“Skip Santorini Cable Car” Really Worth It?
Skip the Cable Car in Santorini:
What Cruise Passengers Need to Know in 2025
"Skip the cable car" options are often suggested to cruise travelers stopping in Santorini, as alternative ways to get on the island indepentantly or DIY to avoid the lines of people waiting to ride the cable car. But to truly understand these options, it’s important to get introduced to Santorini’s unique terrain.
Introduction
Cruise ships do not dock directly at Santorini Port; instead, they use tender boats for disembarkation. Passengers disembarking individually are dropped off at the Old Port of Fira, while those booked on group tours are transferred to the New Port of Athinios.
Cars and tourist buses can reach Athinios Port, but they cannot access the Old Port cruise terminal. To leave the Old Port, you have three options:
- Take the cable car
- Walk up 600 steps (also known as the donkey trail)
- Use a boat to another location
Both the cable car and the steps lead up to the cliff top, where you’ll find Fira, the capital of Santorini. Once there, you’ll have several options for exploring the island.
What led to the growing demand to skip the cable car?
Until 2024, Santorini struggled with overtourism and lacked proper berth allocation. On busy days, three or more cruise ships—including mega-ships—could arrive at once, creating crowded and sometimes chaotic scenes at the ports. The Old Port of Fira posed the biggest challenge.
There, independent travelers—those not booked on the cruise ship’s overpriced excursions—were disembarked en masse, as if being punished for their choice. Without effective crowd control, passengers were left to compete with others from different ships, endless queue for the cable car, wandering around the donkey path, or riding water taxis—sometimes unsure where they’d end up. This turned what should have been a dream stopover into a stressful logistical ordeal, especially in the heat and heavy crowds.
Traveler complaints on forums like Cruise Critic and TripAdvisor prompted government intervention, and
by 2025, the situation has improved — the main reason for this updated guide.
How does the cable car works?
The Santorini cable car offers convenient transport from the Old Port at the base of the cliff up to Fira, the island’s main town.
Up until the early 1980s, the only way to reach Fira from the Old Port was by walking or riding a mule up the 600 steep steps—difficult for many visitors, especially the elderly and those with heavy luggage. As tourism and cruise ship arrivals increased, there was a clear need for easier access to the main town.
Built in 1982, this gondola-style funicular can carry up to six passengers per cabin, with a total of six cabins and an overall capacity of 600 people per hour.
The ride takes 3–5 minutes, offering panoramic views of the caldera and Aegean Sea, and drops you right in the heart of Fira.
Unfortunately, there’s no pre-booking or online booking yet, so skip-the-line tickets aren’t available. The fare is 10€ for adults and 5€ for kids each way , and it’s first come, first served.
[Official cable car site with schedule and prices]
Skip the Santorini Cable Car
First off, before we dive in, let’s clear something up: if you’ve booked a group shore excursion through your cruise ship, you’ll skip the cable car—at least when getting off the ship. Keep in mind, if you’re shelling out for that pricey ticket just to be packed in with the crowds all over Santorini, make sure you pick an option that takes you straight back to the ship afterward, instead of dropping you in Fira and making you take the cable car back down. In this case, you’ll be tendered to Athinios Port and hop on a big tour bus for your Santorini excursion and same back.
But independent travelers must make the choice: how do you get up to the island quickly and easily?
Let’s explore the alternatives — then we’ll see why the cable car is often still the best choice.
Option 1: Walking the 587 Steps
For those seeking adventure or exercise, the cobbled staircase is an iconic way to reach Fira. The climb takes 30–40 minutes uphill, with less time descending. Along the way, you’ll enjoy striking views of the Old Port and caldera. However, the steps can be slippery, hot under the summer sun, and physically challenging, making this option unsuitable for elderly visitors, young children, or those with mobility concerns.
Option 2: Riding a Donkey
Riding a donkey up the cliff is a traditional mode of transport in Santorini and can be a fun, quick way to reach the top without walking. While it might feel like an authentic experience, it raises animal welfare concerns, and the donkeys can be unpredictable. Not to mention that on your way up, it’s usually just you and your donkey, with no one around to help if your donkey becomes uncooperative.
