Ferry Travel: Coast Guard to Check Passenger Documents at Greek Ports

Officers of the Hellenic Coast Guard as of Thursday, July 15, will be in charge of checking the documents of travelers at ports before they board ferries to the Greek islands.

According to the Greek Shipping Ministry, the supervision of the boarding process by coast guard officers is expected to ensure that the appropriate documents of travelers will be thoroughly checked and therefore the maximum possible health protection of passengers will be guaranteed.

The announcement followed a meeting at the ministry chaired by Shipping Minister Yiannis Plakiotakis.

“Travelers are requested to have all necessary documents with them; to meticulously observe protection measures; and to follow the instructions of the coast guard officers,” Plakiotakis said.

The minister added that passengers that are to travel by ferry should be at the port at least one and a half hour before their scheduled time of departure.

What documents are needed to travel on ferries in Greece

It is reminded that all ferry passengers must fill out a health declaration questionnaire before traveling from the mainland to the Greek islands. They must also have one of the following:

– a vaccination certificate or a recovery certificate
– a negative PCR test performed less than three days (72 hours)
– a negative rapid antigen test taken 48 hours prior to travel.

Travelers may alternatively present, in digital or printed form, an EU Digital COVID Certificate or an equivalent digital certificate from a non-EU country, as proof that a person has been vaccinated against Covid-19 or received a negative test result (48-hour rapid test or 72-hour PCR) or recovered from the coronavirus.

Travelers returning to the mainland (e.g. back to Athens) from an island are recommended to conduct a self-test (the recommendation is for all passengers over the age of 12).

Press here for further details on the rules to travel to the Greek islands by ferry.