Are Water Taxis Running in Santorini? Hope to Avoid Cable Car.

[number one eagles fan]

To anyone who has sailed to Santorini this year (2022), is the water taxi option to Oia available? I understand, in the past, there was a service that included the the one-way water taxi to Oia, from the tender dock, a shuttle up to Oia and a return bus ticket to Fira. Does anyone have any info on this?

[Maverick!]

45 minutes ago, number one eagles fan said:

To anyone who has sailed to Santorini this year (2022), is the water taxi option to Oia available? I understand, in the past, there was a service that included the the one-way water taxi to Oia, from the tender dock, a shuttle up to Oia and a return bus ticket to Fira. Does anyone have any info on this?

Yes, we were there on a cruise stop 2 weeks ago and the water taxis were running to Oia offering Euro 30 pp. I am pretty sure you can negotiate that if you are a couple or small group.

[number one eagles fan]

7 minutes ago, Maverick! said:

Yes, we were there on a cruise stop 2 weeks ago and the water taxis were running to Oia offering Euro 30 pp. I am pretty sure you can negotiate that if you are a couple or small group.

Thank you for the reply. Did it include the shuttle back to Fira?

[Maverick!]

22 minutes ago, number one eagles fan said:

Thank you for the reply. Did it include the shuttle back to Fira?

We didnt take this option as we were headed to the Red & White beaches near Akrotiri.

Along the dock, the speedboat provider has a kiosk where you can get info/buy tickets. I believe it includes round trip - water taxi stops at Ammoudi Bay, then you bus up to Oia (it's on top of the hill) then there is a bus back to Fira where you would come back down to the old Port to return to your ship (cable car not included in the water taxi fare package).

[dani negreanu]

I had 2 experiences with the "water taxi" to Oia.

 

In 2014 we opted for the "water taxi" at the dock. 25 Euro pp. We boarded that "taxi" and waited. And waited some more. And then some. The owners were chasing people on the dock, and until the "taxi" wasn't full, we didn't depart. It was very hot and stuffy while waiting inside the "taxi". We were given 3 options to go back to Fira, 10.00, 11.00 and noon. As expected, everyone wanted to be back at noon, to make the most of our stay in Oia, nobody took care of the line, and boarding the noon bus was a mess. When we got to Fira, we were left quite far from the center (and no one directed us where to go).

 

June 2022, Beyond. Checked the prices for water taxi -- 30 Euro pp. Checked the "Oia on your own" with Celebrity, which basically included the same "features" of the "water taxi" + voucher for the cable car down. It was 55$ pp. 

 

This time I've decided to opt for the Celebrity tour -- due to the Covid "situation", I didn't want a "repeat" of waiting almost an hour for the boat to be full....

 

It was very smooth and well organized. We had our bus and our places in the bus reserved, and were given ~2.5 hours in Oia. When we got to Fira, the guide took us to a scenic site and explained where is the cable car and gave us the vouchers.

 

"Water taxi" -- 36 Euro pp (30 + 6 cable car). Celebrity -- 55$ pp. For us - the difference in price was worth it.

 

[Maverick!]

I would definitely agree with the recommendation above.

Although we had plans elsewhere, I explored the possibility of heading to Oia as the other options to get up to Fira was the donkey ride vs a 2-hr long wait at the cable car at the time (walking up was not an option for us).

My impression was that the local provider was trying to pack the speedboat before heading off  (we saw frustrated people waiting  with impatience to take off to Oia) and less concerned about the tour experience for those who participated. So I would doubt that the return bus trip would likely be as disorganized.

[Maverick!]

*I would have doubts

 

[pdmlynek]

4 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

I had 2 experiences with the "water taxi" to Oia.

 

In 2014 we opted for the "water taxi" at the dock. 25 Euro pp. We boarded that "taxi" and waited. And waited some more. And then some. The owners were chasing people on the dock, and until the "taxi" wasn't full, we didn't depart. It was very hot and stuffy while waiting inside the "taxi". We were given 3 options to go back to Fira, 10.00, 11.00 and noon. As expected, everyone wanted to be back at noon, to make the most of our stay in Oia, nobody took care of the line, and boarding the noon bus was a mess. When we got to Fira, we were left quite far from the center (and no one directed us where to go).

...

 

Well, it is Greece, after all.  Don't expect things to run smoothly nor on time.  Yeah, you may need to wait an hour to fill up the boat or to order in a restaurant.  The leisurely pace and laid back attitude is just the part of charm of traveling in Greece.  Although things have progressed so much that Greece of the 2022 is a smooth-working fast machine compared to 30 years when schedules were ignored, things are still not as one might expect in northern Europe.

 

[Trixsea]

I did take the water taxi in June 2022.  The one thing people need to know is there is a steep walk uphill to the bus.  This could be difficult for those with walking issues.

[SpacemanSpiff]

This brings up an interesting question.  I'm pretty certain the cruise line will have a tour that goes to Athinios  (not sure if the tender is directly to that port, or if it goes to the old port and picks up a boat to get to the  Oia port.)  Then, after it takes you to Oia for a while, presumably it'll have a bus take us to Fira.

