Pireus to Symi:
A modern Odessey!

During the last session of the Symi Council it was decided unanimously to start court action against the Minister of Mercantile Marine, Mr Manolis Kefalogiannis because of his decision to award the contract for the subsidised route between Pireus and Rhodes to Blue Star Ferry "Diagoras" even though Symi was excluded from the route. The decision by the council follows the extrajudicial invitation to the Ministry sent by the Municipality explaining the reasons why the contract (worth 18,000 Euros a week) should not be signed. The Municipality is protesting at the fact that the same subsidy will be given to Blue Star as if "Diagoras" were stopping at Symi. In addition, the award of a three-year contract (which can be extended for another three) could mean that there may be no connection between Symi and Pireus for many years to come.

While the protest continues, Blue Star Ferries have announced the procedure for transporting passengers, vehicles and goods to and from Symi following the company's decision for "Diagoras"
to not stop at Symi. In a letter seen by SymiGreece (addressed to Symi-based ANES and Symi Tours travel agents and copied among others to the Municipality of Symi and the Ministry of Mercantile Marine), Mr Dimitris Theodoratos, the Managing Director of Blue Star Ferries, says that the transportation to and from Symi from either Rhodes or Kos will be free of charge for the permanent residents of Symi including their vehicles according to the following schedule:

From Symi: Passengers could take any available boat from Symi to Rhodes (i.e. ANES or Dodekanisos Seaways boat) and then board the following ferries from Rhodes (or Kos) to Pireaus:

Saturday: "Blue Star 2" leaving Rhodes at 10:00.
Thursday: "Diagoras" leaving Rhodes at 18:00.
Wednesday: "Diagoras" leaving Kos at 20:45.

Passengers who leave from Symi and go to Pireus would buy their Symi-Rhodes or Symi-Kos tickets from ANES or Symi Tours travel agents and pay the normal ticket price. As soon as they board the respective Blue Star Ferry (in Rhodes or Kos) they should go to the boat's Accounts Department and ask for a refund for their ticket from Symi. In order to receive a refund, they should:

(a) present their boat ticket from Symi,
(b) have proof that they are permanent Symi residents, and
(c) travel to Pireus with a Blue Star Ferry on the same day they arrived in Rhodes.

From Rhodes: Passengers would take the following boats from Pireus to Rhodes and then use any available boat from Rhodes to Symi:

Saturday: "Blue Star 2" arriving in Rhodes at 08:45.
Friday: "Blue Star 2" leaving Rhodes at 08:20.

Passengers arriving in Rhodes would get their Rhodes-Symi tickets from the "Rhodes Ferry Services" travel agency of Mr Mougros Skeuos located at the Rhodes Harbour without paying for the ticket as long as they:

(a) present their Pireus to Rhodes ticket,
(b) have proof that they are permanent Symi residents, and
(c) travel to Symi on the same day they arrived in Rhodes.

In order for a passenger to prove they are a permanent Symi resident, they should have one of the following: an identity card (stating they are a Symi resident), a tax statement issued by the local tax office in Rhodes, or a certificate from the Municipality of Symi

The reaction to the above plans have been one of disbelief and anger as: (a) there is no provision for a scheduled ferry connection between Rhodes and Symi (which was a tender requirement) other than to "take the next boat whenever that is", (b) the complexity and bureaucracy involved in getting a ticket might deter people altogether and (c) there is no provision whatsoever for visitors to Symi who could be discouraged from coming to the island as apart from having to negotiate an indirect and lengthy route, they would now also be expected to pay a much larger fare.