Means of transport Ionian Islands

A strong network of domestic lines to make many excursions and visits without a car. Seventeen local bus lines, allowing you to reach the Old Port via the airport, or to visit the nearest towns of Corfu, from the city centre, San Rocco square. These City Buses usually all pass through the "green bus station" of the KTEL company. Tickets can be purchased on the bus or before boarding at the ticket machines located near the bus stops or at the main station in San Rocco Square.

There are direct flights from France. Transavia and EasyJet operate flights in high season. You can also connect via Athens and enjoy one of the four flights per day on average in summer with Aegean Airlines (en.aegeanair.com - +30 21062 61700), Olympic Air (www.olympicair.com - +30 21035 50500) or Ryanair. As for connections with other islands, there are rotations between Corfu, Lefkada (Preveza), Kefalonia and Zakynthos with Sky Express (www.skyexpress.gr - +30 28102 23500).

Flights to Greece from France but also domestic flights to connect the islands to Athens.

Seventeen local bus lines, allowing you to reach the Old Port via the airport, or to visit the cities closest to Corfu, from the city centre in Place Saint-Rocco. These City Buses generally all use the KTEL company's "green bus station".

This port offers several transfers per day to Kilini on the mainland (1h30). Although Argostoli is also a port, the capital is not the best served port on the island. For connections to the mainland, it is best to head to Sami or Poros. You can reach Astakós (from Sami, 2 times a day, 2h30) or Killini (from Poros, 5 to 7 times a day). For the neighbouring island of Ithaca, go to Sami (2 to 3 times a day, 40 min) or leave with smaller boats from Fiskardo. The rotations from Argostoli are more episodic.

The airport is located 9 km south of the island's capital (15 minutes drive). To arrive from Athens or to leave for the capital, Aegean Air provides at least two daily flights (1 hour) operated by Olympic Air (+30 21092 69111). To reach the other islands, there are rotations between Corfu (3 times a week, 1h20), Preveza (near Lefkada, 3 times a week in summer, 30 minutes) and Zákynthos (3 times a week in summer, 25 minutes). They are also operated by the local company Sky Express (www.skyexpress.gr).

The island has two ports: Nidri (in the centre-east) and Vassiliki (in the south). From there, you can travel to the Ionian Islands with connections to Kefalonia (1 hour to Fiskardo, 2 hours 15 minutes to Sámi), Ithaca (2 hours to Frikes or 1 hour 30 minutes to Piso Aetos) and occasionally to Corfu. From Vasiliki, daily rotations allow excursions to Meganisi (passing by the private island of Skorpios), the underwater caves of Papanikolis (Meganisi) and the beaches of Sivota and Porto Katsiki.

Zakinthos has three small ports: Zakinthos (or Chora, in the south-east) connected with the mainland, Skinari (in the north) through which ferries to Kefalonia pass, and Laganas from which some excursion boats depart. Ferry tickets on sale at the Zakinthos Maritime Cooperative, 40 Lambardou Street. For further information: Tel +30 26950 41500. Connections with the mainland are regular connections with Kilini (1 hour) and one per week with Patras (4 hours).

Competitive prices and impeccable service. It has several agencies on the island, notably at the airport and has agreements with certain hotels to deliver cars directly to your accommodation. The website is intuitive, the hotline works, and you will find a nice fleet of recent and well maintained vehicles ready to meet all your needs. Everything from small, economical cars ideal for couples to minivans that seat up to 9, perfect for families or groups.

A car is a good idea to discover the island and here is a good car rental agency on the spot for who wants to rent a vehicle for a short day or a few days. With more than 120 vehicles in its rental fleet, this one is also one of the most important: from the small Fiat 500 hard to the Grand Vitara 7 seats, through the classic Panda or a Jeep, it normally has what should suit you. You can pick up your car at the port or make an appointment. Obviously, in high season, it is imperative to book.

The ferries provide at least one connection per hour with Igoumenitsa (1 or 1.5 hours depending on the boat) and one per week with Preveza (4.20 hours). From Lefkimi, countfive connections per day with Igoumenitsa (30 minutes). But from Kerkyra you can also reach Paxi (55 minutes by hydrofoil, 1 hour 30 minutes by ferry). The port of Aghios Stefanosis connected to the islets north of Corfu (Mathraki, Othoni and Erikoussa). In summer, the port has connections with Brindisi (7 hours) and Bari (6 hours). You can come from Ancona or Venice via Igoumenitsa.

