Trieste to Patras Ferry

The Trieste to Patras ferry is the northernmost Italy-Greece crossing and the longest scheduled route on the Adriatic, connecting the port of Trieste in Italy's far northeast, near the Slovenian border, with Patras on the Peloponnese, Greece's main western gateway for Athens and the south. It exists chiefly as an extension of the busy Ancona-Igoumenitsa-Patras corridor, added to serve freight and travellers from northern Italy, Austria and central Europe who want to avoid the long drive down the peninsula.

Operator and routing

The line is operated by Minoan Lines, now part of the Grimaldi Group, and is the only scheduled ferry link between Trieste and Greece. It is an indirect service: sailings call at Igoumenitsa before continuing to Patras, so the ship serves both mainland Greek ports on the same voyage. The route was created at the end of 2012 as a several-times-weekly extension of the Ancona line and is worked by large cruise-ferries such as Cruise Europa and Cruise Olympia, among the biggest ships on the Adriatic, with cabins, garage decks, restaurants, bars, a pool and shops.

Crossing time and frequency

Because of the long distance up to the head of the Adriatic, this is a multi-day crossing spanning two nights: total sailing time to Patras is roughly 30 to 32 hours, with Igoumenitsa reached several hours earlier. Frequency is limited to a few departures per week rather than daily, and a cabin is effectively for the overnight legs.

Ports, vehicles and documents

The route carries cars, motorhomes, caravans, motorcycles, coaches and freight lorries as well as foot passengers, and it is popular with truckers and long-distance caravanners. As both Italy and Greece are EU and Schengen members, EU travellers need only a valid photo ID, while non-EU passengers should carry a passport. From Patras, motorways run directly to Athens.