Ferries from Kos to Rhodes, Patmos, Nisyros and Piraeus
Which ferries leave Kos for Rhodes, Patmos, Nisyros and Piraeus (Athens): operators, journey times as the operators and booking sites state them, and when we last checked.
Kos is one of the Dodecanese islands, and boats leave its main port for Rhodes, Patmos, Nisyros and, on the longest crossing, Piraeus near Athens. Dodekanisos Seaways, whose own page lists Kos among 18 island connections, runs fast catamarans on the shorter hops, and Blue Star Ferries runs larger conventional ferries. Each card gives the figures as the source states them and says when we last checked.
How it works
Fast catamarans and larger ferries share some routes. On Kos to Rhodes the booking site we read quotes 2 hours for the fastest crossing and 7 hours 10 minutes for the slowest, so check the boat on your ticket.
Frequency depends on the month. For example, Dodekanisos Seaways is listed as daily on Kos to Rhodes from April to August, with fewer sailings in the shoulder seasons.
Boats also run between Kos and Bodrum in Turkey, but we have not checked the border and entry requirements, so that route is not listed yet.
A ticket is not a guaranteed seat and sailings can change with the weather, so confirm on the operator's own page the day before.
Ferries
Kos → Rhodes
Operators: Blue Star Ferries, Dodekanisos Seaways, Saos Ferries
Journey time: From 2 hours on the fastest service to 7 hours 10 minutes on the slowest.
Seasonal: The route page lists service in every month. Dodekanisos Seaways is shown daily from April to August with fewer sailings in the shoulder seasons, Blue Star every day or six days a week depending on the month, and Saos Ferries two to four days a week.
Journey time: About 2 hours 10 minutes on the Dodekanisos Express, the fastest service listed; around 2 hours 25 minutes on average and up to 3 hours 25 minutes on the longest.
Seasonal: The route page lists about 15 crossings a week from June to September and about 9 a week from October to May.
Journey time: About 50 minutes on the fastest service; 50 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes depending on the vessel.
Seasonal: The timetable we read lists four sailings a week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) and is valid from 19 July to 31 October 2026. The page says frequency changes between the summer and winter seasons.
Timetables and journey times change by season and operator, and a ticket is not a guaranteed seat. Every card says when we last checked and links the page we read; confirm on the operator's own page before you plan around a departure. We list operators' own pages and do not earn commission on these links.
