-update-15-june-2020.html

Ferry timetables can be found here: https://climbkalymnos.com/wp-content/uploads/Kos_Ferries_JUNE_2020_with_declaration.pdf

Of course, due to the unpredictable nature of the situation, nobody can say with 100% certainty how August will look. Fingers crossed that Greece continues to keep the pandemic under control. Please keep checking back as your trip approaches.

Stay safe!

Martin says:

How is the 2020 season looking? We’re planning a trip in August. Will international flights and farries be working this year?

Admin says:

Sandra–nope, we are still waiting for it. But take a look at the current timetable and expect the new one to be quite similar. In general the ferry timetables haven’t changed much in the past several months. As soon as ANEK (fast ferry company) shares their new schedule we will update it here.

Sandra says:

Is there already a timetable for the end of May?

Admin says:

Apologies for the late reply–somehow we missed your comment. The ferry timetable has been updated here: https://climbkalymnos.com/wp-content/uploads/Kos_Ferries_FEB11_MARCH20_2019.pdf

Kelly Gay says:

What’s the latest ferry time in evening please

Traci says:

That is so very helpful – thank-you so much!!!!

Admin says:

Hi Traci. No need to book a ferry ticket ahead of time (I don’t think it’s possible, anyway). From the Kos airport (assuming you are flying into Kos), just make your way to Mastichari port (NOT the main port) via taxi or bus. There is a small pier at Mastichari with two kiosks. Depending on which ferry is next (slow or fast), one of the two kiosks will be open. That’s where you purchase the ferry ticket.

Most recent ferry timetables here: http://climbkalymnos.com/wp-content/uploads/Kos_Ferries_Nov1st_10th_2017.pdf

We will update the ferry timetable as soon as the ferry company announces it.

I hope this helps.

Best,
Katie

Traci says:

Hi:) I am trying to book a ferry from Kos to Kalymnos but the only port I can book from is Main Port. The instructions here say to book from Mastichari. Help?

aris says:

the Athens – Kalymnos flights run over all year, even in the winter.
It is expected that very soon skyexpress.gr
(or at least astra-airlines.gr)
will offer soon flights to Kalymnos through their website for October and November 2017.
The problem is that the above companies and “Aegean Air” fighting at court for this Kalymnos-Athens line.

kris says:

Is there a flight from Athens to Kalymnos in November?

Admin says:

Hi Derek,

The local ferries are rather small, so they usually don’t sail when winds are around force 6 and above (Beaufort scale).

Derek says:

What wind speed is the difference between the ferry sailing or not? I can’t find any information on ANEM / ANEK ferry website. Anybody know?

Jane says:

This was fun. I do not climb, but I was in Telendos for the first time, this summer, and I will travel on my own next year and not whit an agency, if it pays off financially, but I have tried to understand through the internet how I easily would get to Kalymnos, without finding it out, and then I found this page. Thanks for your help :-)

carl dawson says:

Hi, the taxi from Pothia (Kalymnos port) to Masouri is in the region of 15 euros one way. If you can wait for the bus however, it is much cheaper!

Adam says:

great help thanks for posting this!

wondering what the going rate is for cab from Kalymnos port to Masouri. thanks and see you in April :D

Admin says:

Hi Jure,

Yes, this is the one way price. So round trip is 10-12 euros depending on which ferry you take. I asked at the kiosk by the port in Kalymnos where they issue the tickets.

jure says:

Hi,

thanks for answer! I believe that this is one way price? So round trip is about 12€? Where did you check the prices? I found some higher prices on two diferent websites….

Admin says:

I have just double-checked the ferry prices: fast ferry €6.00 per person, slow ferry €5.00 per person.

Admin says:

Hi Jure,

The fast ferry costs around €6.00 per person and the slow ferry around €4.50 per person. So roughly €10-12 for both of you.

jure says:

Hello!

Does any body know, how much do you pay for ferry from Mastichari to Kalymnos for two persons?

Admin says:

Thank you Steve!

Steve says:

Very good, clear and detailed instructions. I’m a local so I know things first hand, but I’m often surprised at the misinformation (not to mention the messy syntax, typos and grammar) of anything you can find online. This is really helpful for visitors. Well done!

Michal says:

Hi, I really thank you for your help! we’ve decided to call off accomodation for one niht (24/25/04) and we’ve already changed our arrival time from Sunday to Monday. Now we are landing on Kos on Monday morning, and we stay one day in Athens waiting for our plane to Kos (and of course we do some sightseeing as we’ve never seen Athens, so maybe it’s a good idea). Now we see it wont be a problem to get on Kos on Easter Monday so we take a ferry on Monday morning

Admin says:

Hi Michal,

After running around in circles on the phone, I spoke to the Kos – Kalymnos ferry ticketing agency and asked about the crossings on Easter day. The answer was “well, there will be reduced crossings but we don’t have the exact details yet”.
Me: “What? When will you know?”
Them: “Well, any day now, if you keep calling back we should know soon”

I am really sorry I can’t give you a more specific answer, I will try to call back in a few days, just FYI the number I called was +30 22430 29430 (Kalymna Yachting). I also tried the Kos port authority but there was no answer!

