Kyllini from Kalamata is the road to the ferry port for Zakynthos and Kefalonia. Find more trip ideas on Greece Tours.
The guide below covers the distance, the three ways to go and the ferry timing. It also covers luggage and the booking steps.
How far is Kyllini from Kalamata, and how long does the trip take?
Kyllini from Kalamata is 168.7 km by road, and the drive takes 2 hours 48 minutes. The port sits on the Ionian Sea coast of Elis. Kalamata lies at the head of the Messenian Gulf.
That road figure for Kyllini from Kalamata is for the city centre. A route planner lists 162.9 km and 2 hours 44 minutes from Kalamata airport. A transfer firm quotes 160 km and about 140 minutes for the same airport run. The sources differ, so read the figures as a range.
A sailing adds port time to the drive. Ferryhopper asks passengers to arrive 45 minutes before the Zakynthos departure. The trip to Kyllini from Kalamata therefore needs 3 hours 33 minutes at the very least before the ferry leaves.
The road passes Pyrgos on the way. Pyrgos is 110.9 km from Kalamata and takes 2 hours 7 minutes by car. From Pyrgos, the port is 39 km further north-west.
Which ways run from Kalamata to Kyllini?
Three ways run from Kalamata to Kyllini: a private transfer, a self-drive car and a bus that changes at Pyrgos. Only the private transfer runs door to port in one leg, with no change of vehicle.
A private transfer for Kyllini from Kalamata starts at your hotel or at the airport. One driver covers the whole road and leaves you at the port. You do not carry bags between vehicles, and the departure time is your own.
The self-drive route puts you in charge of the clock. You pick the start time and the stops, and you keep the car until you reach the port. The bus costs the biggest share of your day. A route planner lists no direct bus and a change at Pyrgos.
Route planners also show a rideshare option for the airport run. The sections below take each way to Kyllini from Kalamata in turn, then the ferry times for Zakynthos and Kefalonia.
Does your starting point change the trip to Kyllini from Kalamata, city or airport?
Yes, the starting point changes the figures a little. The airport run is 162.9 km, which is 5.8 km shorter than the city run of 168.7 km. It saves four minutes of driving.
Kalamata airport (KLX) sits between Kalamata and Messini on the EO82 road. Its terminal is reached by the EO82, which leads on to the A7 motorway and the EO7 road.
The GetYourGuide transfer from Kalamata airport to Kyllini port is built for exactly that. It lasts 3 hours in the listing and serves the port or hotels.
Visitors who sleep in Kalamata first begin the trip to Kyllini from Kalamata at the hotel door. The airport is then not on the route at all. The airport bus to the city takes 20 to 25 minutes. That matters only if you land and want the city first. Our Kalamata tours page lists what to do there.
What does a private transfer from Kalamata to Kyllini include?
A private transfer from Kalamata to Kyllini gives you one vehicle and one driver for the whole road. The GetYourGuide listing runs from Kalamata airport to the port or to hotels and lasts 3 hours.
The booking form accepts up to 32 passengers on the listing. A second GetYourGuide listing runs the other way. The return section below covers it.
One transfer company lists a dedicated car for up to 4 passengers. It also lists a spacious private transfer for up to 8. It confirms the price at booking and offers free cancellation up to 48 hours before pickup. Child seats, group vehicles and wheelchair access are on its option list.
Another firm sells four vehicle classes on the run to Kyllini from Kalamata airport. They are an economy car, a premium car, an economy minivan and a premium minivan. Its driver waits with a name sign at the airport.
How does a self-drive trip to Kyllini from Kalamata run?
A self-drive trip covers 168.7 km in 2 hours 48 minutes. The west coast road, National Road 9, runs from Patras to Methoni through Pyrgos.
Between Pyrgos and Tsakona the National Road 9 also carries the European route number E55. A branch road, the EO9a, links Kalo Nero to the A7 motorway at Tsakona.
The port itself is 11 km west of Andravida, on the coast. On a self-drive to Kyllini from Kalamata, you head north-west for 39 km once you reach Pyrgos.
A route planner lists a rideshare for the airport run at 2 hours 44 minutes. It also suggests carpooling on a shared-ride site. That keeps the road time the same but shares the car.
Is there a bus for Kyllini from Kalamata?
No direct bus serves Kyllini from Kalamata. A route planner shows a KTEL Messinias coach to Pyrgos, then a KTEL Ileias coach. The plan adds up to 5 hours 12 minutes with one change.
For Kyllini from Kalamata by bus, KTEL Messinias runs the first leg to Pyrgos once a day. The ride takes about 2 hours 30 minutes. The KTEL Ileias leg from Pyrgos runs every two hours and takes about 1.5 hours.
The planner ends that second leg at Varda, not at the port. Ask the KTEL Ileias office which coach reaches the quay before you rely on the plan. A bus portal also shows no Kalamata to Kyllini line at the time of reading.
From the airport the planner totals 6 hours 32 minutes by bus. With one daily coach on the first leg, the bus fixes your ferry time. Your ferry time does not choose the bus.
Which towns does the road to Kyllini from Kalamata pass?
The road to Kyllini from Kalamata passes Pyrgos, the capital of Elis, which holds 26,052 residents. Kyllini lies 39 km beyond it, and Olympia lies 16 km east of Pyrgos.
Pyrgos stands on a plain 4 km from the Ionian Sea. Kalamata itself has 58,816 residents in the city proper.
Katakolo, the main port of the Elis region, belongs to the Pyrgos municipality. Two Viator transfers below start at its cruise port.
