Kea transfers link Athens Airport and the city with Lavrio port, the ferry to Korissia and the villages of the island by car, taxi, private boat or helicopter. Our Greece Tours homepage holds the trips for the rest of the country.
Here you find the transfers you can book, how the air and sea options work, journey times, taxis and buses on the island, the Korissia meeting point, booking tips and the questions travellers ask.
What are Kea transfers?
Services that link Athens, Athens International Airport, Lavrio port, Korissia port and Kea’s villages are Kea transfers. One trip uses a road leg, a sea leg or an air leg. The standard trip joins a road leg to a sea leg.
Kea, known as Tzia in Greek, lies nearer to Attica than any other Cyclades island. Wikipedia places it 60 km south-east of Athens and 20 km from Cape Sounio. Korissia is its port, and the capital Ioulida stands inland.
The standard chain of Kea transfers is short to state. The Thinking Traveller describes a flight to Athens, a drive to Lavrio port and a ferry to Korissia.
Athens International Airport stands near Spata. The airport lies 20 km east of central Athens and 30 km away by road, because of hills. Lavrio is a port town 60 km south-east of Athens city centre.
Ferryhopper lists no direct ferry from Piraeus to Kea and calls Lavrio the main Athens port for the island.
Two other kinds of Kea transfers skip the Lavrio ferry. A helicopter flies between the airport and the island, and a private boat sails to Kea from the Athens coast. Both are explained below.
This page covers Kea transfers only. For the island itself, read our Kea day trip from Athens page.
Which Kea transfers can you book?
Travellers book a private road ride, a helicopter flight, a boat from Athens or a driver on the island. These Kea transfers come from the sellers named below. Each seller covers one leg with its own pickup points and vehicles.
The GetYourGuide listing “Athens Airport: Private Transfer to Rafina or Lavrio Port” covers the road leg. Lavrio is the departure port for Kea transfers. The listing runs from Athens Airport or Athens City to Rafina or Lavrio port, and the opposite way. It gives 45 minutes as the duration.
The listing is marked as a private group with pickup available and free cancellation. Bookings need at least 3 hours of notice. Its text promises professional drivers who get you to the destination on time.
Kea Transfer Services, at keatransfer.gr, works on the island itself. Its Greek-language site offers luxury and reliable Kea transfers with a fleet of modern vans and cars. It states that its drivers know the island well and serve port pickups and trips around Kea.
Aegean Taxi sells Kea transfers on a Kea-Tzia page for port and airport rides. It names four vehicle categories: taxi, standard, van and mini bus. The mini bus carries groups of up to 12 passengers.
Booking with Aegean Taxi runs through an app, a web app, WhatsApp or a 24/7 phone line. The team monitors your ferry status.
The Thinking Traveller offers private Kea transfers to its villa guests. A chauffeur takes guests directly to the villa. The company also sells a private sea taxi between islands or to the villa. The page calls it an alternative to crowded ferries and rigid timetables.
How do Kea transfers by helicopter and private boat work?
Kea transfers by helicopter fly between Kea and Athens International Airport in one hop. Private boats sail to the island from the Athens coast. Neither follows the Lavrio ferry timetable, and both run as private trips.
The GetYourGuide listing “Kea Private Helicopter Transfer Service” sells a one-way private helicopter trip from Kea to Athens. It says you avoid the hassle of a ferry transfer and choose a time that suits your schedule. The labels read private group and small group.
The listing requires booking at least 10 hours ahead. It names Kéa 840 02, Greece as the meeting point and takes a maximum of four people. Cancellation is free up to three days before the flight for a full refund.
Helistar sells Kea transfers by helicopter from Athens International Airport to the helipad of the One&Only Kéa Island resort. It names the Airbus H135 and the Dauphin in its fleet. Its FAQ says the helicopters have ample space for standard luggage.
For oversized items or excess baggage, Helistar can arrange separate transport or suggest a suitable aircraft. Requests go through its booking form or its sales department.
Ferryscanner lists shared Kea transfers by helicopter from the Eleftherios Venizelos heliport. The heliport stands at the General Aviation Terminal of Athens International Airport. The helicopters have space for 1 to 4 passengers.
The charter site ifly.gr lists a private flight route from Athens International Airport to the One&Only Kéa resort. Its booking form offers a helicopter or an airplane.
Private boats cover the sea leg of Kea transfers without the ferry. Azure Day Cruises lists private boat transfers from Athens to Kea (Tzia) on a Rib charter. The page names the One&Only Kéa Island resort as the arrival point.
