Hydra to Athens: fast boat to Piraeus or slow to Metochi?

How are you getting to Hydra? If you're going to take the ferry from Metochi why not take the other option to Athens.

The drive from Metoxi to Athens will be a little over three hours if not a little longer. The ferry from Hydra to Athens is about 90 minutes.

We are getting to Hydra from Metochi using one of the ferries that makes the short trip.

As for why not go directly to Athens from Hydra, I have concerns about the fast boat from Hydra to Piraeus (see the third paragraph in my original post).

You are complicating things unnecessarily by imagining only the worst case scenarios.

Ferry cancellation due to bad weather, Covid risks, bad ventilation in the ferry, driver who does not show up, luggage problems, seasickness, etc...

You forget the possibility of an accident or a breakdown with the Metochi Athens transfer, theft of luggage, general strike, risk of breaking a leg, fire, earthquake, etc.

If the weather is bad and there are no ferries to Piraeus, there will be no ferries to Metochi either.

You have as much risk of not having your transfer from Metochi to Athens or of having a problem during the transfer as of catching the Covid in the ferry between Hydra and Athens.

Take the Flying cat at 11:10 a.m.. The cabins are very well ventilated (sometimes too much), if you prefer book business class tickets, there will be fewer people, take the usual precautions: mask, hydroalcoholic solution, and everything will be fine.

Is it too late to arrange your trip so that you are not on Hydra the night before your flight?

Personally, I would take the fast boat to Piraeus. I don't like backtracking if I can help it.

Too many variables the other way especially since it's your day of departure. What if the driver's car breaks down? What if there is an accident on the road and it's blocked? What if there is a storm that day and all ferries are canceled? These are actually more likely than Covid waiting for you on the ferry to Piraeus.

Personally, I would have done what Joe32 stated and depart for Athens the day before.

I haven't read about anyone doing this second option (Hydra - Metochi - Athens), so I'm wondering if I'm missing something.

Perhaps, because, no one else thought it was a good idea.

But the choice, of course, is yours. Do what you feel is best for you and your family.

The fast ferry from Hydra to Piraeus was very comfortable, and we did get good views of Poros as we passed by. I would go that way.

Ok, thanks for the responses. Since I haven't done any of these options before, I can see how I was likely over-thinking this one. I'll take the fast ferry from Hydra to Piraeus that leaves Hydra at 11:10am. Business class is only 9 euro more per person, so I'll book that.

As for those who suggested heading to Athens a day earlier, I could shrink our time in Hydra to one night and spend the other night in Athens, but in my searches of various travel forums, ferry cancellations between Hydra and Piraeus are rare, although there was one recently on June 10.

With the morning ferry on July 2 we have some "slack" in the schedule to take a later ferry if need be. Worst case scenario is that we get stuck on Hydra for the day and miss our flight the night of July 2. It's an intra-Europe flight, not one back to the US. Anyway, that scenario seems like a 2% chance or less.

Do you take into account the risks of ferry breakdown?

I shouldn't tell you about it, but it's to show that anything can happen at any time.

I read earlier in the Greek press (the daily newspaper iefimerida) that yesterda,y june 13, the Flying Cat which links Piraeus-Poros-Hydra (the one you are going to take) broke down between Piraeus and Poros. He had to sail to Poros at reduced speed. All passengers were disembarked at Poros while waiting for another ferry.
The article does not say how long they waited....

Source here:

https://www.iefimerida.gr/ellada/mihaniki-blabi-sto-ploio-flying-cat-4-206-epibates

Ok, I dropped the second night in Hydra. We now head back to Athens a full day ahead of our onward flight in the night of July 2.

Any thoughts on the Speedcat I (from Alphalines) in terms of comfort and service as compared to the Flying Cat 4 (from Hellenic Seaways)?

You will have the same type of comfort and service in both options.

Between the Flying Cat which leaves at 11.10 a.m. and the Speed ​​Cat which leaves at 1 p.m. choose rather in terms of departure time.

Which will be the most suitable in relation to the check-out time of your hotel in Hydra, and if you want to have lunch, and where?

From experience I know that when you leave an island it is useless to delay a departure by ferry when you can take one earlier. It is better to arrive at your destination earlier than to stay longer on the island you are about to leave.
In your case, I don't see the point of waiting until 1 p.m.

So, I would take the Flying Cat at 11:10 a.m. since it will be necessary to leave the hotel before 11:00 a.m.
At the port I would sit on a café terrace while waiting for the 11:10 am ferry.

Once arrived in Piraeus, I would go directly to my hotel in Athens, and around 1.30 pm I could have lunch somewhere in Athens.

From experience I know that when you leave an island it is useless to
delay a departure by ferry when you can take one earlier. It is better
to arrive at your destination earlier than to stay longer on the
island you are about to leave. In your case, I don't see the point of
waiting until 1 p.m.

I was actually planning on taking the 6:10pm ferry from Hydra to Piraeus. That way we would have a few more hours to enjoy Hydra, since we've already reduced our stay from two nights to one. I am hoping there's some place we can store our bags after checkout.

As you want to secure your return, I thought you would take the 1 p.m. Speed ​​Cat, which was useless compared to the 11:10 a.m.

If you take the 6.10pm one it will probably be possible to leave your luggage at the hotel, in which case you can spend the day in Hydra.
There will still be 2 other ferries that day after the one at 6.10 p.m.