Option 3: Water Taxi/Shuttle to Oia
First, the "Water Taxi" transfer is actually a tender boat. After taking your tender from your cruise ship to the Old Port, you'll need to buy tickets on the spot to board the "Water Taxi."
Please note that these are group tours, so you may end up waiting up to an hour for the tender to fill before it departs. Once you arrive at Ammoudi Bay—typically 30-40 minutes later—you'll need to make your way uphill on foot for about 10 minutes to find your shuttle bus. Then hop in a 50-seater bus for a quick 5-minute drive up to the parking lots at the top of Oia. For around 30€, you'll also get a shuttle bus back to Fira, which leaves every hour.
This YouTube video actually walks you through the whole process—from buying your tickets to making your way back to Fira—so you can get a real feel for what to expect.
What they don’t tell you about the "Water Taxi" is that, even though you’ll enjoy a boat ride to Oia and a shuttle bus back to Fira, you still have to take the cable car on your return. So, in reality, it isn’t truly a “skip the cable car” option, is it?
On your way back, you’ll end up in line with everyone else, and since you will probably be the last ones to get there from your cruise ship, you’ll often be at the end of the line—which means many people from your cruise ship will be ahead of you, especially on larger ships.
Option 4: "Skip The Cable Car" Shore Excursions
If you search online, you’ll quickly see tours marketed as “Skip the Cable Car! Tours for Cruise Passengers.” On the surface, these sound like the perfect solution — no lines, no stress, and all logistics handled for you. Prices range widely, from around €45 per person for a group tour to €500 or more for a private transfer.
While these tours are designed to sound convenient — and are heavily advertised — there are some drawbacks you should be aware of before booking.
What You Should Know About “Skip the Cable Car” Tours
- They still start at the Old Port. Even if you book one of these excursions, your cruise ship’s tender will still drop you at the Old Port first. From there, you’ll board a small boat (water taxi) to Athinios, the main ferry port.
- Multiple tender rides. In total, you’ll take at least four boat rides — two between your ship and the Old Port, plus another two between the Old Port and Athinios. This can easily add up to nearly two hours spent just in water and land transfers.
- Weather matters. On calm days, the water taxi ride is manageable. But when it’s windy (which is common in the Aegean), the ride can be rough and uncomfortable.
- Not a Private or Small Group Experience. Despite the marketing, these “Skip the Cable Car” tours are not intimate small-group or private tours. In reality, they’re large group excursions, very similar to the standard tours sold directly by cruise lines.
- Waiting time. Since these are group tours, you’ll often have to wait at the Old Port while the entire group assembles — sometimes including passengers from multiple ships. This can mean more standing around before you even begin your excursion.
Top Reasons to Rethink “Skip the Cable Car” Excursions
On the surface, “Skip the Cable Car” excursions sound like the perfect way to avoid the Old Port crowds. But once you look at the details, it’s clear that these tours come with some major downsides.
- Long Transfers, Little Sightseeing. From the Old Port, you’ll first take a water taxi to Athinios Port, followed by a bus ride up to Oia. That bus ride alone takes over an hour each way. By the time you add in boat rides and waiting around, a five-hour tour often leaves you with less than three hours of actual sightseeing—divided across multiple stops. That’s a lot of moving, and not much enjoying.
- It’s Just Another Group Tour. These excursions are usually run as group tours, which means you’ll still be traveling with dozens of people, following a set schedule, and making quick stops at crowded landmarks. In reality, there’s little difference from the large group tours sold directly by cruise lines—except that the cruise line tours already bypass the Old Port entirely by using Athinios, so you wouldn’t have had to worry about the cable car in the first place.
- Bus Logistics Are a Hassle. Large tour buses can’t park near the heart of Oia or Fira. Instead, they stop at designated lots outside the towns, which means you’ll need to walk in from the parking area. In narrow, busy streets, this quickly becomes tiring and eats further into your limited sightseeing time.
