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Samos Airport (SMI) lies on the south-east coast, about 4 km from Pythagorio and right behind the beach resorts of Potokaki. Vathy (Samos Town), the capital and main ferry port, is on the north-east coast, further away. A public bus runs from the terminal to Samos Town via Pythagorio, but the only timetable the airport links to dates from 2023, so most arriving visitors take a taxi or pick up a hire car.
Short answer
- Nearest town: Pythagorio, about 4 km away. Resort hotels on the Potokaki coast are close to the runway.
- Bus: leaves from in front of the terminal for Samos Town (Vathy) via Pythagorio, with tickets from the driver. The airport’s timetable is dated 2023 and has no Sunday times, so check locally before relying on it.
- Taxi: the rank is outside the terminal. We found no official fare list, so ask the price first.
- Car hire: Avis Budget, Enterprise and Hertz Thrifty have desks in arrivals, according to the airport.
- Opening hours: the airport lists 06:00–21:00 daily until 25 October 2026. It is not a 24-hour airport.
- Ferries: boats to Kuşadası leave from Vathy and, in season, Pythagorio; Pythagorio also has the morning boat to Patmos.
Flights to Samos
Compare airline fares in one search on Booking.com Flights. Check the baggage allowance and connection times before you book.
The airport at a glance
The airport is officially named “Aristarchos of Samos” and is operated by Fraport Greece. Greeka puts it about 4 km from Pythagorio, on the south side of the island. The airport’s own pages do not give distances to Vathy, Kokkari or Karlovasi.
Opening hours (as of October 2026): the airport lists the airport as open 06:00–21:00 every day from 15 August to 25 October 2026, and the terminal 06:00–21:00 every day from 1 to 24 October. Opening hours from 25 October onwards were not yet shown on the airport’s site, so check it if you travel later in the year.
Flights: Jet2 flew to Samos for the first time in summer 2026, from Manchester (1 May to 30 October), Birmingham (4 May to 26 October) and London Stansted (7 May to 29 October). TUI Airways is on the airport’s airline list. Out of season, connect through Athens; Olympic Air and Sky Express appear on the airline list. See our flights guide.
Where you are probably heading
| Area | Where it is | Best way from the airport |
|---|---|---|
| Potokaki coast resorts | right by the airport | taxi |
| Pythagorio | about 4 km | taxi or bus |
| Vathy (Samos Town) | north-east coast | bus or taxi |
| Kokkari | north coast, west of Vathy | taxi or hire car; ask KTEL about bus connections via Vathy |
| Karlovasi and the west | north-west | hire car or taxi |
Our Samos travel guide describes each area, and where to stay in Samos compares them for a ferry-based trip.
Public bus
The only public transport on Samos is the bus network of KTEL Samos, according to the local guide SamosIn. We could not find an official KTEL Samos website with current times.
The airport says:
- the bus stop is in front of the terminal building;
- buses run between the airport and Samos Town via Pythagorio, or via Mytilinioi to other destinations;
- tickets are bought from the driver.
The timetable the airport links to is a KTEL Samos sheet marked “new from 24/05/2023”. It shows seven departures from the airport towards Samos Town on weekdays, between 08:20 and 17:20, three on Saturdays, and none listed for Sundays. It gives no fares or journey times. We have no newer official timetable, so treat these times as an indication of the pattern only: daytime buses, nothing in the evening and possibly nothing at weekends. Ask at the airport information desk or call KTEL Samos before you plan around the bus.
Who the bus suits: a daytime arrival on a weekday, travelling light to Pythagorio or Vathy. For evening flights and weekends, plan on a taxi.
Taxi
According to the airport, the taxi rank is outside the terminal building. Greeka also notes that taxis wait outside the airport. Neither the airport nor any official source we found publishes fixed fares, so we cannot give reliable prices. Ask the driver for the fare to your hotel before you set off.
For Pythagorio and the Potokaki resorts the ride is short. For Vathy, Kokkari or Karlovasi it is longer and more expensive, which is where a hire car can start to make sense for a stay of several days.
Private transfers
Several companies sell pre-booked transfers from Samos Airport. On GetYourGuide we found no Samos airport transfer product listed in October 2026, so we cannot recommend one there. If you prefer a fixed price and a driver waiting with your name, compare a few transfer offers, check what happens if your flight is delayed, and ask your hotel whether it can arrange a pickup.
Car hire
The airport lists three rental companies with desks in arrivals: Avis Budget, Enterprise and Hertz Thrifty. Greeka also links to online car hire bookings. Book ahead in summer and give your flight number, especially for an evening landing.
Samos is green and mountainous, and the villages above Kokkari, the west around Karlovasi and the beaches beyond the main bus routes are much easier with a car. If you only stay in Pythagorio or Vathy, you can manage with buses and taxis. Before taking a hire car on a ferry, check that the rental agreement allows it; see taking a car to the Greek islands.
Car hire: Samos Airport (SMI)
DiscoverCars compares offers from several rental companies in one search. Check the pick-up point, deposit and insurance terms before you book.
