Sebeco Lines Speedboat Symi: Budget Day Trip from Kolona Harbor, Rhodes

SEBECO LINES MARITIME COMPANY

Speedboat Trip to Symi with Free Time to Explore

★ 4.5 (5,796) · from $35

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Prices and timetables checked 17 October 2026. This page contains affiliate links.

The sebeco lines speedboat symi trip is the cheapest fast crossing from Rhodes to Symi: 35 USD (about €31) for a round trip on a modern speedboat with an air-conditioned cabin and a sundeck. It leaves from Kolona Harbor, not Mandraki, and gives you more time on Symi than the pricier listings.

What changes the decision is how the day is sold versus how it runs. The listing says over three hours on Symi, yet reviewers report four to five hours ashore and a crossing of 1 hour 20 minutes each way. No swim stop appears in the listing, so this is a sightseeing-and-lunch day, not a beach day.

What is the sebeco lines speedboat symi trip and what do you see?

It is a round-trip crossing from Rhodes to Symi with free time ashore, run by Sebeco Lines on a vessel that carries passengers but no cars. The listing sells the views on the way out as much as the island.

• Rhodes Old Town: castle walls, minarets and the medieval clock tower from the water.
• Passing sights the listing names: Naillac Tower (46 m), the Mandraki windmills, the fortress at the harbour mouth (Saint Nicholas Fortress) and the Rhodes Aquarium.
• Symi: a town built in an amphitheatre around its harbour, with neoclassical houses that reflect in calm water.
• Optional walk: a reviewer climbed about 500 steps from the harbour to the village of Chorio for the view.

The listing places Naillac Tower, the windmills, the fortress and the Aquarium on your left as you leave, so sit on the left side if the skyline matters to you.

Where does it leave from and how do you get there?

The boat leaves from Kolona Harbor, on the Rhodes Town waterfront, and you look for the Sebeco Lines boat. The listing gives the pin but no street address.

Arrive early. A reviewer who stood in the queue 45 minutes before departure found it already long, and says the boat was close to full. Another says departure was punctual to the minute at both ends, so being late is the real risk.

I could not confirm a public fare for the bus to the harbour, so I do not quote one. From the Old Town, the walking route to Kolona Harbor link shows the minutes from your own hotel.

What is the route and how long are you on Symi?

The listing gives a 7-hour total and "over three hours" on the island, but reviewers say 4 or 5 hours depending on the day. Treat three hours as the floor and ask Sebeco Lines for your return time.

Save Symi harbour on your map before you sail. I have not estimated walking times on Symi because the listing names no ticketed sight.

How should you spend three to five hours on Symi?

On a sebeco lines speedboat symi day, pick one anchor activity and keep a margin of at least 30 minutes for the walk back to the quay. The listing gives no itinerary on the island, so this plan comes from the harbour layout and what reviewers report.

1. Harbour first: walk the quay and the Symi waterfront for photographs while the light is good.
2. Lunch early: tavernas fill when the boats land; the sibling listings on this route single out Symi shrimps.
3. Climb or shop: a reviewer took about 500 steps up to Chorio village for the view and called it worth it; others stayed on the lanes near the ports.
4. Back at the quay 30 minutes early: departures at both ends are described as punctual.

With only three hours, skip the climb. With five, the climb and a long lunch both fit, which is why the extra hour reviewers report matters.

Is the sebeco lines speedboat symi trip worth it versus the other Symi boats?

It is the best value for a plain Symi day, and the worst fit if you want swimming. It costs about half of the premium boats and matches the slower 8-hour boats on price.

My pick: choose the Sebeco Lines speedboat if you value money and island hours; pick the Rhodes Sea Lines trip if you want the swim. The Rhodes boat tours hub and the island hopping page show the wider choice.

When does it sail?

The listing does not print departure times; the booking calendar shows starting times per date. I found no confirmed times in the listing, so I will not print a timetable.

• Ask: the exact departure, the Symi departure, and which day of the week the boat does not run.
• Season: the listing states none; check dates in October to March before planning around it.
• Reschedule: a reviewer who cancelled after the deadline says the operator moved the booking at no cost; that is one report, not a policy.

What is on board and what is included?

You get the crossing, the sundeck and the cabin, but the listing contradicts itself on food and a guide. Treat meals as not included unless Sebeco Lines confirms.

On the sebeco lines speedboat symi day, cash helps. Because the inclusions are unclear, carry euros for a coffee on board, lunch on Symi and any tip for the crew. Wear shoes that grip: the Symi lanes are paved but steep, and the climb to Chorio is stairs, not a path.

Bring a light layer even in summer. Speedboats create their own wind, and the air-conditioned cabin runs cold, which is the reason I would pack a thin jacket whatever the season.

When is the best time to go?

June to September gives the hottest, driest days, while the long-term data shows roughly 7 to 14 rainy days a month from November to March. Sea was 24.8 °C on 17 October 2026.

Check the sea forecast with the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS); the Hellenic Coast Guard (hcg.gr) handles sailing bans in strong winds. A reviewer warns the boat can get choppy and may not suit anyone prone to seasickness.

7 million+ passengers used Rhodes Diagoras Airport in 2025, 2.5% more than in 2024, which is why morning boats fill fast.

What do passengers say?

For the Sebeco Lines speedboat Symi trip, the sample I read is positive-only (10 five-star reviews), so I leaned on the AI summary and the sub-scores: transport 4.5, value 4.5.

• Punctual: crossings leave and return on time.
• Comfortable: air-conditioned seating gets repeated praise.
• Crowded: one reviewer found nearly every seat taken.
• Information: the summary says free-time and return-time details could be clearer.

The low point is the rating itself: 4.5 is lower than the 4.7 of the premium Symi boats, and the complaints centre on crowding and air-conditioning noise.

Who should skip this trip?

Skip it if you want to swim, snorkel or eat on board. Also skip it if travel sickness is a concern, because a reviewer calls the ride choppy. Look at the Romantika snorkelling cruise for swimming, or the snorkelling tours page.

How do you book the sebeco lines speedboat symi trip?

Frequently asked questions

Sources: GetYourGuide listing 432146, Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Hellenic Coast Guard, Fraport Greece, Open-Meteo, Nager.Date, Frankfurter APIs.