Mykonos Transfer Guide: The Two-Port Mistake That Costs €40

What Kind of Mykonos Transfer Do You Need?

Mykonos transfers generally fall into three categories: getting from the airport to town or your hotel, getting to the right port for your ferry, and island-hopping onward to Delos, Paros, Santorini or elsewhere in the Cyclades. Unlike Athens, Mykonos has a genuinely confusing quirk that catches visitors out constantly — the island has two separate ports, and getting the wrong one is one of the most common and costly mistakes made here.

Airport to Mykonos Town (Chora)

Mykonos Airport (JMK) sits about 5 km from town — a genuinely short, 10-minute drive. Despite that, real prices vary more on this route than almost anywhere else on this site. Official sources quote anywhere from €15 to €30 for a metered or flat taxi fare, but multiple traveler reports describe being charged €50 to €70, especially late at night or during the August peak. Mykonos has a limited number of licensed taxis for its size and popularity, so queues at the airport rank can run long in high season, and price disputes are a well-documented, recurring complaint.

One detail worth knowing before you compare options: a pre-booked private transfer here typically costs around €50, which is not necessarily cheaper than the official taxi fare — unlike most other routes on this site. The real advantage of booking ahead on Mykonos specifically is avoiding the queue and the price uncertainty, not saving money.

The Two-Port Mistake

Mykonos has two ports, and they are not interchangeable. The New Port, also called Tourlos, sits about 2–3 km north of town and about 5 km from the airport. This is where essentially all scheduled ferries dock — Blue Star, SeaJets, Fast Ferries, Golden Star and the rest — along with most cruise ships. The Old Port sits right in town, an easy walk from the windmills and Little Venice, and today handles only the Delos excursion boats and a small sea bus shuttle between the two ports.

If your ferry ticket says Mykonos, it almost certainly means the New Port at Tourlos, not the Old Port in town. Getting this wrong means a genuine €20–40 taxi dash between the two, or in a worst case, a missed sailing. Check your ferry ticket for the port name before you book any transfer.

Getting Between the Two Ports

A small sea bus runs between the Old Port and the New Port, cheaper than a taxi and a pleasant short ride along the coast. It's the practical option if you're staying in town but need to reach the New Port for a ferry, or if you're taking a Delos excursion boat from the Old Port after arriving at the New Port.

Island-Hopping From Mykonos

Mykonos is one of the busiest ferry hubs in the Cyclades, with regular high-speed and conventional connections to Paros, Naxos, Santorini, Tinos, and Syros, plus mainland routes back to Piraeus and Rafina. Delos itself, the significant archaeological site, is only reachable by the short excursion boats from the Old Port — there's no scheduled public ferry, and no vehicles are allowed on the island at all.

Helicopter Transfer

A genuine, if niche, option exists for point-to-point helicopter transfers to and from other islands including Athens and Santorini, generally booked in advance through specialist operators rather than found on arrival. It's a real service, not a novelty, though obviously priced well above any of the transfer options above.