Symi Chat

And here's the peak summer timetable, for now.

Thanks for all your work on the timetables Andy
We're looking to get the to be confirmed Diagoras on Wednesday afternoon.
Can we buy tickets at Akandia for Diagoras on the day? We've only ever arrived there I've used the Spanos catamarans from Kolonna to get to Symi.

Oh yes, Sue. As the Diagoras holds 1400 people there is no real need to book in advance at what is the beginning of her journey. There's a ticket office at Akandia and I've bought Diagoras tickets there before departure. In fact there are three ticket offices - one for Blue Star, one for ANEK lines, and one for Dodekanisos Seaways. Taxi drivers will assume you want to buy a ticket and drop you at the right ticket office if you tell them the ship you want, the sheer size of the ships means that Akandia is a very sprawling place full of lorries, containers, piles of building materials etc.

Edited to fix predictive text error

Thanks Andy
We're arriving on the Monarch flight from Manchester so we should make the unconfirmed Diagaros sailing friends said they made it last year.

Thanks Andy for the timetable. I am visiting Symi and Patmos in September. I was wanting to go from Symi to Patmos on Tues the 22nd - but it looks like there are no ferry's on that day - Is this right or have I read it incorrectly? On Wed it would mean going with the Blue star which I think gets there really late. I would prefer to go on a day ferry. coming back to Symi from Patmos on Monday 28th seems straightforward.

Unfortunately you haven't read it incorrectly. There is no service out of Symi to Kos or points beyond on a Tuesday in summer this year. This is because the Dodekanisos Pride is operating between Kos and Samos and no other ship is available. I think Dodekanisos Seaways have let Symi down badly.

I have shifted dates on the Islands. Thank goodness for booking.com - it makes changing things a lot easier.

Blue Star Diagoras sailings now confirmed for the whole summer. Updated timetables will follow shortly

Hi Andy,
can you just confirm for me if I can get a ferry to Patmos from Symi on Monday 21st September?
I think that is what the timetable says..... thanks

Yes, the Dodekanisos Express is scheduled to leave Symi for Patmos at 09:25 on Monday 21 September.

thanks Andy - I really appreciate your help.

Andy I know that some flights after departing Skiathos have to refuel. When this happens do passengers leave the plane. If so where in the airport do they wait.

It depends where the refuelling is done, different airlines use different places. At Thessaloniki I believe you can remain in the plane.
At Volos I believe you disembark and wait somewhere in the terminal. However I've never been on a plane that refuelled at Volos (in fact I've never even been to the airport there).
It is probably related to the type of refuelling equipment available, and the degree of airport fire service cover, as many countries require fire crews present if planes are refuelled with passengers on board.
Volos is basically a military base with a few civil flights a day. Thessaloniki is a busy international airport where planes refuel dozens of times a day.

Thanks for your help Andy.I will cross Skiathos off the list.

Or you could find a flight that is scheduled to be flown by a Boeing 757, as these are able to take off from Skiathos with enough fuel to reach Northern Europe destinations without stopping.

I searched the web and found the information on Boeing 757 some weeks ago. Just searched again and found that Thomson have 31 Boeing 757 ( correct me if I am wrong )so I'm thinking now I can fly from my regional airport after all why use an aircraft that needs refuelling.I also have an app a flight tracker that gives very good information I will track the Thomson flight. So to sum up I really wanted you to say all passengers must disembark.