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Mykonos has two ports, and turning up at the wrong one is one of the most common — and expensive — mistakes visitors make. The short answer: large ferries leave from the New Port (Tourlos), about 2 km north of Mykonos Town, while the Old Port in town handles only small local boats and excursion craft. For roughly 95% of travellers — anyone with a scheduled ferry to Athens or another island, or a cruise — the port you need is the New Port (Tourlos).
Getting it right costs nothing but a minute of checking; getting it wrong can mean a €20–40 taxi dash between the two ports, or a missed sailing and a new ticket. If you're connecting from a flight to an island-hopping ferry, this guide gives you the decision at a glance, how to reach each port, and the timing traps to avoid in 2026.
At a glance: New Port vs Old Port
| New Port (Tourlos) | Old Port (Chora) | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ~2 km north of Mykonos Town | On the edge of Mykonos Town, walkable |
| From the airport | ~4–5 km · 10–15 min | ~4 km · ~10 min |
| What sails here | All scheduled ferries (Blue Star to Piraeus/Rafina), high-speed catamarans (Seajets, Golden Star) to Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Crete; most cruise ships | Small local boats, Delos & Rhenia excursions, water taxis, day cruises |
| Reach it by | Sea Bus (~€2), KTEL bus, taxi (€10–15 from town), airport transfer (€18–40) | On foot from town, or the Sea Bus from the New Port |
| Best for | Inter-island ferries, mainland connections, island hopping | Delos day trips, local excursion boats |
| Do not use for | — | Any scheduled inter-island ferry — you will miss the boat |
Which boat leaves from which port?
| You're catching… | Port | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Big ferry to Athens, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Crete | New Port (Tourlos) | ~2 km N of Mykonos Town |
| High-speed catamaran (Seajets, Golden Star, etc.) | New Port (Tourlos) | ~2 km N of Mykonos Town |
| Small local boat / Delos excursion | Old Port | Edge of Mykonos Town |
| Private water taxi / day cruise | Old Port | Edge of Mykonos Town |
Check your ferry ticket — modern operators print the port name, but older or third-party bookings sometimes just say "Mykonos". When in doubt, assume the New Port for any scheduled inter-island ferry.
Choose the right port in one line
- Choose the New Port (Tourlos) if you hold any scheduled ferry ticket — to Piraeus or Rafina (Athens), Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Ios or Crete — or you arrive on a cruise. This is the default for nearly every visitor.
- Choose the Old Port if you're booked on a Delos or Rhenia excursion, a private water taxi, or a small beach-hopping boat in summer.
- The costly mistake: heading to the Old Port for a high-speed ferry. The two ports are about 2 km apart, and a wrong guess in August traffic can cost you the sailing.
New Port (Tourlos) — almost all ferries
The New Port at Tourlos opened to take the large modern ferries that the cramped Old Port couldn't handle. It sits roughly 2 km north of Mykonos Town and is where you'll go for:
- Conventional ferries (Blue Star and similar) to Athens (Piraeus / Rafina)
- High-speed catamarans to Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Ios, Crete and other Cyclades
- Most cruise ships
It has ticket offices, parking, car-rental desks, cafés and a taxi rank. Arrive with time to spare in peak season — the port gets busy and boarding for big ferries closes well before departure. If you're still deciding between a boat and a plane to the mainland, compare options in our Mykonos to Athens: ferry or flight guide.
Old Port — small boats only
The Old Port sits right on the edge of Mykonos Town, an easy walk from the windmills and Little Venice. These days it serves only:
- Small local boats and water taxis
- Excursion boats to Delos (the famous archaeological island) and Rhenia
- Some beach-hopping boats in summer
If your ticket is for a scheduled island-to-island ferry, it is almost certainly not leaving from here. Do not rely on the Old Port for onward travel.
How to get to the New Port
Several options connect Mykonos Town and the airport to the New Port at Tourlos:
- Sea Bus — a small passenger boat shuttles between the Old Port (town) and the New Port for roughly €2, running frequently in season. The quickest way if you're already in town.
- KTEL public bus — buses run from the Old Port (North Station) area to the New Port; cheap, but luggage space is limited and the network was reorganised for the 2026 season, so check current stops.
- Taxi — from Mykonos Town about €10–15; remember Mykonos taxis are usually cash-only and the island has only a small fleet.
- Straight from the airport — see below.
Straight from Mykonos Airport to the ferry port
If you land and need to catch a ferry the same day, you don't need to detour through Mykonos Town. A direct airport-to-ferry-port transfer takes you straight to the New Port at Tourlos in about 10–15 minutes — roughly €18–25 by taxi or €30–40 for a fixed-fare private transfer.
This is the safest option when your flight-to-ferry connection is tight: a pre-booked transfer guarantees a vehicle and a fixed price, so you're not stuck in the airport taxi queue while your ferry boards. For the full picture of getting around on arrival, see the Mykonos Airport guide.
What usually goes wrong
Most ferry problems on Mykonos come down to a handful of avoidable issues:
- Wrong port. By far the most common — a traveller heads to the photogenic Old Port in town and finds their high-speed ferry left from Tourlos.
- Summer traffic. The 2 km from town to Tourlos can crawl in August; the distance is short, but the road is not always quick.
- Airport taxi queue. The island runs a small taxi fleet, payment is cash-only, and the rank can empty out at peak arrival times — a real risk on a tight connection.
- Paper-ticket swap. Some operators still require you to collect a printed boarding pass at the port ticket office before you board.
- Walking with luggage. It's about 25–30 minutes on foot from town to the New Port, with little shade and patchy pavement — fine without bags, awkward with them.
Don't miss your ferry: timing tips
- Build in a buffer. Aim to reach the New Port at least 45–60 minutes before a big ferry, 30 minutes for a fast catamaran.
- Account for summer traffic. Leave earlier than the 2 km suggests in July and August.
- Collect paper tickets if required. Some operators still need you to swap an e-ticket for a boarding pass at the port office.
- Confirm the port the day before. A quick check saves a frantic, expensive taxi dash between the two ports.
Get the port right and the Mykonos ferry connection is smooth. Get it wrong and you're paying for a last-minute taxi — or missing the boat entirely.