Hi,
We renting a car in Athens and driving around Greece for a week. We want to take our car to Kefalonia and maybe another island. Is it necessary to get ferry tickets in advance, or are we safe showing up and purchasing a ticket? We will be there the first 2 weeks in November.
Thanks!
Sarah
You can take your rental car on the ferries provided the car rental agency allows it. You should check with them (if it's not clearly stated, read the Terms & Conditions and/or contact them). Some charge an additional fee.
To get to Kefalonia, you'll need to drive to Patras and take the daily Levante Ferries ferry (3.5 hours crossing) which arrives at the port of Sami.
Timetables and reservations are not available very far in advance (probably no more than 2 weeks). You'll need to check the Levante Ferries website.
https://www.levanteferries.com/en/
Prices are available here:
https://www.levanteferries.com/en/times/
If you don't know the exact date of your trip to Kefalonia, it's not essential to book, although it's generally recommended if you have a car. If you book online, you will be asked for your car's license plate number. If you don't know it, which is often the case with a rental car, simply enter RENT123 (or something similar).
Your rental car will be in the <4m25 category, (except if you rent a van or a very big car
You'll get e-tickets that you will need to present upon boarding.
With a car, plan to be there an hour before the ferry departure. Only the driver of the vehicle is allowed in the car at the time of boarding, other passengers must board separately.
See an example of how to board the ferry with the car in this video:
From Kefalonia, there are options to go to Ithaca, but not necessarily from the port of Sami (there are 3 ports in Kefalonia). Check with the ferry ticket agencies when you'll bein Kefalonia.
Be careful of weather conditions in November. Don't get stuck on an island because bad weather prevents the ferries from sailing. Weather forecast for Kefalonia:
https://meteo.gr/cf-en.cfm?city_id=9
Wind forecasts above 7 Bf may mean no ferries.
Hi, I would say book them in advance just in case, unless you have a really specific reason why you would want to book them on the spot (change of mind, delays etc)
Thank you for all of the useful information. We were looking at a ferry from Kyllini to Poros because it is a shorter trip and we'd rather spend less time on the water. Is there a reason you recommended the longer route from Patras instead? Is there a ferry company you could also recommend from Kyllini?
Thanks!
Is there a reason you recommended the longer route from Patras
instead?
Of course you can take the ferry from Kyllini, I took Patras because it was shorter from Athens but it's true that I should have pointed out the Kyllini option which is indeed shorter from a ferry crossing time perspective.
Is there a ferry company you could also recommend from Kyllini?
It's the same ferry company: Levante ferries. See the schedule for early November: (change the date if necessary)
http://www.openseas.gr/KIL/PKE/2025-11-05/2025-11-05/itineraries
Above all, book on the ferry company's website not through an intermediary
