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Volos harbour lies at the far north of the Pagasetic Gulf in Thessaly, right in the middle of the city. Here you can read how to get to Volos, where the yachts moor in the harbour, where to park and shop, what wind to expect, which sailing destinations as far as the Sporades lie ahead of you, and what skippers should know when entering the harbour.
The essentials at a glance
- The small Nea Anchialos airport is around 27 kilometres to the south-west, about 30 minutes by taxi or car. Alternatively, you can travel via Athens or Thessaloniki by long-distance coach.
- Many yachts moor at the Kordoni, the long breakwater in the north-east of the harbour basin. You cannot get there by car; the nearest car park is about 200 metres away. Visitor berths for up to seven days are available on the quay directly east of the central passenger quay.
- The ferries to the Sporades depart from Volos and run all year round. As things stand (November 2026), the fast boat takes you to Skiathos in a little over an hour.
- It is around 40 nautical miles over water to Skiathos, and the first leg takes you south through the Pagasetic Gulf.
Where is Volos harbour?
Many yachts moor at the Kordoni in the harbour of Volos. This is the name of the breakwater, about a kilometre long, in the north-east of the harbour basin. It begins with a short arm of about 180 metres leading south-west from the quay, then bends into an arm about 780 metres long heading west. It is connected to the quays by a metal arched bridge. The ferry berth at the central passenger quay is about 1.3 kilometres further north-west.
Map from OpenStreetMap. When the map is displayed, data is transmitted to the provider.
More InformationThe port is a commercial, ferry and cruise port all in one, and alongside the passenger quay there are three quays for cargo and bulk goods. The entire port is managed by the state port company Organismos Limenos Volou (OLV), whose sole shareholder is the Greek state fund. For local residents, the Kordoni is also a promenade, and many people go for a walk here every day.
Arriving in Volos for the start of your sailing trip
Volos has its own airport and is also conveniently placed between Athens and Thessaloniki. Depending on your flight connection, you arrive either directly or by long-distance coach.
From Nea Anchialos Airport to Volos
The state-owned Nea Anchialos Airport is about 27 kilometres south-west of Volos, and the journey takes around 30 minutes. It has been in operation since 1991 and has had a new terminal since 2010. Flights mainly operate in summer, mostly charter flights; outside the season there are only a few connections. You take a taxi into the city.
Via Athens or Thessaloniki
From Athens Airport, take the X93 express bus to the Liosion bus station. From there, direct long-distance coaches run to Volos, and the journey takes three to four hours. By train you can get from Athens as far as Larissa; for the last stretch to Volos, the railway currently (November 2026) uses buses, because the line has not been back in service since the storms of 2023.
From Thessaloniki Airport, take the city bus to the long-distance coach station and from there the direct bus to Volos.
By car, coach or ferry
By car it is around 324 kilometres from Athens, roughly a three-hour drive, and around 218 kilometres from Thessaloniki, roughly two hours. Tolls apply on both routes. KTEL long-distance buses run directly to Volos from both cities several times a day. As things stand (November 2026), there are up to nine departures a day from Athens, some as express buses and some via Almyros, and up to eight from Thessaloniki. The KTEL bus station is at the western entrance to the town, about a kilometre from the centre, and the city buses depart from opposite.
Volos is also the ferry port for the Northern Sporades. Ships connect the town with Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos as well as the island of Trikeri, and the islands can be reached from Volos in winter too. The ferries depart from the central passenger quay.
As things stand (November 2026), Seajets, Aegean Flying Dolphins and Mantoudi Lines sail to Skiathos, up to four times a day in summer. By high-speed boat the crossing takes about 1¼ hours, and by conventional ferry about 2¼ to 2¾ hours. To Skopelos you are looking at a journey of about 2¼ hours or more, and to Alonissos about 2¾ hours or more.
Parking
A car park is about 200 metres as the crow flies from the berths at the Kordoni, and the municipal Filellinon multi-storey car park is about 550 metres away. You cannot drive onto the Kordoni itself: the arched bridge between the quay and the breakwater is closed to cars. So allow for carrying your luggage and provisions to the boat on foot for the last stretch.
At the central passenger quay, right next to the visitor berths and about 1.3 kilometres from the Kordoni, the port company operates a public car park with 409 spaces. You pay at the machine: the first 15 minutes are free, after that the first two hours cost €1.50 each, the third to tenth hour €1 each and every further hour €0.50. A week therefore costs around €90, and a monthly pass €120 (as of November 2026).
Shopping for the trip
The nearest supermarkets are about 350 to 450 metres from the berths, and an AB Vassilopoulos branch is about 600 to 650 metres away. For a big shop with lots of crates of drinks, it is best to go by car or taxi to a larger supermarket, such as a MyMarket.
Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services
Volos General Hospital “Achillopouleio” is about 550 metres east of the berths at the Kordoni. Pharmacies are about 400 to 450 metres from the berths. In urgent cases, the Greek emergency numbers apply:
- 112: European emergency number for police, ambulance and fire brigade
- 166: Emergency services, 100: Police, 199: Fire brigade
- 108: Coast Guard, also for emergencies at sea; at sea also VHF channel 16
What does the port of Volos offer?
The port of Volos is a large city harbour where boats moor at fixed berths and along the Kordoni breakwater. The key facts at a glance:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Northern end of the Pagasetic Gulf, in the middle of the city of Volos |
| Administration | Port authority Organismos Limenos Volou (OLV), state-owned |
| Berths for boats | around 280 fixed berths (early 2025) |
| Kordoni breakwater | around 1,000 m, two arms, arched bridge to the quay, closed to cars |
| Electricity and water | at all permanent berths via service pedestals, with a prepaid card |
| Visitor berths | designated on the quay directly east of the central passenger quay, stay of up to 7 days |
| Local authority | Volos Port Authority of the Hellenic Coast Guard |
| Distances on land | Nea Anchialos Airport around 27 km, Athens around 324 km, Thessaloniki around 218 km |
Equipment
Permanent berths are available on the western and central waterfront promenades, including at a floating pontoon, on both sides of the central passenger quay and on the inner side of the Kordoni, where there are 60 berths. All permanent berths have electricity and water via service pedestals. Since 2018 the Kordoni has also been used for boats, which has added many more berths. Even so, demand exceeds supply: at the start of 2025 there were about 80 open applications for the roughly 280 berths. In recent years the port company has gradually increased the number of berths.
The Kordoni is showing its age. In 2023, erosion, cavities and surface damage were found on its quay wall, and repairs are planned.
Electricity and water at the service pedestals
You pay for electricity and water in advance at the port company and receive a magnetic card for the pedestals. When you have finished, end the supply with the card again, otherwise further consumption will run off your credit. At the Kordoni, any remaining credit goes back onto the card with the “Refund to card” button. Water costs €4 per cubic metre.
What wind can you expect in the Pagasetic Gulf?
In summer, the weather in the Aegean is shaped by the Meltemi, a strong, dry northerly wind that blows periodically from about mid-May to mid-September. Its outbreaks can last several days; it usually blows strongest around midday and eases off at night.
The port of Volos lies at the very northern end of the Pagasetic Gulf, and the harbour basin itself is large and sheltered. For your planning, this means that in a northerly wind the return leg through the gulf to Volos can become a long beat, so allow a time buffer for the last day. Warnings for the sea areas are issued by the Greek weather service EMY.
Which destinations can you reach from Volos?
From Volos, the first leg almost always leads south through the Pagasetic Gulf to the Trikeri peninsula. Beyond it, the Aegean opens up with the Northern Sporades. The figures in the table are rounded distances over water on the usual course; for precise planning, rely on the nautical chart.
| Destination | by water from Volos | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Palaio Trikeri island | about 12 nm | south within the gulf |
| Trikeri (Agia Kyriaki) | about 20 nm | south through the gulf |
| Skiathos | about 40 nm | out of the gulf to the east |
| Skopelos (town) | around 55 nm | past Skiathos, heading east |
| Alonissos (Patitiri) | around 60 nm | further east |
Trikeri: The small island of Palaio Trikeri lies in the Pagasetic Gulf opposite the village of Trikeri, and the settlement of Agia Kyriaki also belongs to Trikeri. Both make good first stops when the day of departure is already half gone with arrival and shopping.
Skiathos is the first of the Northern Sporades on the way out of the gulf. At around 40 nautical miles, it is a long day's sail; a stopover in the gulf or at Trikeri splits the distance.
Skopelos has two ports with ferry services: the port of the main town, Skopelos, and the port of Glossa.
Alonissos is the next island after Skopelos on the ferry route from Volos. From there it is around 25 nautical miles across to Mantoudi on Euboea.
What can you do on a harbour day in Volos?
From your berth you can walk into the town; for the islands, you take the ferry.
- Stroll along the Kordoni: The breakwater, about a kilometre long, is a popular promenade for locals and also a sight worth seeing in the harbour.
- Day trip to the Sporades: If you want to spend a day without your own boat, take the ferry from the central passenger quay to Skiathos, Skopelos or Alonissos.
- Ancient Demetrias: In the Nea Pagasai district of the municipality of Volos lies the ancient theatre of Demetrias, within the walls of the ancient city.
- Athanasakeio Archaeological Museum: Founded in 1909, the museum on the beach at Anavros is one of the oldest museums in Greece. It displays finds from Thessaly from the Neolithic period to Roman times, including Neolithic finds from Sesklo and Dimini and inscribed gravestones from ancient Demetrias. It is closed on Mondays.
- Volos City Museum: Housed in a former tobacco factory, it tells the story of the town since the 15th century, including that of the refugee settlement of Nea Ionia.