 

Since, as I understand it, the folks on cruise tours get an earlier tender -- correct me if I am wrong, please! -- so, I wonder if it is possible (or is it  bad form) to book the tour through the cruise line, and then once in Oia, tell the tour guide that we're going to Fira on our own?  Basically, we want to get some good photos in Oia, maybe spend two hours there, then go to Fira for a sunset dinner, and this seemed a way to get to the action more quickly (we're pretty low on the cruise food chain, so we likely would have a later tender number).

 

Thoughts, y'all?

[dani negreanu]

2 hours ago, SpacemanSpiff said:

Basically, we want to get some good photos in Oia, maybe spend two hours there, then go to Fira

 

With Celebrity's "Oia on your own", we had more than 2 hours in Oia. It was enough.

If you want more, just tell the guide and ask for the cable car voucher.

We were in Santorini mid June and thought also about a sunset diner (Beyond was in port until 10PM). BUT the sunset was very late, and, taking into account the cable car down, and the 9.30 "all aboard", it was not feasible....

[SpacemanSpiff]

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

 

With Celebrity's "Oia on your own", we had more than 2 hours in Oia. It was enough.

If you want more, just tell the guide and ask for the cable car voucher.

We were in Santorini mid June and thought also about a sunset diner (Beyond was in port until 10PM). BUT the sunset was very late, and, taking into account the cable car down, and the 9.30 "all aboard", it was not feasible....

Actually, two hours in Oia would be ideal.  Our ship arrives at 2pm and departs at 10pm, but since we are going in September 2023, sunset would be about 7:20, so we figured a sunset dinner in Fira would be doable and leave some time to get back to the cable car/tender.  We just didn't want to waste time waiting for a tender.

Edited July 29, 2022 by SpacemanSpiff

[Hlitner]

We have often posted about the water shuttle from Fira over to Oia and have twice taken those boats.  They are operated by private folks who kind of march to their own drum.  This means they might be working when you get to Santorini, or they might not be working.  And you might get on the boat and leave for Oia within minutes, or you might cool your heels on that docked boat for over an hour as they wait for a few more passengers.  We do like the boat service (DW and I like to have our early coffee in Oia) but understand that it is a matter of responding to the situation that exists when we get off the tender.  If the boats are not running, or if it looks like it might be a long wait, we simply go to "Plan B" and head for the cable car.  If we later decide to go to Oia we can simply take the bus (or even a taxi).  Other times we will rent a car (this can be difficult without a reservation) and do our own driving.  Lots of options on this island.

 

Hank

[travellingnana]

On 8/2/2022 at 2:23 PM, Hlitner said:

We have often posted about the water shuttle from Fira over to Oia and have twice taken those boats.  They are operated by private folks who kind of march to their own drum.  

Exploring our options for when we get to Santorini next month. Can you tell me how far of a walk it is from the dock at Amoudi Bay to where the shuttle bus is that will take you into Oia?  Thanks

[mapleleaves]

15 minutes ago, travellingnana said:

Exploring our options for when we get to Santorini next month. Can you tell me how far of a walk it is from the dock at Amoudi Bay to where the shuttle bus is that will take you into Oia?  Thanks

Go to the post at the top of this page, " Find it Here, Santorini Q&A ".   

Post #206 written on Sunday provides a step-by-step description of the process.

Specific to your question; it's a few hundred meters up a very steep hill..

[Hlitner]

Just now, travellingnana said:

Exploring our options for when we get to Santorini next month. Can you tell me how far of a walk it is from the dock at Amoudi Bay to where the shuttle bus is that will take you into Oia?  Thanks

The last time we did it we had to walk about 20 yards (some of it uphill) to where we boarded a minibus for the short ride up the hill to Oia.

 

Hank

[Sunshine girl Fl]

On 7/26/2022 at 10:28 AM, dani negreanu said:

I had 2 experiences with the "water taxi" to Oia.

 

In 2014 we opted for the "water taxi" at the dock. 25 Euro pp. We boarded that "taxi" and waited. And waited some more. And then some. The owners were chasing people on the dock, and until the "taxi" wasn't full, we didn't depart. It was very hot and stuffy while waiting inside the "taxi". We were given 3 options to go back to Fira, 10.00, 11.00 and noon. As expected, everyone wanted to be back at noon, to make the most of our stay in Oia, nobody took care of the line, and boarding the noon bus was a mess. When we got to Fira, we were left quite far from the center (and no one directed us where to go).

 

June 2022, Beyond. Checked the prices for water taxi -- 30 Euro pp. Checked the "Oia on your own" with Celebrity, which basically included the same "features" of the "water taxi" + voucher for the cable car down. It was 55$ pp. 

 

This time I've decided to opt for the Celebrity tour -- due to the Covid "situation", I didn't want a "repeat" of waiting almost an hour for the boat to be full....

 

It was very smooth and well organized. We had our bus and our places in the bus reserved, and were given ~2.5 hours in Oia. When we got to Fira, the guide took us to a scenic site and explained where is the cable car and gave us the vouchers.

 

"Water taxi" -- 36 Euro pp (30 + 6 cable car). Celebrity -- 55$ pp. For us - the difference in price was worth it.

 

 

[Sunshine girl Fl]

What was the name of the excursion from celebrity that included the water taxi ?

[dani negreanu]

2 minutes ago, Sunshine girl Fl said:

What was the name of the excursion from celebrity that included the water taxi ?

IIRC -- "Oia on your own".