Chios Island Transportation

It always depends on what a visitor wants to see, and the time he has to spare here.
Most of the island is mountainous, but the road network is relatively good.
Chios town is of course an exception as it is a busy town and the roads here are quite narrow.
Traffic gets worse during the summer months of course (July, and August), but driving on the island is quite safe and easy.
Adequate road signs which are situated on all main and minor roads make driving easier, and the majority of roads leading to the villages here are tarred.

The best way of course to visit the villages and all the interesting monuments and beatiful beaches of the island is to rent a car, and this because the local bus service has a limited network.

Car rental companies here offer a good service, but my favourite is CHANDRIS Rent a Car, (+30 6944 972051)

Every time I visit a new place I try to find useful information which I carry with me throughout the trip.
Here I have useful phone numbers of Airlines, Ferries, Port Authority, and buses which I believe are useful to visitors.

1. Airport of Chios: 22710 81400
2. Olympic Airlines: 210 9369111, 22710 23998
3. Aegean Airlines: 8011120000, 22710 81051-3
4. N.E.L. Lines: 22710 25848, 23971, 210 4115015
5. G.A. FERRIES: 22710 41390, 4582640
6. Port Authority: 108, 22710 44434, 210 4511310
7. Buses -city limits: 22710 22079
8. Suburb Buses: 22710 24257
9. Taxi: 22710 41111

The easy way to reach Chios from Athens is by plane. Olympic Airlines has daily flights but Aegean Airlines has some offers from time to time but you have to book early. The flights lasts only 35’ and the airport of Chios is only 3km away from town. There are also charter flights from many European cities.

The other way is by boat. Ferries from Piraeus come in 5 to 11 hours depending which type of boat you take.
The nearby islands Skinouses and Psara are reachable by boat.
You can also visit Turkey(Cesme town) using a boat. It takes an hour. There are some day trips to Cesme and from there to Izmir. You go around 8 o’clock in the morning and return around 6 o’clock in the afternoon.

You definitely need a car to explore the island. It’s big and the nice areas/villages are far one from the other. There are several companies at the airport and in Chios town.

Alternative you can use a taxi (you find at the central square or call 2271041111) or some of the local buses

Boat trips to Cesme are available every day at summertime and 2 days a week in wintertimef. Cesme is the most important port on the Turkish coast and Izmir is just 1.5 hour away by car.

www.erturk.com (turkish ferries)

www.miniotis.gr (greek ferries)

NEL lines offers a daily service to Chios from the main port of Piraeus in Athens. The journey lasts 8,5 hours and is usually overnight. The route then continues on the the island of Lesvos which takes approx 4 hours.
Two days per weeks the fast ferry AIOLOS KENTERIS reaches to Chios in 5 hours from Peireas Port in Athens
You can also travel by ferry from and to the Northern island of Limnos and the mainland ports of Thessoloniki, Kavala & Alexandropoli.
There is a Samos - Chios ferry twice per week and connections with the smaller islands of Psara three times per week and Innousses every day.