Ferry Timetables in the Nick of Time

[Kojak]

I notice that the ANES timetable for Wednesday 21st May shows the Aegli leaving Rhodes at 1800hrs, the Symi leaving Rhodes at 1830hrs and then the Aegli leaving Rhodes again at 2015hrs but no early afternoon Aegli! It seems to have gone from one extreme to another!

[Adriana]

The Aegli has to do two trips on Wednesday evenings to compensate for the fact that the Symi is not allowed to take passengers...

[muppet]

Hello

Just trying to get my head round the problems you seem to having with Ferries.

We are arriving (hopefully) in Rhodes at 16.00 on Wednesday 11th June. I know if we miss the ferry, or having read this post, simply cannot get on it, Olympic Holidays will put us up in Rhodes overnight.

Does anyone have any idea of what type of accomodation it is likely to be? Would there then be a ferry the next morning or would we have to wait till the following evening?

Reading about the ferry issues, is the Aegli a ferry or a hydrofoil?

I just want to get there and settled in as early as possible and renew my love of Symi.

[maziemoo]

Hi Muppet

My observation was that although the Proteus is currently out of action, there do seem to have been good efforts made to plug the gap and there are actually several alternatives to getting to the island.

I'm sure you will be fine for a crossing whether that be the evening of same day you arrive on Rhodes or the morning of the day after.

I would suggest that Adriana is an excellent source of information as she will no doubt keep a daily eye on events.

Your accommodation on Rhodes though is a matter for the holiday company but Mr Kojak may be able to throw a little light on this for you.

[Kojak]

I've never had to stay on Rhodes with Olympic although I've had a couple of near misses! I don't know the usual default accommodation they use but Olympic will obviously try to avoid paying for accommodation on Rhodes if possible. Sometimes the Rhodes reps aren't exactly off the mark so what I do is tell them at the airport that there's limited time to get to the ferry and will they please make sure I get there in time. This avoids making dropping-off trips round the back lanes of Ixia and Cremasti!

[Miss Exige]

there do seem to have been good efforts made to plug the gap and there are actually several alternatives to getting to the island.

Oh tell more please.....alternatives for 29th May....am.

[Adriana]

If you look carefully at the Agios Nektarious' route you will see it is between Piraeus and Aegina and therefore of little help to those trying to get from Rhodes to Symi or vice versa.



Ms DJ was sitting next to me on the bus this afternoon and she had a new schedule for the Spanos, valid only until 8 June, unfortunately, which does show a few more connections...

[GrahamE]

Forgive my ignorance but I have lost track of this thread, not sure which name is a ferry and which a hydrofoil. It's irrelevant to me anyway but please can you tell me how I will get to Symi from Rhodes, ferry or a hydrofoil? I travel with Olympic Airways arriving in Rhodes 3am ish on Sun 15th June.
Thanks

[Mille]

Aegli is the hydrofoil (aka the Vomit Rocket) and should leave Rhodos at 10.30 am according to schedule.

[Richard]

"Vomit Rocket"? That's a little unkind, Mille, although I do remember one trip when the sea was so bouncy that the Aegli had to come down off her skis. Very uncomfortable. ? Aegli = Eagle = Spirit of the Sun? Not a very sunny trip that day. Bring back the Proteus ASAP.

[Kojak]

I think the correct term was "Vomit Comet" - I do hope this doesn't put Graham off...

[ola]

The Dodecanese Express two catamarans are fast, on time and fairly comfortable. In past years they have left Rhodes early, like 8 o�clock in the morning. (I left at 6 in the morning to arrive in Symi harbour at 6:45 Tuesday before the Greek orthodox Easter) Recommended and built in Norway...
The schedule for June isn't up yet but will be found at:

[ola]

Another option is the Symi 2 at nine. It is now (or at least it was in the beginning of may) allowing one way passengers.
It leaves Rhodes at 9, stops at Panormitis where you can enjoy the bakery and have a drink at the kefenion/groceryshop, visit the monastery and museum end then arrive in Yalos at one o'clock.
The Symi 2 leaves for Rhodes at four which could be a good time if you have an evening flight back to wherever home is.

[GrahamE]

See this is where I get confused - all these options.
Now, I don't mind option BUT will I not have to take whatever Olympic say is
my transfer method?

[Kojak]

Leave it up to Olympic, Graham. They organise it all and that's what you pay for. If you opt to go it alone you'd have to organise your own transfer and that would include getting to Pedi from Yialos under your own steam.

[maziemoo]

Yes you will Graham.....

I think the point that is being made here, is that from time to time the tour operators 'preferred' option may be out of service for whatever reason, therefore they may have to transfer to a different option and as you can see, fortunately there are several other options available.

Should this be the case, people can rest assured that should their tour operator's usual mode of transfer not be in service, there will be an alternative way of getting to the island.

For those folk travelling with a tour operator the most appropriate people to contact to find out what alternatives may be used, would obviously be their particular tour operator, assuming they are savvi enough to have sought out that information.

However there are a number of people who travel independently so the type of information that has been provided by those taking the trouble to post, is really useful in helping people get a feel for what may or may not be available so they can at least make some form of educated decision about what happens once they hit Rhodes airport.

[Richard]

"Hit Rhodes airport"? Hell. Is that crunched Arab Airlines aircraft still on the end of Diagoras runway?

[Miss Exige]

....

in the nick of time,the express from rhodes saves the day..
thanks for the e-mail symi vis.....

[Adriana]

Judging by my mailbox, feelings of panic and despair are starting to set in amongst those who are trying to finalise their June travel arrangements and are unaccustomed to the 'leap of faith' that Greek ferry companies require from their potential passengers. :(

Both ANES and Symi Tours (the agents for Dodecanese Seaways) have assured me that all will be revealed next week when the season's ferry schedules have finally been approved by the Ministry. In the meantime, what appears on their websites is not necessarily what they are actually able to sell tickets for :evil: :idea: but they are able to sell tickets for things that don't actually appear on their websites :evil: :idea: and someone has just succeeded in buying tickets for the Symi II leaving Rhodes at 19.00 on 25 June ... :)

[Richard]

Thank you, Adriana. Seems perfectly straightforward to me.