Review: Speedrunner Ferry Piraeus to Serifos and Sifnos
This review details my trip on the Speedrunner III ferry of Aegean Speed Lines between Piraeus, Serifos, and Sifnos.
From Piraeus to Sifnos
After a comfortable Aegean Airlines flight from Frankfurt to Athens, I finally found myself back in Greece.
As I arrived late in the evening, making it impossible to continue directly to the island of Sifnos, I took a bus from the airport to Piraeus and spent the night at the Phidias Hotel.
Fully rested the next morning, it was finally time to continue my trip to the Cyclades by catching the ferry from Piraeus to Sifnos.
From the hotel, it was just a short walk to the port of Piraeus, where I enjoyed a morning coffee and spanakopita (spinach pie) before heading to the quay for my ferry departure.
At the port of Piraeus
The port of Piraeus, Europe’s largest in terms of passenger traffic, is vast, so it’s important to check in advance where exactly your ferry departs.
In Piraeus, the berthing places for passenger ferries are classified as port gates.
It’s essential to check beforehand which gate your ferry departs from, as some gates are far apart, and discovering at the last minute that you need to be on the other side of the port could cost you dearly.
If you’ve booked a ticket online and still need to pick up your boarding card for the ferry, you can do so at the port office of your ferry company, often just a simple shack a few feet from the gate.
As a foot passenger, you don’t want to arrive too early at the gate, as there are only a couple of benches in the open air and limited facilities besides.
Boarding the Piraeus-Sifnos ferry
I was travelling from Piraeus to Sifnos with Aegean Speed Lines, a company that has since been rebranded as Aegean Sea Lines.
The ship operating the sailing was the Speedrunner III, a fast ferry with a maximum speed of up to 40 knots (74 kph) and capacity for 800 passengers and 160 cars.
This ship is no longer owned by Aegean Sea Lines, as it has since been acquired by the rival ferry company Seajets, which has rebranded it as the HSC Speedrunner Jet and now uses it to operate their route between Piraeus, Milos, and Santorini.
Check my guide on ferry routes in the Western Cyclades for an up-to-date overview of all routes and ferry companies operating in this part of the Aegean.
The passenger load was light during my October sailing, with only a dozen cars waiting to drive on board and perhaps no more than 100 passengers awaiting embarkation.
After the cars were allowed to drive onto the deck, the foot passengers were also given the green light to board the ship.
A ferry attendant had a cursory glance at my ticket, after which I walked onto the car deck of the Speedrunner III and up the stairs to the public areas of the ship.
Facilities on board the Speedrunner ferry
The Speedrunner isn’t the largest ferry you’ll find in the Greek seas, as it essentially comprises just one main deck with seats, and a smaller deck above with additional seating.
Just like on any other Greek ferry, you will find a café on board the Aegean Speed Lines Speedrunner III, where you can purchase coffee, drinks, and snacks.
However, that’s about it in terms of facilities on board, so if you’re travelling for more than a few hours on this ferry, I would certainly recommend bringing enough food and drink supplies yourself.
Since I would only be on board the ferry for the relatively short journey between Piraeus and Sifnos, I knew the supplies at the café would be sufficient, as at most I would have a coffee and a small snack.
Piraeus to Sifnos by Aegean Speed Lines Ferry
Vessel: Speedrunner III
Departure: 11am – Arrival: 2.10pm
Duration of crossing: 3h10m
Costs: 38 euro (economy discount)
Departing Piraeus
On the aft side of the uppermost level, the Speedrunner ferry also features an open deck with some outdoor seating.
Whenever I travel by ferry in Greece, you’ll always find me on the open deck, as I love taking in the views during the journey.
There’s nothing more exciting than the views upon arrival as you approach the port of a new island destination where you haven’t set foot before, and even on the open seas I do love the fresh air and see breeze flowing through my hair.
On today’s crossing, the Speedrunner ferry would sail directly from Piraeus to Serifos, its first port of call, before continuing on to Sifnos and finally Milos.