Azure Day Cruises lists customised itineraries, 24/7 support and flexible cancellation policies for these Kea transfers. It states that its crew is trained and that its boats carry the latest safety features.
The same operator’s Kea day cruise shows how its boats run. The cruise leaves Anavyssos Marina at 10.00 am and lasts 6 hours. The start time is flexible, pickup from other marinas is possible, and bad weather brings a full refund.
The operator offers three private boats for that cruise:
- Axopar 37 Sun Top, 11.6 m long, up to 11 persons
- Flyer 9 Sundeck, 9.1 m long, up to 8 persons
- Rock 36, 10.65 m long, up to 9 persons
Aegean Taxi’s Kea-Tzia boat page lists a flexible hourly boat rental for short excursions or quick Kea transfers. It also lists full-day excursions.
How long do Kea transfers take?
Kea transfers have a published time for each leg. The road to Lavrio takes 30 to 40 minutes. The ferry to Korissia takes 40 to 70 minutes, and the helicopter takes 15 to 20 minutes. Sources differ slightly.
The Thinking Traveller places Lavrio port 30 minutes from the airport. Ferryhopper gives 35 to 40 minutes for the drive by car or taxi. It puts the port 35 km from the airport. The GetYourGuide transfer lists 45 minutes.
Kea transfers that start in central Athens take longer. Ferryhopper gives 1 to 1.5 hours by car from the city centre to Lavrio. The route follows the Attiki Odos motorways, the A6 and the A61.
Wikipedia and the Greek National Tourism Organisation both give 1 hour for the ferry from Lavrio to Kea. The Thinking Traveller gives 50 to 70 minutes, depending on whether the ferry is high-speed or conventional. Ferryhopper gives 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Kea transfers from the Piraeus side take longer. The Greek National Tourism Organisation lists a route from Piraeus port by way of Kythnos. It needs a change of ferry and takes 3 hours to 4 hours 30 minutes.
In the air, the GetYourGuide helicopter listing gives 20 minutes. Helistar gives 15 minutes from Athens International Airport. Ferryscanner shows an average of 17 minutes, with a route table that reads 16 to 18 minutes. The ifly.gr route page lists a flight duration from 15 minutes.
These figures describe single legs of Kea transfers. Add your pickup, the port wait and the drive from Korissia to your stay to get your own total.
Which taxis and buses run Kea transfers on the island?
Kea has a small number of licensed taxis and one summer bus from the port. Rental desks stand in Korissia. Book your Kea transfers before the ferry docks, as a free taxi at the quay is hard to find.
Aegean Taxi, a transfer operator for Kea, lists designated taxi stands at the port and in the town centre. Its guide adds that the whole island has an extremely small number of licensed taxis. A free car at Korissia on a summer weekend is not something to count on.
Street taxis in Kea run on a government-mandated meter, the same operator reports. You can negotiate a flat fare with the driver. Agree the fare before you get in. The other route is a private ride booked ahead.
Kea has a public bus service in the summer months, and its stop is at the port in Korissia. The main routes link the port with Ioulida, the yachting harbour of Vourkari and the organised beach at Koundouros. The schedule is infrequent. The bus does not reach the island’s remote beaches, so taxis and Kea transfers cover those trips.
Car and scooter hire is the third way to move around. Leon Rent a Car lists its address at the port of Korissia and rents both cars and scooters. It calls itself a family company. Its prices include roadside assistance at any hour, unlimited kilometres and a road map. Hire replaces Kea transfers for guests who want to drive themselves.
Avance Rent a Car lists a Kea desk on the Main Road Korissia-Ormos. It is open from 08:00 to 21:00 every day. Its Kea page places pickups near Korissia port, Ioulida and the main resorts. Ask any desk for its handover point before you land.
The Aegean Taxi guide says a standard rental car handles the well-maintained dirt roads to the beaches. For an evening out, it recommends a pre-booked ride over a drive on dark country roads. That makes a booked car one of the Kea transfers worth keeping for night trips.
Where do Kea transfers meet you at Korissia port?
Korissia is the main port of Kea and the first place you reach after the boat docks. One operator confirms each ride the day before. It shows the driver’s meeting point on a map, so you walk straight to the right car.
The Municipal Port Fund of Syros lists Korissia as the main port of the island. The fund says Korissia lies in the bay of Saint Nikolaos, a natural harbour. It calls the harbour one of the largest and safest in the Mediterranean. The fund’s page names the port facilities: electric lighting, automatic water and power sellers, and toilets.
Korissia is also known as Livadi. The Kea destination site says it is the first spot you reach after you disembark. It lists shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and a public parking lot. For Kea transfers, a driver collects you at this quay and takes you on to Ioulida, Otzias or another village.