This is where you will land after taking a flight, most likely from Athens. The national airline Olympic Air offers at least one flight a day in summer (50 minutes). The company is well established and has offices at the airport and in Potamos. Information is available on the Internet (www.olympicair.com) or by telephone (+30 27360 33362). As for direct connections with the other islands, they are random. There are direct connections between Kythera and Rhodes with Sky Express. Please contact www.skyexpress.gr for more information.

This small port offers several transfers per day to Kilini on the mainland (1h30). Although Argostoli is also a port, the capital is not the best served port on the island. For connections to the mainland, it is best to head to Sami or Poros. You can reach Astakós (from Sami, twice a day, 2h30) or Killini (from Poros, 5 to 7 times a day). For the neighbouring island of Ithaca, go to Sami (2 to 3 times a day, 40 min) or, with smaller boats, from Fiskardo. The rotations from Argostoli are more episodic.

Situated 12 km from the southern tip of the Peloponnese and on the Athens-Kastelli (Crete) line, Kythera remains poorly served. To reach the mainland, apart from two ferry connections per week with Piraeus (6 hours 40), the island is mainly connected to the Peloponnese by the ports of Neapoli (1/day, 1 hour 15) and Gythio (1/week, 2 hours 20). As far as connections to other islands are concerned, the port offers several connections per week to the all-porch island of Antikythera (1 hour 40 minutes). But you can also reach Kissamos, in Crete.

Arriving from the mainland, in summer, you can usually choose between two connections per day with Igoumenitsa (1 hour 30 minutes). Connections to the other islands are limited to Corfu (55 minutes by hydrofoil), but numerous. You can choose between departures from Corfu town or from Lefkimi, at the southern tip of Corfu. Finally, Antipaxi, only 2 km away, is also accessible by caïque and by excursion boat several times a day (20 minutes). A nice way to go and back, as you can't sleep there.

When you arrive from the mainland or wish to reach it, head for the port of Pisoaetos, on the west coast, 7 km from Vathy. In season, you will find good connections to Astakos, Patras or Killini.

If you want to reach other islands of the Ionian Islands from Ithaca, you should know that the same connections go through Sami, in Kefalonia, the nearest island. The northern part of Kefalonia, Fiskardo, is also served by Frikes, north of Ithaca. The same line continues to Nydri, on the island of Lefkada, a little further north in the archipelago.

Despite the construction of a new terminal in 2008, the airport is often congested by the many charter flights, especially at weekends. This is all the more so as night flights are forbidden, so as not to disturb the Caretta Caretta turtles, a protected species. From and to Athens, you will find one to two daily flights with Olympic Air (www.olympicair.com, 55 minutes). Rotations (sometimes direct) between Ionian islands also exist with Corfu, Kefalonia and Kythera with Sky Express (www.skyexpress.gr).

Although it is the capital of Kefalonia, it is not the best served port. For links to the mainland, it's best to head for Sami and Poros. You can reach Astakós (from Sami, 2 times a day, 2h30) or Killini (from Poros, 5 to 7 times a day, 1h15) or the nearby island of Ithaca (from Sami, 2 to 3 times a day, 40 min). Rotations from Argostoli are more episodic, but do exist. There are still a few rotations with the mainland to Killini (3h15) and with Patras. Argostoli is not connected to the other islands.

Let's admit for once that the website of this KTEL network is well done... and generally up to date. To arrive or leave Kefalonia, KTEL buses connect Argostoli to Athens via Poros and Patras in season. In Athens, the bus station is located at 100 Kifissou Street. As for the local network, it will often seem insufficient given the size of the island. But there are interesting daily connections in season: Argostoli - Sami - Melissani - Ag.Efimia - Divarata - Fiskardo - Argostoli, Fiskardo - Divarata - Ag.Efimia - Sami - Argostoli...

From Athens, KTEL buses run to the port of Kyllini (4h30 drive, then boat connection) and disembark in Zakynthos. There are also connections to Patras and Thessaloniki. Within this large island, the KTEL network is of average quality. From Chora, there are usually 2 daily connections to Vassilikos, 2 daily connections to Aghios Nikolaos, 1 weekly connection to Limni and 13 daily connections to Laganas. At weekends, some services are not available.