Previous Story
Greece-Cyprus Ferry Link to Open in June After 21 Years
Posted On 29 Apr 2022
Tag: Acheon Akti Navigation, c24258c, coastal shipping, coastal shipping connection Greece-Cyprus, Cyprus, Cyprus - Greece ferry link, Ferries, ferry, Greece, Greece tourism, Greece tourism ministry, Greece tourism policy, Greece tourism strategy, Greek news, Greek tourism, Scandro Holding Ltd, sea travel, Top Kinisis Travel, Tourism, tourism and travel, tourism and travel Greece, transportation, travel, Vassilis Demetriades
Photo: GTP
Nearly two decades later, Greece and Cyprus will be connected by a ferry link which is set to begin operations on June 19, Cyprus’ Deputy Shipping Minister Vassilios Dimitriades announced on Friday.
Of the three companies that submitted bids for the establishment of a passenger maritime link between Cyprus and Greece in January, Scandro Holding Ltd was awarded the project for a bid of 15.59 million euros.
Under the deal, the company is scheduled to operate 22 round trips in 2022 – four in June, eight in July, seven in August, and three in September – with the last route to be carried out on September 16.
Scandro Holding Ltd, a joint venture between Acheon Akti Navigation and tour operator Top Kinisis Travel, will be operating the ferry service between Limassol and Piraeus for the summer on a Cypriot-flagged passenger ferry with a capacity of 400 people.
Dimitriades said the ministry was “currently considering the possible extension of the connection to a third neighboring country, beyond Greece. This is in line with our long-term maritime strategy, which supports cooperation and will contribute to a better connected Europe,” he said.
The ferry includes a restaurant, cafeteria and a clinic in addition to 38 first-class cabins (110 passengers), 68 second-class cabins, and 110 outdoor seats. It can also accommodate up to 100 vehicles.
The journey from Limassol to Piraeus is set to last 30 hours.
The Cypriot government has committed to funding the connection with 5.5 million euros per year for a period of three years and a total of 16.5 million euros.
“We are excited about the connection, which the local community is looking forward to. It will be extremely beneficial for the region as a whole, providing competitive connectivity to our citizens, while promoting maritime tourism between Cyprus and mainland Europe, with very low fares,” said Dimitriades.
Bookings have already begun with ferry fares ranging from 50 euros for a VIP one-way ticket with cabin, 25 euros for a double cabin one way, and 8 euros for a seat no cabin.
The journey lasts 30 hours. Then why to sell tickets per seat(8eu) if you need a place to stay and sleep? You can’t spend 30 h on a chair.
Unfortunately this new ferry is limited to cars with a maximum length of 5 meters, so campers cannot use it.
Turkey has also two different ferry lines to Cyprus Island. Now we can travel to Greece over Turkey. That’s great.
No Allessandro, it is not that easy. When you take a ferry from Turkish mainland to Northern Cyprus, you cannot enter the southern side of Cyprus, because the Greek-Cypriot government forbids entry into the country through airports or ferry ports that they have no control over. You will get your ass kicked at the Green Line for illegal entry into Cyprus, if you wish to travel to any place between Larnaca and Paphos, using a Turkish ferry service. Please inform yourself about the illegal occupation of Cyprus by the Turkish army and all it’s consequences, before you travel unprepared!