How To Get From Milos to Kimolos (By Ferry)

Getting from Milos to Kimolos is one of the easiest journeys in the Cyclades. There’s no pre-booking involved, so you can decide to make the day trip the morning of, and be standing on Kimolos less than an hour later. 

As Milos continues to grow in popularity, Kimolos is a welcome escape to enjoy beaches and authentic village life without the crowds. I highly recommend considering it as an island hop if you’re planning to be in Milos. 

Here’s exactly how the ferry crossing works, what it costs, and how to get around once you’re on Kimolos.

Getting The Ferry From Pollonia To Kimolos

The route is run by the Osia Methodia, a small solar-powered local ferry. The crossing takes about 20 to 30 minutes from Pollonia (the port on Milos) to Psathi (the port on Kimolos), depending on wind and water conditions. You can walk on or bring a car, which is ideal if you want to make the most of your time on Kimolos. 

The full, current schedule is posted on the local ferry site here. It’s worth checking directly since it shifts slightly by week and season. There are roughly seven round trips a day: a handful of sailings between 8am and 1pm spaced about an hour to 90 minutes apart, a long gap in the early afternoon, then a few more sailings in the evening. 

A few relevant details for the Milos-Kimolos Ferry: 

• No advance booking, tickets are sold the day of at the port
• There are ticket offices at both Psathi (Kimolos) and Pollonia (Milos)
• Fare: about €3 one way per passenger (€4.50 on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays)
• Bringing a car costs roughly €9-15 one way, depending on the size
• Cash or card accepted, best to have cash handy just in case
• Arrive about 30 minutes before departure

Note: The operator itself says schedules can change without notice, so treat the posted times as a strong guide, not a guarantee, and double check locally the day before if you can.

Sample Day Trip Schedule: On our trip, we departed Pollonia at 10am and caught the return sailing from Kimolos at 5:15pm, giving us about seven hours on the island. We took our rental car with us for our day trip.

Purchasing Ferry Tickets

If you’re walking on, buy your tickets in Pollonia at the office, a little white building right by the pier, at least 30 minutes ahead of your sailing. They also post the schedule on the window, so you can swing by if you’re already by the water.

If you’re driving on, you can actually drive your car down the main street of Pollonia town and loop around to wait in line on this road. Make sure to arrive 30 minutes in advance so you also aren’t driving against the traffic coming off of the Kimolos ferry.

Also note that oftentimes the ferry operators will only allow the driver in the car as you are driving on, so it’s easiest to have passengers hop out to purchase the tickets while you drive around to wait in the car line. You can join everyone on deck right after parking your car on board.

Double Check Your Return Time

Confirm the last return sailing in person or onboard the ferry over, since timing can shift slightly depending on the season and wind. Don’t rely only on what you saw online that morning.

Usually you can actually book your return trip to Milos right in the ferry cabin on your trip over to Kimolos, and on busy days that’s worth doing to get ahead of things.

Getting Around Once You’re on Kimolos

There are a few options for how to get around Kimolos, but the easiest is to bring your rental car with you or rent a car on arrival. 

Bringing your rental car on the ferry is the most convenient option, but it’s worth noting that most Milos rental companies’ insurance doesn’t cover driving on Kimolos. That’s a risk you’ll want to weigh before you decide. Roads can be bumpy and full of stones, so nicks and scratches are possible.

Renting a vehicle on the island is another great option. If you’d rather not bring a car over on the ferry, Sunride Kimolos offers car rentals and transfers on the island itself both of which can be booked via WhatsApp. You can also opt for an ATV or scooter rental from local companies like Rent a Car Kimolos, located a few steps up from the ferry.

Taking the bus on Kimolos is possible but not something I’d recommend. The service is infrequent and not especially reliable, so treat this as a backup rather than your main plan.

Taxis are available but are also very limited. Local taxi numbers are often posted on the ferry bulletin board, so snap a photo once you’re on board. WhatsApp is usually the best way to contact these drivers.

FAQ

How long is the ferry from Milos to Kimolos?

About 20 to 30 minutes each way, depending on wind and water conditions.

Do you need to book the Milos to Kimolos ferry in advance?

No. Tickets are sold the day of at the ticket offices located at the ports: Pollonia (Milos) and Psathi (Kimolos). Reservations aren’t accepted.

How much does the Milos to Kimolos ferry cost?

Passenger tickets are about €3 one way (€4.50 on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays). Bringing a car costs roughly €9-15 one way depending on size. Cash and cards are both accepted, but bring cash just in case since the card machines can be unreliable.

Do you need a car on Kimolos?

Not necessarily, though it helps if you want to see more than one side of the island in a day. Buses are infrequent and taxis are limited, so if you don’t bring a car over on the ferry, Sunride Kimolos rents cars and offers transfers locally. Just note that most rental insurance from Milos doesn’t extend to driving on Kimolos.