Ferry ticket discounts for substitute teachers

Ferry ticket discounts for substitute teachers

Substitute teachers assigned to Greek islands often need to arrange their journey within a limited period. Travel costs become higher when they need to transport a car or motorcycle, making special ferry ticket discounts an important financial benefit.

Discounts for substitute teachers are not offered as a permanent, uniform fare by every ferry company. They are announced for specific travel periods, routes and ferry operators through cooperation between the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy.

Discounts can reach 50%, while several offers also cover the transportation of a car or motorcycle.

What applies for the 2026–2027 school year

As of 4 September 2026, no official announcement has been published concerning ferry ticket discounts for substitute teachers travelling to their assigned location for the 2026–2027 school year.

The discount available from 23 August to 11 September 2026 applies specifically to newly appointed teachers and should not be confused with the separate travel benefit offered to substitute teachers.

Substitute teachers should wait for the new official announcement, which is expected to specify:

• Participating ferry companies
• Discount percentages
• Valid travel dates
• Eligible ferry routes
• Discounts for cars and motorcycles
• The ticket issuance procedure
• Required supporting documents

Before booking, passengers can contact booktickets.gr to check the available fares and confirm how the discount can be applied to their chosen route.

How much is the discount for substitute teachers?

The discount is not the same across all ferry companies. Based on the latest official measures for the 2025–2026 school year, passenger discounts ranged from 30% to 50%.

Where vehicle discounts were available, reductions ranged from 20% to 50%. Some companies offered the discount only on the teacher’s passenger ticket, without including a car or motorcycle.

The special fares were mainly activated during key travel periods, including:

• Travel to the assigned teaching location
• Christmas holidays
• Easter holidays
• Return to the permanent place of residence after the end of the school year

Which companies offered discounts in 2025–2026?

The following information concerns the latest confirmed benefits offered at the end of the 2025–2026 school year. It is provided as a practical guide. These travel periods have ended and the offers are not currently active for the new school year.

Aegean Sea Lines

Aegean Sea Lines offered a 50% discount on passenger tickets and a 30% discount on cars and motorcycles.

The discount applied to journeys to and from Piraeus between 19 June and 3 July 2026.

Attica Group

Attica Group, which includes Blue Star Ferries, Hellenic Seaways and ANEK Lines, provided a 50% discount on:

• All passenger seat categories
• Cars
• Motorcycles
• Direct routes and intermediate ferry connections

The benefit covered routes serving the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, the North Aegean islands, the Saronic Gulf and Crete.

To activate the discount, an authorisation number and the corresponding special fare for substitute teachers were required.

Dodekanisos Seaways

Dodekanisos Seaways offered a 50% discount on passenger tickets for substitute teachers during the 2025–2026 school year.

The offer did not include vehicle transportation.

Fast Ferries

Fast Ferries offered:

• A 30% discount on passenger tickets
• A 20% discount on cars and motorcycles

For the end of the school year, the discount applied from 19 June to 3 July 2026.

Levante Ferries Group

Levante Ferries Group provided a 50% discount on both the teacher’s passenger ticket and the ticket for their car or motorcycle.

Discounted tickets were issued through the consortium’s ticket offices after the required supporting documents had been presented.

Minoan Lines

Minoan Lines offered a 50% discount on passenger tickets for substitute teachers working in primary and secondary education on the company’s domestic routes.

SEAJETS

SEAJETS offered a 50% discount on:

• The teacher’s passenger ticket
• Cars
• Motorcycles

The discount applied on all company vessels from 19 June to 3 July 2026. Tickets with the special fare were issued exclusively through cooperating travel agencies and were not available through online booking systems.

Find all the routes

Skyros Shipping Co.

Skyros Shipping Co. offered a 50% discount on the substitute teacher’s passenger ticket and the ticket for their car.

According to the latest official announcement, this benefit was available throughout the year.

Which documents are required?

The following documents are generally required to issue a discounted ferry ticket:

• The ministerial decision or Government Gazette confirming the teacher’s recruitment or placement
• A valid national identity card
• Vehicle details when the discount includes a car or motorcycle

The recruitment or placement decision may be requested in printed or photocopied form. Keeping an electronic copy on a mobile phone is also useful, although each ferry company may still request a printed document.

Passengers should carry the same supporting documents when boarding, as ferry company staff may verify their eligibility before departure.

How is the discounted ticket issued?

The ticket issuance process is not the same for every ferry company. Some special fares may be available through booking systems, while others are issued only by cooperating travel agencies or the company’s central port offices.

Before completing payment:

1. Select the departure port, destination and travel date.
2. Check which ferry company operates the route.
3. Confirm that the travel date falls within the discount period.
4. Ask whether the discount covers only the passenger or also the vehicle.
5. Have the recruitment or placement decision and identity card available.
6. Do not purchase a full-fare ticket before confirming the procedure, as the price difference may not be refunded afterwards.

Through booktickets.gr, passengers can search for ferry routes, compare departure times and prices, and receive information about the correct ticket issuance process.

What should you check before booking?

A ferry company’s participation in an earlier programme does not mean that the same discount remains active. Each new travel period may have different dates, conditions and participating operators.

Check the following before booking:

• Whether the offer applies to substitute teachers or only to newly appointed teachers
• Whether the selected ferry route is included
• Whether the discount applies to a one-way journey, a return journey or both directions
• Whether all passenger seat categories are eligible
• Whether cabins or other accommodation categories are excluded
• Whether the discount can be combined with another offer
• Whether the ticket must be issued through a physical travel agency
• Whether seats are available under the special fare

Early confirmation is essential, as official announcements may be published only a few days before the eligible travel period begins.

Frequently asked questions

Are all teachers entitled to discounted ferry tickets?

No. The special fare applies only to the categories of teachers explicitly included in each official announcement. Substitute teachers and newly appointed teachers are separate categories and may have different travel dates, participating companies and discount conditions.

Can the discount for substitute teachers reach 50%?

Yes. Several ferry companies have offered discounts of up to 50%. The final percentage is determined by the ferry company, route, travel period and ticket category.

Does the discount also apply to cars?

Several offers include cars and motorcycles. This benefit is not available from every ferry company, and the vehicle discount may differ from the passenger discount.

Can I book the discounted ticket online?

Not every special fare is available through online booking. Some ferry companies require tickets to be issued by a cooperating travel agency or an authorised port office.

Which documents do I need?

Passengers need the recruitment or placement decision and a valid identity card. These documents should be available both when the ticket is issued and when boarding the ferry.

Can I request the discount after purchasing my ticket?

Converting a full-fare ticket into a discounted ticket is not always possible. Eligibility and the special fare should be confirmed before the ticket is issued.

Is the same discount valid throughout the school year?

Not for every ferry company. Many offers are activated only for travel to the assigned location, the Christmas holidays, the Easter holidays or the end of the school year.

Does the discount apply to all ferry routes?

No. Each announcement specifies the companies and routes included. A discount offered by one company may not apply to every domestic route operated by that company.

Can the discount be combined with another offer?

In most cases, special fares cannot be combined with other offers or passenger discounts. The conditions should always be checked before the booking is completed.

In brief

Substitute teachers may significantly reduce the cost of ferry travel when an active agreement is available for the company serving their route.

The discount percentage, vehicle coverage, valid dates and ticket issuance method must be confirmed before each booking. With the recruitment decision, identity card and correct information available, the discounted ticket can be issued without unnecessary delays.

Content editor: booktickets.gr

Last update: September 2026