Samos port car hire – arriving to Samos by ferry

The Greek Island of Samos is a popular cruise destination in the Aegean Sea.

Although the island is served by an airport offering a wide selection of domestic and international routes, a great number of tourists in Samos do prefer to arrive by sea. Weather you are spending a longer holiday in Samos or just visiting for a day or two during a cruise stopover, take advantage of the affordable and easily accessible car hire at major Samos ports of Vathy, Karlovassi and Pythagorion, to explore the island thoroughly.

Find Vathy, Karlovassi and Pythagorion ports on the map of Samos Island.

Port of Vathy in Samos
The main port of Samos is located in the island’s capital, Samos Town, Also known as Vathy (or Vathi).

The Port of Vathy, considered to be one of the safest in Greece due to its sheltered location in Vathi Bay, has the status of a national port and receives most of the ferries arriving to Samos. Regular connections to Samos Vathy Port are available from Piraeus in the mainland and from other islands, amongst them Icaria, Chios and Mytiline.

Some of the world’s famous cruise liner can be seen on occasions at the harbour of Vathy Port, amongst them Queen Victoria, Aegean Odyssey and Calypso.

Tourist arriving by sea to Vathy Port will be greeted by a splendid view of Samos Town waterfront, with its many cafés, tavernas and souvenir shops.

Vathy Port – Samos car hire
Samos Town makes for a day of sightseeing, maybe more if you would like to visit more thoroughly its excellent Archaeological Museum, however the most popular tourist attractions of Samos Island, as well as its best beaches are located outside of the capital. If your time on the island is limited, the quickest and possibly the cheapest way of visiting Samos is car hire.

Several car rental stations are located around Vathy harbour area, representing major car hire agencies in Samos: Europcar, Sixt, Hertz and Auto Union. 

It is not difficult to rent a car in Samos after your arrival to Vathy port. However, in order to avoid overpaying or limiting yourself to the - very likely in the summer season - short supply of rental vehicles, it is always advisable to book your Samos hire car in advance.  Internet search engines of car hire offers, such as Cartrawler, allow you to compare prices of car rental in any major tourist destination, including Vathy Port is Samos, Greece.

Find cheap car hire in Samos Vathy Port

Karlovassi Ferry Port
The second major port of Samos is situated in the northwestern part of the island, near the charming town of Karlovassi and in a great proximity to many popular beaches and holiday resorts in Samos.

Hellenic Seaways ferry operator connects Karlovassi to the islands of Icaria, Mykonos and Syros, as well as to the Greece mainland Athens’s Port of Piraeus. Regular ferry connections are available from Karlovassi to Samos main port in Vathy.

Pythagorion Port – car rental in Pythagorion, Samos
The Pythagorion Port is located in the southeast of Samos Island, in a walking distance from Pythagorion town.

Apart from private boats, the rather small port of Pythagorion receives ferries from the Dodecanese and the Eastern Aegean Islands.

Some of the most iconic monuments of Samos, recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as the finest beaches of the island are at an easy reach for tourists disembarking in Pythagorion Port.

Car hire in Pythagorion is available from major rent a car companies, such as Europcar, Avis Rent A Car and Alamo. More can rental operators supply car at the near airport of Samos.

Compare prices of car hire at Samos Airport

Ferry from Kusadasi to Samos
Short trips to Samos are very popular amongst the holidaymakers in Kusadasi, the busy beach resort town in Turkey.

Daily ferry service between Samos and Kusadasi is provided by both Greek and Turkish operators. The trip takes approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes and a return ticket (same day) costs around 45 euros.

In Samos, the ferry from Kusadasi arrives and departs from the Port of Vathy.

See Kusadasi – Samos ferry route.

Please note that passengers arriving to Samos from Turkey are subjects to passport control.