A stop at Olympia needs a full day of its own. The Olympia day trip from Kalamata page covers the ruins. The private tour from Kalamata below lasts 3 to 7 hours.
How early must the trip to Kyllini from Kalamata start for the Zakynthos ferry?
Leave Kalamata at least 3 hours 33 minutes before the Zakynthos sailing. That adds the 2 hour 48 minute drive to the 45 minutes that Ferryhopper asks for at the port.
For a ferry at 15:00, the latest start for Kyllini from Kalamata is 11:27 from the city. Add a margin for traffic, because a missed boat means waiting for the next sailing. Levante Ferries runs the Zakynthos line with conventional ferries, not high-speed boats.
Ferryhopper lists up to 7 crossings a day in high season and around 4 in low season. The last ferry leaves at 20:30 or 21:30, with extra August sailings at 21:30 and 00:15. The crossing takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.
The Kyllini port sits in the town centre. Ferries from there dock at the main port of Zakynthos town. The Zakynthos port transfers page covers the rides on the island side.
A speedboat listing titled “Zakynthos: RIB Cruise with Snorkeling from Kyllini” follows below. It lasts 7 hours, visits Laganas Bay, the Keri Caves and Marathonisi, and takes up to 8 guests.
When does the Kefalonia ferry change the trip to Kyllini from Kalamata?
The Kefalonia ferry adds 1.5 hours at the port. Ferryhopper asks passengers to arrive at least 1.5 hours before departure. Allow 4 hours 18 minutes from Kalamata, with the drive included.
The ferry runs from Kyllini to Poros and takes about 1.5 hours. Levante Ferries operates it with a conventional ferry, and no high-speed service is listed. Cars need more time at the port than walk-on passengers.
Vehicle spaces sell out quickly in high season. If you take your own car across, book the vehicle ticket early.
Poros lies 40 km south-east of Argostoli and 28 km south-east of Sami. The listing shows a daily sailing in the majority of months. The others show 3, 5 or 6 days a week. Check the date you plan to travel.
What luggage fits the trip to Kyllini from Kalamata?
Keep ferry luggage under 50 kg. Levante Ferries has no luggage check-in and limited luggage space, so heavy bags cause delays.
Online tickets can be collected in paper form at the company’s port collection points before the trip. Allow time for that step on top of the arrival window.
The vehicle size matters more than the bag count on the road leg to Kyllini from Kalamata. One transfer company lists space for sports equipment as an option, so say so when you book. Match the vehicle class to the bags as well as the people.
The ferry has no luggage check-in. Pack the bags you need at the port in one place before you leave Kalamata.
Can you reverse the trip to Kyllini from Kalamata?
Yes. A GetYourGuide listing runs from Kyllini port or a Kyllini hotel to Kalamata airport and lasts 3 hours. The driver meets you at the harbour or hotel reception with a name sign.
The return leg adds the crossing to the road time. A Zakynthos return means about 1 hour 15 minutes at sea. Then comes 2 hours 44 minutes by road to the airport. From Kefalonia, it is 1.5 hours at sea and the same road.
That makes about 3 hours 59 minutes from Zakynthos and 4 hours 14 minutes from Kefalonia, before port time. Fix the flight only after you know the sailing.
The Kalamata airport transfers page covers the hotel side of the airport. Use this page for the port leg.
Which other transfers link Kalamata with the western ports?
Four Viator listings link Kalamata or Kyllini with other points. Two start at Katakolon, one starts at Patras, and one runs from the port of Kyllini to Athens. None of them is the run to Kyllini from Kalamata itself.
The first Katakolon listing is titled “Private Transfer from Katakolon Port to Kalamata Airport (KLX)”. The second is titled “Private Transfer from Katakolon Cruise Port to Kalamata hotels”. Katakolo is the main port of the Elis region.
The Patras listing is titled “Private Transfer from Patras to Kalamata with 2h Sightseeing Stop”. The Kyllini listing runs from the port of Kyllini to Athens. Read each page for the pickup point and the vehicle before you book.
If you stay on the mainland, the Kyllini tours page covers what to see around the port. A private tour from the port to Olympia lasts 8 hours in its listing.
How do you book the trip to Kyllini from Kalamata?
Pick the sailing first, then book the transfer to match it. One transfer company also staffs a support line around the clock.
To book Kyllini from Kalamata on GetYourGuide, use the availability box. It asks for a date and the number of passengers. Choose the airport to port listing for arrivals and the port to airport listing for departures. GetYourGuide lists the price per group, not per seat.
The same company tracks your flight. It also adds a meet and greet at the agreed point.
Ferry tickets are a separate booking. Buy the vehicle ticket early for Kefalonia in high season. Tickets bought online can be collected on paper at the company’s port collection points.
What do travellers ask about Kyllini from Kalamata?
Is Kyllini in the same area as Kalamata?
No. Kalamata is the capital and chief port of Messenia, while Kyllini belongs to the municipality of Andravida-Kyllini in Elis. The two lie on different parts of the Peloponnese.
Does a train run to Kyllini from Kalamata?
No. The rail branch that once served the port is abandoned. Reach Kyllini by road, by bus with a change, or by a private transfer.
How far is Kyllini from Zakynthos?
Kyllini is 28 km north-east of Zakynthos. The ferry from the port takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Can I share a ride to Kyllini from Kalamata?
A route planner lists an on-demand rideshare and suggests a carpool site. A private transfer fixes the booking in advance.
Does the Kefalonia ferry run all year?
Yes. The Poros line connects with Kyllini by a regular ferry all year. The sailings per week change by month.