Aegean Taxi sends the driver’s name and phone number about 24 hours before pickup. The driver then contacts you to confirm the final details. The operator’s page shows the meeting spot on a map. After you land, walk to that spot.
The same operator says an advance booking guarantees a driver waiting on arrival, for any time and date. Save the driver’s number before the ferry docks. If the spot is unclear, call the driver before you leave the quay.
Two offices deal with the port. A directory of Greek port authorities lists +30 22880 21344 for the Port Authority of Kea. The Municipal Port Fund of Syros gives the phone 22810 82336. Call these offices about the port itself, and the driver about Kea transfers.
The Kea destination site gives road distances from Korissia by car. It lists 2 kilometres to Vourkari, 5.5 to Ioulida and 5.5 to Otzias. Aegean Taxi lists 6 kilometres to Ioulida, 5 to Otzias and 12 to Panagia Kastriani. The two sources differ by half a kilometre, so treat each figure as a guide.
How do you book Kea transfers for luggage, children and late ferries?
Book Kea transfers early and put your ferry arrival, party size, bags and child seats in the booking notes. Aegean Taxi supplies child seats on request and asks you to flag extra luggage. Ferry rules on bags and delays come from the ferry company, not the driver.
The notes box of a booking for Kea transfers holds your special requests. Aegean Taxi says its standard vehicles take the usual luggage for the passenger count. Sports equipment or multiple large suitcases go in the notes, so the right vehicle arrives. Its largest vehicle is a minibus for groups of up to 12 passengers.
Add a request for a quick stop, such as a visit to a mini-market. The operator warns that long detours or long waits can add charges. It also offers a local SIM card with a data plan, so you stay online from the moment you land.
Greece makes child restraints compulsory in cars. A road safety institute quotes the Greek road code on this. Children of 12 years or less need a seat, a belt or another restraint. The EU’s Your Europe page on Greece also lists child restraint systems as mandatory.
The code also bars a child of 12 or less from the seat next to the driver. A restraint that suits the child’s age, weight and height lifts the ban. Aegean Taxi provides certified car seats for babies and children by request.
Give the age and weight of each child when you reserve the seat. Ask for the seat in the booking notes of your Kea transfers.
Ferry bag rules are separate from the boot of a car. Goutos Lines lets each passenger carry up to 50 kilograms of luggage free of charge. The crew points out the areas where bags go. Its terms say bags must not hold valuables and cannot rest on passenger seats. Tell the driver about bulky items too.
A late ferry affects two bookings, the crossing and your Kea transfers. Aegean Taxi says it monitors your ferry status. Ask the operator how long the driver waits if the ferry arrives late.
Goutos Lines sets its own delay rules. After a delayed departure, passengers and vehicles board without changing tickets. The ticket of a cancelled departure is exchanged for the next scheduled sailing. It is cancelled without fees if the whole ticket is returned. The line also asks for a phone number to warn you of delays.
What do travellers ask about Kea transfers?
These five answers on Kea transfers cover airport links, evening sailings, pets, wheelchair support and payment. A car booking covers the road only, and the ferry ticket is a separate purchase. Check each part with its own provider before you set out.
Can I get from Athens Airport to Kea on the same day?
The Goutos Lines June timetable lists Lavrio to Kea sailings from morning to evening. Our Lavrio port transfers page covers the private ride from Athens Airport to Lavrio. Pick a sailing first. Then book the ride to the quay, and match your Kea transfers at Korissia to the arrival time.
Do evening ferries run to and from Kea?
That timetable lists a 19:45 Lavrio to Kea sailing on Thursdays in early June. It lists a 21:30 Kea to Lavrio sailing on a late-June Sunday. Times change by date. Read the table for your day, then give the driver the arrival time at Korissia.
Can pets travel on the ferry to Kea?
Goutos Lines carries pets at no extra charge. Pets under 10 kilograms ride in the indoor “PET FRIENDLY AREA”. They need a closed container and health and vaccination certificates. A pet without a container stays on the open deck with a harness or leash and a muzzle.
Is wheelchair access available for Kea transfers?
The Goutos Lines vessel has designated areas for passengers with special needs. Tell the company when you book, and notify the carrier at least 48 hours before boarding. The Aegean Taxi Kea pages list no wheelchair-accessible vehicle, so ask the driver service before you reserve.
Do I pay the driver for Kea transfers on arrival?
Aegean Taxi takes payment in advance, by card or another online method, so nothing is due at the quay. Ask a street taxi driver whether cash or card is accepted before the ride starts.