Kefalonia to Zakynthos ferry: Pessada–Agios Nikolaos timetable, fares and day trips

The Kefalonia to Zakynthos ferry in brief

There is only one direct ferry between the two islands. It leaves from Pessada, a small harbour on Kefalonia's south coast about 13 km by road from Argostoli, and crosses about 21 nautical miles of open sea to Agios Nikolaos, near Volimes in the north-east of Zakynthos. It does not go to Zakynthos town, which is about 30 km further south by road.

The route is run by Ionian Sea Ferries, the Lixouri-based consortium that also operates the Argostoli–Lixouri ferry, and is sold by Ionion Pelagos and its agencies. The company names the Vasos K., a car ferry of 57 m with room for about 300 passengers and 65 cars, as its ship on this line. The crossing takes about 1 h 30 to 1 h 45.

Outside the summer season there is no direct link. The only way between the islands is then through the Peloponnese: Poros to Kyllini with Levante Ferries, about 1 h 30, and Kyllini to Zakynthos town, about 1 h 15, which takes most of a day. Our Kefalonia ferry guide covers the mainland routes.

Season and timetable: the 2026 pattern and what to expect in 2027

The Kefalonia–Zakynthos ferry is seasonal. In 2026 the timetable was published to start on 15 May, but sailings from 15 to 20 May were cancelled because of bad weather and the service began on 21 May. Until 11 June it ran every day except Tuesdays and Thursdays; from 12 June to 13 September it sailed daily, leaving Pessada at 07:30 and 18:00 and Agios Nikolaos at 09:45 and 19:45. From 14 to 30 September it ran on five days a week, again not on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the evening departures moved to 17:30 from Pessada and 19:15 from Zakynthos.

The pattern has been steady since at least 2024, when the operator's timetable ran daily from 19 May to 16 September with the same four departure times, then until 1 October with slightly different ones. The 2027 timetable has not been published yet: Ionion Pelagos says the route is expected to resume in May 2027 and that the new schedule will be announced on its site. Until then, plan on two return sailings a day in summer and fewer in late May and September, and check the operator's page before you book anything around it.

Fares and how to book

The 2026 fares published by Ionian Sea Ferries were €13 for an adult passenger, €6.50 for a child, €10 for a group ticket, €40 for a car, €17 for a motorbike and €14 per metre for a camper. Car and passenger fares are listed separately, so a couple with a car paid around €66 each way. Prices rose by about €1 for passengers and €2 for cars from 2025, when an adult paid €12 and a car €38, so allow for a small rise in 2027.

Tickets are sold by the partner agencies listed by Ionion Pelagos, including several in Argostoli, Lixouri, Sami and Poros and Chionis Tours in Zakynthos town, and online through ferry booking platforms. Foot passengers rarely have trouble outside the peak weeks, but car space is limited, so book ahead for a vehicle in July and August and for the evening sailings at weekends.

Getting to Pessada: drive times, taxis and parking

Pessada lies on the south coast between the airport and Karavados, and most people reach it by car. Approximate drive times are 20 minutes from Argostoli or Lassi, about 15 minutes from the airport, 15 minutes from Lourdas, 30–35 minutes from Katelios and 40–45 minutes from Skala. For the 07:30 sailing from the far south-east, that means leaving before 6:30.

We found no bus timed to the ferry, so without a car you need a taxi; book it the evening before for an early departure. The harbour is small: a quay with a ramp and a little beach beside it. Parking near the port and the beach is limited and fills on summer mornings, so arrive in good time. If you plan to take a hire car across, read the contract first: as our car hire guide explains, some policies do not cover ferries.

On the Zakynthos side: Agios Nikolaos, the Blue Caves and Shipwreck Beach

Agios Nikolaos is a small harbour village in the north-east of Zakynthos, with a small beach, a few tavernas and boats to the Blue Caves. The caves themselves are at Cape Skinari, about 5 km north by road, where sea arches and grottoes turn the water a bright blue, best seen in the morning light. Short boat trips from Agios Nikolaos and from the Skinari lighthouse take about an hour, usually with a swim stop; the sea is calmest early in the day.

The Shipwreck, Navagio, is on the island's west coast, about 15 km or 25 minutes' drive from Agios Nikolaos. In 2026 the beach was closed because of the risk of rockfalls: a ministerial decision banned landing, swimming and anchoring within 50 m of the shore until 31 October 2026, and boats could only view the cove from the water. The clifftop viewpoint stayed open, and authorities review the closure twice a year, so check the rules for 2027 before you go.

Zakynthos town is about 30 km south of Agios Nikolaos, roughly 40–45 minutes by car. In summer 2025 the operator advertised a connecting bus from Solomos Square in town to the port, leaving at 08:15 and 18:15 between mid-June and early September for €6; it is not known whether it will run in 2027.

Kefalonia to Zakynthos day trip: by car or with a tour

The summer timetable makes a day trip possible in both directions. From Kefalonia, the 07:30 ferry reaches Agios Nikolaos at around 09:15, and the 19:45 return lands you back in Pessada at about 21:30. That leaves around ten hours on Zakynthos: enough for a boat to the Blue Caves, the Shipwreck viewpoint, lunch in Volimes and a swim, but not for the turtle beaches of the far south as well.

With your own car the cost for two people is around €132 return including the car, and you set your own pace; without a car, you depend on taxis in a sparsely served corner of the island. In summer, agencies in Kefalonia's resorts also sell coach-and-ferry day trips to Zakynthos built around this crossing, usually with the Blue Caves and the Shipwreck viewpoint; they do the driving, but stops are fixed and the day is long. See Kefalonia tours for what is available.

Day trips from Zante to Kefalonia work the other way round: the 09:45 from Agios Nikolaos arrives at Pessada around 11:30, and the 18:00 sailing takes you back, which gives about six hours, enough for Argostoli and a beach or a drive to the caves near Sami. If you are still deciding which island to base yourself on, read Kefalonia or Zakynthos?.

Weather cancellations and practical tips

This is an open-sea crossing on a relatively small ship, and strong winds stop it more often than the short ferries to Ithaca or Lixouri. In 2026 the first six days of the season were cancelled because of the weather, and so were the sailings on 27 September. If the wind picks up, phone the operator in Lixouri or check its website on the morning of travel, and do not plan a tight connection to a flight or a mainland ferry on the same day. Our Kefalonia weather guide explains the seasons and the summer maistros wind.

Be at Pessada at least 30 minutes before departure, or 45 minutes with a car in high season, and bring water, a hat and sun cream for the deck. Keep your tickets to hand and save the operator's phone numbers, +30 26710 91280 and +30 26710 91118, in your phone in case of changes.