The total journey time by ferry between Piraeus and Sifnos is 3 hours and 10 minutes.
Of course, I stood on deck overlooking the Speedrunner’s stern with a freddo espresso (Greek-style iced espresso) in hand as we sailed out of Piraeus, passing numerous ferries and cruise ships.
On deck
The Greater Athens area, which includes Piraeus, is so sprawling that even when you’re out on the open sea, you can still catch glimpses of the urban expanse.
However, the Attica coastline gradually disappears from view as the minutes pass by.
After a while, I headed down to the café to buy another freddo espresso, only to return to the open deck to drink it there.
It’s moments like these that make me love ferry travel so much, as you really get the time to absorb the environment and unwind.
Serifos port call
Although some ferries to Sifnos also call at Kythnos, we sailed straight to Serifos today.
During the crossing, there were distant views of Kea and Kythnos on the port side of the ship, while the starboard side offered closer views of the uninhabited island of Agios Georgios, with its rocky shores dominated by wind turbines.
After a while, we approached Serifos, a beautiful island I had visited once before.
Few islands in Greece offer such a beautiful approach by ferry as Serifos.
From the open-air deck of the ship, you can enjoy stunning views of the small harbour town of Livadi as the ferry approaches Serifos, with the hilltop capital of Chora providing a spectacular backdrop.
On to Sifnos
Only a handful of passengers disembarked at Livadi, with even fewer joining us for the rest of the journey.
The views of Serifos were even better after departing Livadi than they had been on approach to this small port town.
Seeing Livadi’s long sandy beach stretching across the bay and the stunning hilltop location of Chora brought back fond memories of my own trip to Serifos.
Soon we were back at sea, heading towards Sifnos.
Arrival in Sifnos
The views approaching Kamares, the harbour town on the island of Sifnos, are just as impressive as those I enjoyed earlier when sailing into Serifos.
While the port town of Livadi on Serifos is situated along a wide bay, the port town of Kamares on Sifnos is located at the end of an inlet, making it a natural harbour.
The deep blue of the sea and the craggy rocks surrounding the inlet make the approach to Kamares quite dramatic.
Soon, the small port town of Kamares with its whitewashed houses comes into view at the end of the inlet.
The Speedrunner ferry makes a full turn before docking at the quay.
As we were docking, I walked downstairs to the car deck, where the crew were already lowering the gangway.
I was one of only about two dozen foot passengers and two cars disembarking the ferry at Sifnos, and I was certainly excited to discover the beauty that awaited me on this Cycladic island.
Conclusion
I had a fun sailing on the Speedrunner III ferry of Aegean Speed lines between Piraeus and Sifnos.
Taking the ferry in Greece always offers fantastic views from the open air deck, and this sailing was no exception.
The views from the ferry over the island of Serifos during our intermediate stop at Livadi, as well as the approach through the rocky inlet towards the port town of Kamares on Sifnos, were particularly picturesque.
Moreover, taking a ferry in Greece always brings a sense of excitement about the adventures awaiting on the island you’re visiting, and this sailing from Piraeus to Sifnos certainly heightened my anticipation.
Trip report index
This article is part of the ‘Wonderful Greek Island Escape: My Trip to the Cyclades‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:
1. A Misty Morning Walk Around the Old Port of Hamburg
2. Review: EuroCity Train ‘Berliner’ Hamburg to Berlin and Prague
3. Back to Germany: From Prague to Frankfurt by Train
4. From Frankfurt to Athens: A Flight Into the Greek Sun
5. Greek Ferry Guide: How to Reach the Western Cyclades
6. Review: Speedrunner Ferry Piraeus to Serifos and Sifnos (current chapter)
7. Sifnos Travel Guide: Explore the Best Sights and Beaches
8. Kamares: The Rugged and Relaxed Port Town of Sifnos
** rest of the chapters to follow soon **
