The strait between Paros and Antiparos is about two kilometres wide at its narrowest point. Crossing it is one of the simplest parts of getting to Antiparos, but there are two different ways to do it and they are not interchangeable.
The car ferry from Pounda
Pounda is a small settlement on the west coast of Paros, about twenty minutes by taxi or bus from Paros port (Parikia). It is not much — a dock, a car park, a small café — but it is where you go if you have a vehicle, a bicycle, or heavy luggage.
The car ferry is a small flat-bottomed vessel. It carries cars, motorbikes, bicycles, and foot passengers, and it runs approximately every 30 to 40 minutes during high season, from roughly 6am to 10pm. The crossing takes ten minutes.
Tickets are bought at the dock. In peak season, the queue for vehicles can be significant — particularly on weekends when visitors are arriving or departing en masse. If you are bringing a car, arrive with at least an hour to spare in July and August.
Foot passengers simply board when space allows. There is no assigned seating.
The passenger ferry from Parikia
From Paros port itself, a conventional small passenger ferry runs directly to Antiparos port several times daily. The crossing takes approximately 30 minutes and the journey is more comfortable than the car ferry — you are on a proper vessel with seating, rather than standing on an open deck.
The schedule is less frequent than the car ferry and varies by season. In high summer, there are typically four to six crossings daily; fewer in shoulder months. Check the current schedule in advance.
This is the better option if you are on foot, arriving by ferry to Parikia and continuing directly to Antiparos without needing to cross the island first.
Which one to take
Take the Pounda car ferry if you have a vehicle, bicycle, or prefer the shorter crossing. Take the Parikia passenger ferry if you are arriving at Paros port and want to continue directly without a taxi transfer. For most visitors arriving by long-haul ferry from Athens, the logistics of the Parikia ferry are simpler.
Note that Antiparos port and Agios Georgios (the south of the island) are about eight kilometres apart. If you are heading south — to The Fortress, for example — a car or bicycle is useful on the Antiparos side.
Tickets and practicalities
Both ferries are cheap — single crossing tickets cost a few euros per person, with additional charges for vehicles. There are no advance bookings for the car ferry; you pay at the dock. The passenger ferry may have advance booking options depending on the operator.
In the event of strong winds, both crossings may be suspended. The strait between Paros and Antiparos channels the meltemi — the northerly wind that blows strongly through the Cyclades in July and August — and the ferry operators exercise discretion about whether to run. This rarely causes long delays but it is worth knowing.