- You Still Face Crowds. Even if you manage to avoid the cable car line, Santorini’s narrow lanes and popular photo spots mean you’ll still spend much of your excursion surrounded by crowds. Whether it’s lining up for photos, waiting to enter a shop, or finding a spot for refreshments, the “skip the line” promise doesn’t really deliver once you’re on the island.
- Time Lost vs. Time Gained. When you add it all up—extra tender rides, long bus transfers, waiting for groups to assemble—it’s hard to argue that these tours actually save you time. In fact, they often result in less time to explore Santorini compared to simply taking the cable car, enjoying Fira at your own pace or organise another activity on the island.
- Peak vs Off-Peak: If you’re visiting Santorini between mid-October and mid-May, there’s usually no need to skip the cable car at all — lines are rare in the off-season. Instead of reaching the top in just five minutes, you may find yourself wasting hours circling the island on buses and boats as part of a “Skip the Cable Car” tour. In fact, you might watch other passengers take the cable car straight up while your tour waits for everyone to gather — sometimes for an hour or more in low season.
- “Skip Cable Car” Does Not Beat Crowds: Let’s be clear: avoiding the cable car line doesn’t mean avoiding crowds. You’ll still be in large groups, traveling on buses, waiting at assembly points, and sharing narrow streets with hundreds of other visitors.
- “Skip Cable Car” Will Not Save You Time: These tours often take longer than the cable car, especially once you factor in multiple tenders, transfers to Athinios Port, and long bus rides across the island.
- Cruise Ship Numbers Matter: If your ship is the only one in port, or ships staying the whole day there is usually no significant waiting time for the cable car, making “skip the cable car” tours completely unnecessary — lines are only build up when several ships disembark thousands of passengers at once. Before booking, it’s always worth checking the cruise port schedule.
- Mobility Issues: For elderly travelers, young children, or anyone with mobility concerns, these tours can be especially difficult. Boarding boats, climbing steps, and walking long distances between parking areas and villages can quickly turn into a challenge.
- Feeling Rushed: These tours try to fit everything into short time. That means a constant cycle of tenders, buses, quick stops for photos, then back on the bus—leaving you little time to actually enjoy each place.
- Priority Tendering: If you’re a high-tier cruise member or have purchased priority tendering, you’ll likely disembark quickly and beat the cable car rush. This alone removes the main reason for booking a “Skip the Cable Car” tour.
- Cruising with Celebrity or Royal Caribbean: You can simply purchase their shuttle service to Fira or Oia, saving both time and money, and arranging your own things or other activities. Sometimes similar services are available on Norwegian and Virgin Cruises, but this depends on the specific sailing.
- Tendering to Athinios Port: If your cruise line accepts to be tendered directly to Athinios Port, as is sometimes the case with lines like Viking. Be aware that there is nothing to do in Athinios itself—it’s purely a transport hub. This option only makes sense if you’ve pre-arranged a private transfer to your hotel or booked a private tour. Otherwise, you’ll just find yourself stuck at the port with limited options.
- Traveling with Family and Friends: This calls for a private tour just for you and your loved ones. Not only can the cost per person be about the same, but you’ll enjoy a customized experience, flexible timing, and insider tips on avoiding crowds, you don't want to follow other big group decisions.
- Being a private tour traveler: For those who want a stress-free visit, a private tour with a trusted local operator is often the perfect solution. These guides know the best ways to bypass crowds, optimize your time, and create a seamless, relaxing experience in Santorini — all without the hassle of long transfers or large group tours.
