Planning to island hop in Greece and came across Saos Ferries? If your search went anything like ours, you probably found some less than great Saos ferries reviews! We still decided to take the Saos Ferry as it was drastically cheaper than the other Greece companies. So what’s it actually like sailing with them? Here’s all the tips from our own experience, and exactly what to expect with Saos Ferries.
What isSaos Ferries?
Saos is a Greek ferry and shipping company that runs limited routes through the islands. It is considered a slow boat and operates as both a car and a passenger ferry.
With the longer travel times on the Saos ferries, come cheaper tickets! We have spent a lot of time cruising through the Greek islands, and they’re one of the least expensive options we’ve seen to get around.
Saos Ferries Greece hits many of the popular islands you may have read about before visiting. Yet, one of the cool things about the available routes is that they go to some of the lesser known islets.
This is a fun way to spice up your Greece island hopping itinerary. You can stick to the main islands, or maybe even explore one you’ve never heard of!
We recommended doing a quick search here to get an idea of the prices for your route. If you don’t see Saos ferries there, you can head directly to their website to see if their is a better option.
Where Does Saos Ferries Greece Go?
Two ferry routes are shown through the Dodecanese Islands and Cyclades group on the Saos ferry website. You can see the different days of the week, and departure times as well.
When booking Saos ferry tickets online you might notice that you can only purchase them a few days in advance. Be sure to go to their official website leading up to your dates, or make a stop into the local Saos ferries office.
Below you’ll see an example of the routes they commonly run. Just know that they update the Soas ferries schedule often so you’ll want to double-check the times yourself.
Dodecanese Islands
Cyclades Islands
Our Experience With Saos Ferries Greece
Our first trip with Saos Ferries was from Rhodes to Symi which you can read about here. While many travelers make this route on a day trip, we chose to spend a couple nights to fully explore Symi island.
We originally searched all the companies here to can through the different prices. Yet, we were told by a local that if you plan around Saos ferry schedule it can be much cheaper.
Between our two tickets, we saved over 30 Euros going round trip with Saos ferries Greece. The travel time with the slow boat was slightly longer, but it was completely worth it for us!
We decided to get our tickets at the ferry terminal when we arrived. There was some slight confusion in the beginning as no one spoke English. Right away, we could tell this was a company not used as much by tourists compared to Blue Star (read our review) and other slow ferries in Greece.
With the help of google translate, we were able to purchase our tickets and boarded the massive ship. When we say it was big, we mean it! There seemed to be far more shipping trucks on board than foot passengers.
Maybe this was also had to do with the fact that it was off-season, as it gets much busier during the peak summer months. Either way, it was easy to find a seat on the top deck with a gorgeous view.
If you do need to take a vehicle with you on Saos ferries then we wouldn’t wait to buy your tickets like we did. Remember that this is a shipping boat, and there are often tons of trucks and cargo making the same trip. Try and book in advance using the online booking engine which will give you electronic tickets via email.
Why Are the Saos Ferries Reviews So Bad?
We can see how it’d be a little more complicated for travelers to use Saos ferries as it’s not set up well for tourists. With that said, an English speaking staff shouldn’t always be expected outside of the most popular islands in Greece.
On top of that, the boat itself was a little dated. It wasn’t super clean, and everything was more basic than other ferry services we’ve used.
To us, it didn’t matter much though! We spent most of our time outside taking in the views of the Greek islands.
There was also a small cafe where you can buy drinks and snacks. We brought our own pastries from a bakery in Rhodes Old Town which was much more appetizing than what we saw on the Saos ferry.
Would We Use Saos Ferries Greece Again?
Absolutely! Just know that this is purely for the low price, and not because we’re leaving a raving Saos ferries review. Greek companies such as Bluestar and Seajets are far superior ferry lines.
Nonetheless, for such a short trip, we’re not sure it’s worth spending the extra money. It all comes down to our travel dates, departure time, and cost when we’re booking ferries in Greece.
Honestly, Saos ferries is like going with a discount airline in Europe like Ryanair. You take it to get from A to B, and use the money you save to enjoy the actual destination.
If you’re looking to island hop in style then you might prefer a fast ferry like Seajets. Just keep in mind that routes that cost 10 Euros with Saos ferries could cost closer to 100 Euros with another company.
We really enjoyed the open decks and outside areas on Saos ferries. The views pulling into the different ports were beautiful, and for the time we spent on the boat it was fine. However, if you have a longer trip duration or overnight ride, you may want to look elsewhere!
Have any questions about this article or want to share your own Saos Ferries review? Let us know in the comments below.
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
Greece Travel Planning
When island hopping use FerriesinGreece to compare different routes, prices, and companies.
Flights: We always check Skyscanner and Kayak to search for cheap flights. That’s how we got from Crete to Athens for under $50 USD!
Accommodation: Compare multiple sites to get to the best deal such asBooking.com and Agoda! Also, Hostelworldshould be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget.
Rental Car: You can book a rental car for around $20 a day in Greece! We use Discover Cars to explore the larger islands with a vehicle.
Tours: Check out Get Your Guide for thousands of activities in Greece. You can find everything from visiting the Acropolis in Athens to wine tasting in Santorini, and a boat tour in Milos.
Travel Insurance:Never travel abroad without protection. We’ve been usingSafetyWingfor the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.
Packing Lists:Find all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists. Including electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!
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