Comparing the options
| Option | Pythagorio / Potokaki | Vathy | Kokkari / Karlovasi | Evening or Sunday | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KTEL bus | yes (on the Samos Town route) | yes | ask KTEL about connections | 2023 timetable shows none | lowest, fare not published |
| Taxi | short ride | yes | yes | rank outside terminal | ask before you go |
| Pre-booked transfer | yes | yes | yes | yes, if booked | fixed in advance |
| Hire car | yes | yes | yes | book ahead | depends on days |
From the airport straight to a ferry
Samos has two ports used by ferries to Turkey and the Dodecanese: Pythagorio, near the airport, and Vathy on the north-east coast. Check which port your ticket names before you leave the airport.
Kuşadası (Turkey)
- From Vathy (as of October 2026): Tilos Travel’s Sea Star Samos leaves at 17:30 daily until 1 November, and Meander Travel at 17:00 daily until 1 November.
- From Pythagorio: Meander Travel’s service runs until 18 October 2026.
- Fare (as of October 2026): Meander Travel lists €37 one way for adults, taxes included.
So a midday landing can connect with an evening boat to Turkey the same day, but leave a buffer for flight delays. Full details, including entry rules for Turkey, are on Samos to Kuşadası ferry. For the reverse direction, see Kuşadası to Samos ferry.
Patmos and the Dodecanese
Ferryscanner shows an 08:15 departure from Pythagorio to Patmos (October 2026), so you cannot catch it straight off a flight. Sleep in Pythagorio the night before. Times and fares are on Samos to Patmos ferry, and the ferry route planner and island-hopping from Turkey help with longer trips.
Two hotels close to the airport and the Pythagorio ferries:
Doryssa Seaside Resort
Pythagorio coast5★
- Best for: families, beach, resort stay
Listed under 2 km from the airport, the shortest transfer here.
Polyxeni Hotel
Pythagorio2★
- Best for: budget, couples, short stays
A small seafront hotel in Pythagorio for a simple night after landing.
A day in Turkey from Samos
Ephesus is a realistic day trip from Samos when there is a morning boat. The Samos packages that bundled the boat, transfer and site entry were no longer listed on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026, so for now you take the ferry yourself and join a tour or a taxi in Kuşadası. See our Samos to Ephesus day trip guide.
For Cruisers: Small Group Ephesus Tour with Skip-the-Line
A short guided Ephesus tour with pickup at Kuşadası port; ask the provider whether a start time can match your ferry.
Check price & availabilityPassport control and EES on arrival
Flights from the UK and other non-Schengen countries arrive at the EU’s external border, so you pass passport control at Samos Airport. The European Commission says the Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. Non-EU short-stay visitors, including UK citizens, are registered with passport data, fingerprints and a facial image; EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not, and children under 12 give no fingerprints. GOV.UK says Greek authorities have indicated they will not collect fingerprints and photos from UK travellers under EES; follow the officers’ instructions. If you then cross to Turkey and back, your exit and re-entry at the Samos port are recorded too. Our EES and ETIAS guide explains the details.
Greece puts its clocks back on 25 October 2026. From then on, Turkey is one hour ahead of Samos.
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FAQ
How far is Samos Airport from Pythagorio?
About 4 km, according to Greeka. The beach resorts at Potokaki are even closer.
Is there a bus from Samos Airport to Vathy?
Yes, a KTEL bus runs from in front of the terminal to Samos Town via Pythagorio, with tickets from the driver. The timetable linked by the airport dates from 2023 and shows daytime weekday and Saturday buses only, so check current times locally.
How much is a taxi from Samos Airport?
We found no official fare list. Ask the driver for the price before you leave.
Is Samos Airport open at night?
No. As of October 2026 the airport lists 06:00–21:00 daily until 25 October. Opening hours from 25 October onwards were not yet shown on the airport’s site.
Can I go from Samos Airport straight to a ferry to Turkey?
Often, yes. Kuşadası boats leave Vathy at 17:00 and 17:30 until 1 November 2026, so a midday flight can connect. Leave a buffer for delays.
Which car hire companies are at Samos Airport?
The airport lists Avis Budget, Enterprise and Hertz Thrifty, all in arrivals.
Timetables, prices and entry rules change; check the official source before you travel.
Sources
- Fraport Greece: Samos Airport (accessed Oct 2026)
- Samos Airport: airport information and operating hours (accessed Oct 2026)
- Samos Airport: public bus (accessed Oct 2026)
- Samos Airport: KTEL Samos timetable from 24 May 2023 (PDF) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Samos Airport: taxi (accessed Oct 2026)
- Samos Airport: car rental (accessed Oct 2026)
- Greeka: Samos Airport (accessed Oct 2026)
- SamosIn: Samos bus timetables (KTEL) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Jet2: First flight to Samos takes off from Manchester (1 May 2026) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Tilos Travel: 2025–2026 Aegean islands sailing plan (accessed Oct 2026)
- Meander Travel: Ferry to Samos timetable (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryscanner: Samos to Patmos (accessed Oct 2026)
- European Commission: Entry/Exit System (accessed Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK: Greece travel advice, entry requirements (accessed Oct 2026)
- Greek City Times: clocks go back on 25 October 2026 (accessed Oct 2026)
- GetYourGuide: For Cruisers: Small Group Ephesus Tour with Skip-the-Line (Kuşadası port) (checked 22 Oct 2026; the Samos Ephesus package t150071 was no longer available that day)
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