At a Glance: How to Reach Fira from the Old Port
| Option | Duration | Cost | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cable Car | 3–5 min | €10 one-way | Fastest, scenic, convenient for cruise passengers, supports local community | First-come, first-served (no online booking), lines possible at peak times |
| Walking the 587 Steps | 30–40 min uphill | Free | Scenic views, exercise, immersive experience | Strenuous, hot in summer, slippery steps, not suitable for elderly/children |
| Donkey Ride | 15–20 min | €10 one-way | Traditional experience, avoids physical exertion | Animal welfare concerns, unpredictable, not suitable for emergencies or heavy luggage |
| Water Taxi / Shuttle to Oia | 1–2 hrs including transfers | ~€30 | Scenic boat ride, visit Oia | Multiple transfers, wait times, must take cable car on return, less sightseeing time |
| “Skip the Cable Car” Excursions | 3–5 hrs (varies) | €45–500 | Advertised as hassle-free, organized logistics | Large group, multiple transfers, long waits, crowds, not truly time-saving, not private unless expensive |
“Santorini Cable Car: Reliable?”
Using the cable car might seem as challenging as a steep climb at first, especially with no option to skip the line—it works strictly on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Skip the Cable Car” excursions may help you avoid one queue, but they often replace it with extra transfers, long bus rides, and less freedom.
For most visitors, the cable car remains the most reliable and enjoyable way to start exploring Santorini. And thanks to improved port management policies this year, it's more seamless than ever before.
What’s Changed in 2025?
Santorini has made a major shift toward sustainable tourism. New rules now limit daily cruise-ship visitors to around 8,000, and the island has implemented a digital berth allocation system that schedules cruise arrivals in a more balanced way.
Previously, there were days when up to 17,000 disembarked within hours—now, instead, arrivals are distributed more evenly throughout the day and week, cutting down on congestion, reducing wait times for tenders, and easing pressure on the cable car queues.
Added to that is a new per-passenger cruise fee, implemented from mid-2025. During peak season (June–September), each cruise disembarking at Santorini now pays €20, with lower rates during shoulder and low seasons. The revenue funds infrastructure and tourism management improvements.
This fee has also had a side effect: some low-cost cruise operators have chosen to substitute Santorini with other Greek ports. For Santorini, this has brought a welcome relief during peak weeks, reducing overcrowding and giving both visitors and locals a bit more breathing room.
Why the Cable Car Remains Your Best Option in 2025
- It is the Fastest Option: The ride from the Old Port to the top of the cliff takes less than five minutes. Once you step off, you’re already in the heart of Fira Town — the lively capital full of shops, restaurants, and stunning caldera views.
- Convenience for Cruise Ship Passengers: The cable car station is located directly across from where cruise ship tenders drop passengers. There’s no complicated navigation or extra transfers — just disembark, queue, and ride.
- Scenic Experience: The journey itself is part of the magic. As you ascend above the cliffside, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the caldera, the Aegean Sea, and your ship anchored below. It’s an unforgettable introduction to Santorini.
- Cost-Effectiveness: While “Skip the Cable Car” tours and private transfers can easily cost €30–50 (or more) each way, the cable car offers a round trip for just €20. It’s the most budget-friendly option without sacrificing comfort or efficiency.
- Benefits for the Local Community: The cable car isn’t just a convenience for visitors — it also benefits Santorini itself. Revenue from ticket sales goes to the Nomikos Foundation, which funds local development projects on the island. By choosing the cable car, you’re also giving back to the community.
Traveler Tip: How to Use the Cable Car Effectively
One experienced traveler recommends planning ahead and paying close attention to timing when using the Santorini cable car. During peak cruise ship arrivals, lines can build quickly, so it’s best to ride early or later in the day when fewer passengers are disembarking. Knowing your ship’s schedule and coordinating your cable car ride can save valuable time and help you avoid the crowds.
Should YOU Skip the Cable Car?
At the end of the day, “skip the cable car” sounds like a smart hack — but in reality, cable car stands out as the safest, quickest, and easiest way to get from Santorini’s Old Port up to the heart of Fira — especially for cruise passengers with limited time on the island.
That said, every traveler is different. Your decision will depend on your ship’s schedule, the season you’re visiting, and whether you prefer independent exploration or a guided tour.
👉 If you’d like more detailed tips on disembarking in Santorini, avoiding bottlenecks, and making the most of your time ashore, feel free to get in touch with us anytime. Just send us a message — we’re happy to share personalized advice and help you plan a stress-free visit.
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