Fira Cable Car Explanation

[Jayhoaps]

Hello everyone, I will be cruising into Oia and Fira in September. I have booked an excursion to see Oia and Fira but will have to take the cable car to get to the pier. Just wanted to clarify how this works, or the logistics of it. So when in Fira, do I go to the booth to get a ticket for the cable car? I have heard of wait can an hour, if there are many ships. So while waiting, how do you know where it is your turn to take the cable car? Do they call you? Are you given a number? or do you just wait in line? Just want to plan for my time there, and knowing how the cable car works will be extremely helpful for me while giving me peace of mind. Any insight or advice in this manner would be greatly appreciated. Best Regards.

[marazul]

Your tour guide will give you a ticket which should be included in the tour price. Then you stand in line.  No numbers, no calls, just wait your turn in line. You know it's your turn to get on when you get to the car. 

[mapleleaves]

Your tour includes the cable car ticket??

You don't ride the cable car to get TO the pier.

 

Typically you take a tender from your ship to the pier and immediately join a queue of a few thousand people who are waiting to buy a ticket.

There are only 6 cars in each direction and each car only holds 6 pax, so the line can be horrendous.  It's only a 3 minute ride but do the math to see how long it takes to move a few thousand cruise pax.

And you CAN'T buy a return ticket so you have to stand in line for each direction.  And there is only one line ....whether you have a ticket (voucher) already or not you stand in the same line. Our line was 2 hrs for the trip going up, but no wait for the return trip. 

Edited May 2 by mapleleaves
voucher

[marazul]

23 minutes ago, mapleleaves said:

Your tour includes the cable car ticket??

You don't ride the cable car to get TO the pier.

 

Typically you take a tender from your ship to the pier and immediately join a queue of a few thousand people who are waiting to buy a ticket.

There are only 6 cars in each direction and each car only holds 6 pax, so the line can be horrendous.  It's only a 3 minute ride but do the math to see how long it takes to move a few thousand cruise pax.

And you CAN'T buy a return ticket so you have to stand in line for each direction.  And there is only one line ....whether you have a ticket (voucher) already or not you stand in the same line. Our line was 2 hrs for the trip going up, but no wait for the return trip. 

I think the OP is taking a ship's tour that ends in Fira and needs to take the cable car down. Chances are they tender to Athinios and only return from Fira.  AFAIK - ship excursions provide the return ticket for the cable car.

[mapleleaves]

2 hours ago, marazul said:

I think the OP is taking a ship's tour that ends in Fira and needs to take the cable car down. Chances are they tender to Athinios and only return from Fira.  AFAIK - ship excursions provide the return ticket for the cable car.

You may be right ! I read it differently.

 

Even with a return ticket you still have to stand in line. In order to board the cable car you have to stop at the ticket office, whether you're buying a ticket or showing them a ticket/voucher.

 

@Jayhoaps  use cruisemapper or a similar site to see which ships are in port with you, as well as their hours and # of pax.  Are you prepared to walk down the stairs if the line is long? 

 

[Jayhoaps]

14 hours ago, marazul said:

Your tour guide will give you a ticket which should be included in the tour price. Then you stand in line.  No numbers, no calls, just wait your turn in line. You know it's your turn to get on when you get to the car. 

Thanks for your reply, I truly appreciate it. 

[Jayhoaps]

9 hours ago, mapleleaves said:

You may be right ! I read it differently.

 

Even with a return ticket you still have to stand in line. In order to board the cable car you have to stop at the ticket office, whether you're buying a ticket or showing them a ticket/voucher.

 

@Jayhoaps  use cruisemapper or a similar site to see which ships are in port with you, as well as their hours and # of pax.  Are you prepared to walk down the stairs if the line is long? 

 

Thank you for your reply, I greatly appreciate it.

 

Yes I purchased an excursion entitled Oia and Fira. In the tour description it says we must take cable cars down. Thanks for all your insight, if the line is too long , I will still wait. But I also understand, the stairs is an option. 

[mapleleaves]

In a trip report last summer, someone reported that at the bottom of the stairs at Amoudi Bay ( OIA)  there were 2 boats taking pax back to the tender dock below Fira.  They were even taking reservations.  These were not the same boats that take pax from the tender dock TO Amoudi.

 

So when you're in Oia, it might be worthwhile to see if those boats are operating.  This would enable you to avoid the cable car fiasco. You'd also miss Fira but hopefully you got your fill of blue domes and views in Oia.

[mskaufman]

Here is a view of the cable car/donkey path

[combine]

On 5/2/2024 at 3:39 PM, marazul said:

I think the OP is taking a ship's tour that ends in Fira and needs to take the cable car down. Chances are they tender to Athinios and only return from Fira.  AFAIK - ship excursions provide the return ticket for the cable car.

Yes that is  our experience also. Tender to Athinios for ships tour , so no cable car journey up in the morning. We have taken two ships tours the last two summers and the cable car ticket was included in the ships tour.. The length of time to wait for cable car down is totally dependent on how many and  how big the ships are. Both times we were on Azamara and never stopped walking,  straight through ticket booth to the car and straight down. This was about 1.30pm for our return to the ship.

[mskaufman]

We had the ticket included and waited close to an hour in the heat.

[John Bull]

On 5/4/2024 at 1:35 AM, mskaufman said:

Here is a view of the cable car/donkey path

 

The donkey path can barely be seen in that photo, it's further to the left.

Here's a video of walking down it (there is a video of walking up it, but my health would probably suffer if I just watched it  😂).

 

Take about 25 mins to walk down

 

JB🙂