This is what the majority of people do. Kos is a tourist island less than an hour away by ferry (main port to main port) offering an international airport. April to October, and recently even March to November, most major European airports offer charter and low cost flights to Kos. A few major European A/L like British A/W and Lufthansa also fly to Kos in season.

When you land in Kos, take either the airport bus going to Mastichari port at the relevant bus stop or better yet for a faster going if you ran tight on time, take a taxi. Mastichari is the secondary port of Kos facing the port of Kalymnos. From there, catch the next express boat to Kalymnos. Mastichari port is less than 10 minutes by taxi from Kos airport (7 km). Expect to pay approx.. €17 for the taxi ride (asking the driver beforehand is a good idea).

From Mastichari port, take the express ferry to Kalymnos. Ferry tickets cost approximately €8.00–€10.00 per person. There are several connections between Kos and Kalymnos every day 5–10 crossings depending on the season, all year round. For schedules and tickets please access ANE Kalymnos.

When you arrive at Pothia (the port of Kalymnos) you will find taxis waiting. A taxi transfer from the Port (Pothia) to Myrties costs € 20.- . Again, if in doubt, ask the driver about the price beforehand. Alternatively, you can rent a scooter or a car at the port or you might want to prearrange and have the vehicle of your choice await your arrival. There is also a bus, timetables are not always reliable, but if the tourist info office opposite the port is open, they can direct you to the nearest bus stop.

The sea connection between Kos and Kalymnos is disrupted only by severe winds. This does not happen often in season. When it does, first check if the big ferries remain in service if the weather is not too bad, which means that you may still connect with the Main Port of Kos to Kalymnos or vice versa later in the evening. Otherwise the only option is to stay an additional day until sea travel is restored.

A less popular option is to fly to Rhodes (RHO), and from there take a ferry or the catamaran to Kalymnos. A charter or low cost flight to Rhodes (or Rodos) can be cheap, as Rhodes is one of the most popular destinations in Greece. There is the remote chance also that your city does not connect with Kos and connects with Rhodes. Once you arrive at Rhodes airport, you would have to go to its main port, Mandraki. From there, a ferry or catamaran takes you to Kalymnos. Between spring and autumn there is a daily catamaran (approx. 4 hours) by Dodejanisos Seaways. In wintertime, ferries on the Rhodes-Piraeus line stopover at Kalymnos.

Kalymnos airport is small and connected to Athens airport only, with only 1 flight per day, usually very early in the morning. The airline currently flying the Athens-Kalymnos-Athens route three or four times a week off season and almost every day in season is Sky Express. As with the ferries, flights to Kalymnos may be cancelled on very windy days. If that happens, try to get on a flight to Kos by the same airline; Kos offers a fully operational International Airport. Then, take the express ferries from Kos to Kalymnos as detailed above.

Blue Star Ferries depart for Kalymnos from Piraeus usually at Gate E1. Piraeus is the Port of Athens and main gateway to the Greek islands.

From the Athens airport there are three ways to get to Piraeus: the X96 Express Bus or the Suburban Railway and best of all the Metro. Just one change at Monastiraki and you reach Pireaus the quickest way. The Athens airport has an excellent information desk, ask there and they will direct you. Ferries from Piraeus to Kalymnos run now practically 5 times per week. The trip takes about 11-12 hours because there are stops at other islands on the way. Departure is in the afternoon hours and arrival late or in the middle of the night. Ferries in Greece travel throughout the year however, timetables may change per season. So check the ferry timetable about a month prior to your travel dates to make sure you get the latest schedules.

Sea travel in Greece is continuous, it is only interrupted if the weather is very windy. This is infrequent and usually lasts no more than a day or two. The main ferry company on the Piraeus-Kalymnos route is Blue Star Ferries. If you are planning to take the ferry from Piraeus to Kalymnos anytime between April and September, we strongly recommend you book tickets ahead of time.