The Venice-Igoumenitsa ferry route connects Greece with Italy. Currently there are just two ferry companies operating this service, Anek Superfast and Minoan Lines depending on the season. This blog post provides essential information you need to know for this almost 26-hour cruise through the Adriatic Sea and focuses on the Anek Superfast service.
Departure from Venice
ΑΝΕΚ LINES connects the port of Venice, with regular itineraries, with the port of Patras and the intermediate port of Igoumenitsa. The company offers top quality services and authentic Cretan “philoxenia” on board. The Italy-Greece routes are jointly operated with Superfast Ferries.
ANEK LINES vessels arrive at the Terminal Fusina Venezia, the new passenger and cargo port on the coast of Veneto, south of the suburbs of Mestre and Marghera. From here you may easily reach the historic centre of Venice via waterbus (vaporetti #16- Fusina-Venezia) run by ACTV public transport company linking Fusina terminal with Zattere station in the city centre (just ten minutes away from San Marco square). The waterbuses run on an hourly service to both directions.
Terminal Fusina Venezia is also connected to Mestre/Marghera train station though ACTV bus line No16 (daily) and line Νο10 (Sundays and holidays). From there you can continue to Treviso Airport (on ATVO bus) and to Venice Airport “Marco Polo” (with ATVO Fly Bus). Find schedules on actv.avmspa.it
How to get to the post in Venice: read all details here.
nce at the port, you need to check-in. Boarding starts 3 hours prior to departure. Passengers must check at the port agencies at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled departure. After that, ANEK LINES reserve the right to cancel the reservation without giving any fare refund. All passengers must have the necessary valid travel documents with them. The company reserves the right not to allow a passenger aboard the ship in case they do not have the necessary travel documents.
After check-in, you have to go through an airport-like luggage and passport control before boarding the vessel.
On board of the ferry
The modern fleet and highly trained crew of ANEK promise a pleasant on board stay, meeting the needs and demands of the modern traveller. ANEK ferries have spacious cabins of all categories, comfortable and air-conditioned all-user areas with many entertainment options, modern stores, gourmet restaurants and café -bars.
Asterion II is a Greek ferry, which is the newest ship, being part of ANEK Lines fleet. It is a motor Ro-Ro/Passenger ferryboat, build in 1991 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at Kobe, Japan and put into service by ANEK at 2018 (previously operated under different names and owners). It holds a total of 720 passengers, 840 cars and 117 trucks and has 451 beds for passengers. Boasting two 14-cyl MAN-B&W-Mitsubishi 14V52/55B engines, with combined power of 18,460 kW, it reaches speeds of up to 22 knots. The vessel was named after Asterion of Crete, a mythical king of Crete and has the flag of Cyprus, making it the only ship of the fleet with a non-Greek flag.
The service on board is more than satisfactory. During the entire trip, an officer is always available at the ships’ reception desks, ready to listen to you and solve any problem you may be facing. Also, you can contact the reception through your cabin’s phone.
In the spacious self-service restaurant, you will find select menus, inspired by the Greek and international cuisines, prepared with skill, fresh ingredients and extra virgin Cretan olive oil. There is also a cafe where you can enjoy your coffee or drink and savour delicious local products such as the Cretan ‘kalitsouni’, milk, yogurt, or herbal concoctions made of dittany or sage.
There is also an on-board shop in which you will find a great variety of items by famous brands at unbeatable prices: clothes, perfumes, cosmetics, watches, accessories, toys, Cretan products and books by great publishing firms.
The ship has various luggage storage spaces and large refrigerators for items that must be preserved at low temperature. Please go to the boarding area 1 hour earlier for better service.
Additionally and according to international standards, the ship has a special area with a fully equipped pharmacy for emergencies. A permanent connection to the TELEHEART medical tele-monitoring system allows timely diagnosis and guidance in managing cardiological emergencies until the patient is transferred to a hospital.
Finally, there is WiFI on board. But you have to purchase a prepaid access card from the reception. Given that you may not have good reception on your phone, this might be the only way to access the internet if you need to work or just surf online.
Arrival in Igoumenitsa
The port is in the south part of the city.
Igoumenitsa does not have an OSE railway station. If you want to continue to Thessalonik, you have to use a bus. Τhe Igoumenitsa bus station ("KTEL Thesprotias" in Greek) is located really close (200 meters to the North) to the Domestic Departures/Arrivals terminal of the city's port. There are many cafes, restaurants and shops nearby.
How to get from the port to the bus station: read all information here.
Please read our blog post about the journey by bus from Igoumenitsa to Thessaloniki.
How to buy tickets
To book your tickets use the website of Directferries where you get a good overview. Or use the websites of the ferry companies.
Prices normally start from 80 EUR for a deck/lounge seat, 164 EUR for a single bed in a 4-berth external cabin, 150 EUR for a single bed in a 4-berth internal (without window) cabin. Single/ double lux cabins are also available as well as special cabins that allow for pets. For prices and availability check the link above. Please note that there are no air-type seats on board.
By Interrail and Eurail on the Venice to Igoumenitsa and Patras ferry
With an Interrail Global Pass or an Interrail 6 trips Greek island Pass you can travel for free on Superfast Ferries (surcharges for port taxes and fuel apply). With an Interrail Pass valid in either Greece or Italy you can get 30% off (surcharges for port taxes and fuel apply). The up-to-date information is available on the rail.cc website Venice to Igoumenitsa for Interrail and Eurail.
Surcharges and taxes
In June and September a €15 shoulder season surcharge must be paid. In July and August a € 25 high season surcharge must be paid. Also € 7 port taxes must be paid per passenger per embarkation, and fuel surcharges apply. Please note as of Sunday 1st July 2018, a fuel surcharge applies on all Adriatic Sea routes.
The charges are as follows:
Venice route: Euro 17
How to make a reservation?
Reservations are compulsory. You have the options explained on rail.cc
Verdict
Overall this trip a nice experience. Although the ferry arrived a couple of hours later than originally planned, the facilities, views and comfort made up for it. This route is especially nice for families and generally for travellers who don’t mind spending a long time on board a ferry. Without signal or access to the internet (unless you pay extra) all you can do is just relax and unwind which is something most of us need, after all. We strongly advise you to go for a cabin on this one, given that it is a very long trip and sleeping on a deck/lounge chair is not comfortable at all.
If you have any further questions please feel free to drop us a line on our forum.
Thanks so much for reading this trip report! :)
Original blog written by Panos. Content added and updated by Peter.
Helpful links
Information about the route Venice to Igoumenitsa on rail.cc
Ferry booking on Directferries
Posted 3 years ago
Peter
Traveller
9336 comments