- Railway Museum: On the upper floor of the railway station, the Railway Museum of Thessaly displays objects, documents and designs by Evaristo De Chirico. Visits are possible by prior arrangement.
- Pelion Railway: The narrow-gauge railway, with a gauge of just 60 centimetres, runs from Ano Lechonia about 15 kilometres to Milies in around 90 minutes, mainly at weekends.
For skippers: berthing and marine weather in Volos
The berths in the port of Volos are allocated by the port company OLV. Channel 16 is the coastguard's distress and calling channel.
Registration and berth
For visiting yachts the port company has designated its own berths on the quay directly east of the central passenger quay, where you may stay for up to seven days. In the western part of the Kordoni, towards the head, there is also a section where boats may moor freely as long as there is space. On the permanent berths, boats lie stern-to the quay wall on mooring lines.
The port company allocates the permanent berths under its own berthing regulations, which were adopted by its board. Fees are based on a tariff schedule approved by the competent ministries. The port company publishes the regulations, the tariffs and a berth plan on its website.
Harbour fees
The harbour fee depends on boat length and number of days, and a part day counts as a full day. Private yachts of 7 to 10 metres pay €0.21 per metre per day, those of 10 to 15 metres €0.24 and anything larger €0.27. For commercial yachts over 7 metres it is €0.10 per metre per day, and for boats up to 7 metres €0.015. If you lie stern-to the quay wall, 20 per cent is added, and alongside 50 per cent. A private 12-metre yacht stern-to the pier therefore pays around €3.50 a day. Payment is made on weekdays at the port company at the central passenger quay, and outside its office hours at the Volos port authority, which is also based there. The rates apply as things stand (November 2026).
Harbour rules
You may only occupy a permanent berth if it has been assigned to you. Anyone who takes a permanent berth without permission must pay compensation under the tariff schedule.
Approach
Volos lies at the northern end of the Pagasetic Gulf. Ferries, cruise ships and cargo vessels operate in the harbour, and the turning circle for large ships has a diameter of around 500 metres.
As things stand (November 2026), a section about 17 metres long on the east side of the central passenger quay, by the megayacht berths, is closed because part of the quay wall has come loose. Mooring and any other use are prohibited there until the damage has been repaired.
After the storms Daniel and Elias in September 2023, around 750,000 cubic metres of mud and debris reached the harbour, which changed the water depths. The port company subsequently ordered dredging work, which was under way in 2025. As things stand today (November 2026), depths may therefore differ from older nautical charts and harbour plans, so pay particular attention to the echo sounder when entering.
Formalities in Greece
For pleasure craft over seven metres in Greek waters, the monthly yacht fee TEPAI (Greek ΤΕΠΑΗ) is payable. For commercial yachts, the owner or operator pays; for private boats, the owner, keeper or user. The rates are 16 to 33 euros per month for boats up to 12 metres, and above that 8 euros per metre of length per month. Payment is made in advance via the platform of the Greek tax authority AADE (as of November 2026). Details can be found in the AADE FAQ on TEPAI (in Greek).
Which marine weather forecast applies in the Pagasetic Gulf?
The authoritative forecast is the marine weather forecast issued by the Greek meteorological service EMY (HNMS in English). You can receive it via NAVTEX and on the Meteorological Service website.
For NAVTEX, the automatic reception of weather and warning messages on board, Greece operates transmitters on Limnos, Crete and Corfu. Gale warnings are broadcast immediately after they are issued.
Sailing trips from Volos on Törnfinder
You can find offers in all Greek sailing areas under Sailing in Greece, and sailing trips to the Aegean islands under Sailing in the Aegean and all offers under Trips.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from the airport to Volos?
From Nea Anchialos airport, take a taxi; the journey of around 27 kilometres takes about 30 minutes. If you land in Athens, take the X93 express bus to the Liosion bus station and then a coach directly to Volos.
Where do I park at the start of the sailing trip in Volos?
In the car park about 200 metres from the berths or in the municipal Filellinon multi-storey car park about 550 metres away. You cannot drive up to the berths at the Kordoni, because the bridge to the breakwater is closed to vehicles. If you are berthed at the visitor berths, you park in the port company's pay car park at the central passenger quay.
Is there a supermarket near the harbour in Volos?
Yes. The nearest supermarkets are around 350 to 450 metres from the berths, and a branch of AB Vassilopoulos is around 600 to 650 metres away. For a big shop, take a car or taxi to a larger store such as MyMarket.
Does Volos have a marina?
The port company OLV is only planning a marina for leisure boats; until then, boats lie in the large town harbour at around 280 permanent berths. Many of them are on the Kordoni breakwater in the north-east of the harbour basin. For visiting yachts there are designated berths for stays of up to seven days directly east of the central passenger quay.
How far is it from Volos to Skiathos?
Around 40 nautical miles by water, south through the Pagasetic Gulf and then east. You can also get there without your own boat by ferry from the central passenger quay.