Katie

P.S. After some more calls I just found out there will definitely be a 22.30 crossing on the 24th on the ‘Kalymnos Dolphin’, plus one more crossing earlier that day which has not been determined yet… I will update this comment when I find out more.

Michal says:

I would like to ask about ferry crossings from Kos to Kalymnos on 24th
April.We bought our air tickets much earlier and we hadn’t taken Easter into
account. We have checked the timetable for Sunday 24th April and it seems
to us that there are no ferry crossings on this day.
Does anybody know whether there are any ferry crossings on 24th April? Or
perhaps we will be forced to stay at Kos for a night and get to Kalymnos on
Monday 25th only?

admin says:

Hi Roger, yes, this is unofficially true. The last ferry usually waits for the last flight of Aegean and/or Olympic from Athens, as long as passengers get to Mastihari port promptly. I am not sure what happens if the flight is delayed. One of the ferry captains told us this –it’s not in writing anywhere, hence my use of the words “unofficially” and “usually”.

Roger says:

I’ve heard that the last ferry leaves late to wait for passengers on the last flight from Athens; my flight arrives 10 minutes after the scheduled departure of the last ferry to kalymnos. Know anything about this?

admin says:

Thanks Sam, you are right on all counts. Although the Mastichari option is cheaper and more direct if the ferry schedule suits you, Kos Town is far more interesting. A fast ferry from Kos Town to Kalymnos runs every day at 10:50 a.m. (“Dodekanisos Pride” 45 min, €15 per person). A few times per week (but not every day) you can also catch one of the slow ferries. But it’s about 30km from the airport to Kos Town, so a lot more €€ for a taxi..

Do some ferries not leave/arrive at Kos Town as well? We returned via this route once as we had a long wait after the last ferry before our 4am flight home. It is possible some of the other ferries were not sailing due to high winds as well, I don’t remember.

Also there are things to do/places to eat in Kos Town than in Mastachari.

Obviously the taxi from Kos Town to the airport is much more expensive.

Pawel says:

Thanks :)

admin says:

In reply to Naheech:
I asked for the feedback of two friends who’ve stayed overnight at Kos more times than I can count. I’ve posted their replies below.

He said:
I’d only stay at the airport if the weather was totally foul and it wasn’t peak travel season (because the airport gets absolutely heaving… although there is covered space just outside).

If I had a bit of cash, I’d ask the taxi driver to take me to his cousin/auntie/brother in Mastichari because, apparently, there’s a fair number of little apartments for about 30 euro a room or less. Alternatively, I’d ask at one of the sea-front restaurants because, last time we were there, the English woman who owned it said “No Problem, we can sort you out”.

If I was really rich, I’d pre-book the Mastichari Bay Hotel which is really nice but it would cost upwards of 50 euro a room AND if you arrived too late for the last ferry you’ll have also missed the evening meal. Hey, but if you’re rich, what does that matter.

If I was poor/on my first trip/feeling romantic/it wasn’t too cold and I’d remembered a light sleeping bag/duvet jacket then I’d rough it on the beach loungers. It’s magic to wake up and see Kaly for the first time across the water. (You will get a little damp with condensation though).

And she said:
When I arrived in the airport at the end of July it was so busy, noisy and overcrowded that staying there was not an option for me. It was about 2am in the morning when my (delayed) flight arrived so I got a taxi to Mastichari and went to the empty sun loungers on the beach, sleeping there until about 6am. I did need a mosquito net though and preferably something to keep warm even though it was the height of summer. If I had arrived earlier though I would definitely got a room. I would have either asked the taxi driver to take me somewhere (near to the port) or gone into one of the many bars and restaurants to ask there. We did go into a bar at Easter and when talking to them they often have people staying over one night in order to get the first ferry to Kalymnos the next day.

admin says:

Hi Pawel,

I checked that out. Yes, ferries are available all year-round, even in the winter. But the timetable changes every month, and it is published at the beginning of the month for the next 30 days. So you will have to check again on October 1st…Thanks for pointing that out, I will update the post accordingly.

PAwel says:

Hi,

I check all links for the ferrys from KOS to Kalymnos in October but I couldn`t find it any ? Are the ferrys are available in October ?
If someone could help I`ll be at Kos on 9th of October about 1p.m. and Just wondering what possibilty are ?

Thanks,

Naheehc says:

If you miss the ferry or have a flight that arrives late what do you think would be best; sleeping at the airport, the port or in the streets?

admin says:

Thank you for the feedback, Lez! It is much appreciated, and I have updated the post accordingly. It’s hard to tell with the taxis, everybody seems to be charged a different price…

Lez says:

The taxi isn’t the only way to get Mastihari port… there is a Bus starting from the airport, we took it, it’s very cheap, I dont remember but it was about 2 or 3 € per person.
If you have time to wait the next bus or if you are lucky and the bus is just in front of you at the time you landed to Kos.. it’s cheaper than the taxi.

Another tip.
The first time we was there a guy alone asked us to share the taxi trip (kos Airport-Mastihari). It was nice to meet one more friend and save some money ;)

P.S. The taxi driver took 15€ (not 12) for the short trip, but his radio played so nice music……. maybe you can bring with you some CD’s and make a good deal !