Superfast Ferries & ANEK Lines

Overview

Superfast Ferries and ANEK Lines both belong to the Attica Group, the Greek shipping group that also owns Blue Star Ferries and Hellenic Seaways. On paper they look like two separate companies with two separate websites, superfast.com and anek.gr. In practice, the Adriatic crossings between Italy and Greece run under one legal operator: Blue Star Ferries Maritime S.A. & Co Joint Venture. Its official terms and conditions for the Adriatic Sea confirm this, and the same timetables and fares appear identically on superfast.com, bluestarferries.com, hsw.gr and anek.gr.

ANEK’s own site makes the arrangement obvious. Its destinations menu lists only Greek domestic islands – Crete and the Aegean – and its page of Adriatic discounts simply links back to Superfast’s offers. Book an ANEK ticket for Ancona–Patras and you may well sail on a Superfast-branded ship, or the other way around; even the Venice port contact listed on Superfast’s own site uses an @anekitalia.com email address. For how these two compare with the other operators on this route, see our ferry companies overview.

Routes and Seasons

The joint service connects three Italian ports to Greece. From Ancona and Bari, ships reach both Patras and Igoumenitsa; from Venice, Superfast’s own port page states that only Igoumenitsa and Patras are reachable, not Corfu or Kefalonia further south. Ancona–Patras is the busiest of the three and typically an overnight run of around 20–21 hours; Bari–Igoumenitsa is the shorter option, at roughly 8–10 hours.

Neither company publishes a static year-round timetable with exact departure times – those live inside the booking engine and shift with the season. What is published in writing is a camper-specific offer: book a motorhome crossing to Igoumenitsa, Corfu or Patras from Ancona, Venice or Bari by 8 March 2026 and the vehicle fare drops by 20 percent, for travel through the end of the year. That is a discount on the vehicle ticket, not free accommodation on board.

The Fleet

Superfast’s own fleet page names four ships working the Adriatic: Superfast I and Superfast II, sister ships from 2008 and 2009, each 199 metres long with room for 938 passengers and 371 beds; Superfast III, a 204-metre ship from 2000 carrying up to 1,850 passengers; and Ariadne, the oldest of the four, built in 1996 and just under 196 metres. Garage capacity runs from roughly 2,050 to 2,550 lane metres depending on the ship, enough for a full mix of cars, motorhomes and trucks.

ANEK’s fleet page is harder to pin to this route. It lists Asterion II, Kissamos, Elyros and Prevelis, but only Elyros comes with published specifications (1998, 192 metres, 1,880 passengers), and the Attica Group’s own fleet page marks Prevelis as inactive. None of ANEK’s port or destination pages confirm which, if any, of these ships actually sail the Adriatic in 2026 – the evidence instead points to the route being covered by the Superfast/Blue Star fleet described above, under the joint service.

Cabins and Seats

Both brands use the same accommodation vocabulary, worth knowing before you book. There is no “inside/outside/deluxe” naming here: the official Adriatic terms and conditions state that cabins are characterised and offered as 2-bed, 3-bed or 4-bed, depending on the number of passengers using them, not on any extra facilities. Passengers who skip the cabin travel on aircraft-type seats, listed as Airseats on the fleet pages of Superfast and of ANEK’s Elyros alike.

Disabled-accessible cabins and dedicated pet cabins appear on every ship’s fleet page alongside the standard cabins and Airseats. One thing you will not find any more is camping on board: Superfast discontinued letting passengers stay in their motorhome on the car deck back in 2004, citing ISPS security rules, and books those passengers into cabins instead. The 20 percent camper discount mentioned above is a fare reduction, not overnight accommodation in the vehicle. For how cabin classes compare across operators, see our cabin guide.

Fares and Discounts

Superfast publishes a genuine spread of discounts for the Adriatic, and most of them do not combine with each other. Children under 4 pay a flat €6 with no bed or seat, or 50 percent with one; children aged 4 to 12 get 50 percent off. Travellers aged 13 to 25, or anyone with an ISIC or EYC card at any age, get 20 percent off; the same 20 percent applies from age 60. None of these touch fuel surcharges, the EU-ETS environmental charge or pet fares.

The return-ticket discount is the exception to the no-stacking rule: book both legs on the same reservation and you get 30 percent off, on top of the discounts above. Members of automobile or motorhome clubs get 15 percent on Ancona, Venice and Bari sailings through the end of 2026, provided the vehicle travels with a member and proof is shown at check-in. Interrail and Eurail pass holders travel free on the Adriatic leg with a Global or Balkan Flexipass, or at 30 percent off with a Greece, Italy, RIT, FIP or NRT pass.

Check-in

The rule is identical for every passenger, on foot or with a vehicle: be at the embarkation area at least three hours before the scheduled departure. Superfast’s terms and conditions for the Adriatic cite ISPS security compliance as the reason, with no separate, shorter window for foot passengers. Bring a boarding card, a valid passport or ID, your vehicle documents, and proof of any discount you are claiming.

Web check-in exists on both superfast.com and anek.gr, linked from the main navigation, but neither site states an exact cutoff time for completing it online – so the three-hour port-arrival rule is the figure to actually plan around. If you are travelling with a motorhome or towing a trailer, our camper fares guide explains how vehicle categories are typically priced across operators.

Travelling with Pets

Superfast offers two ways to bring an animal on the Adriatic. A dedicated pet cabin costs €50 per animal per crossing, with a surcharge of 50 to 70 percent for single occupancy depending on route and season; a kennel space costs €20 per animal per crossing, with limited spots the company recommends booking ahead of time. Up to five animals per passenger are allowed on a non-commercial trip, under EU regulation 576/2013, and full vaccination plus an EU pet passport are required for EU citizens travelling with dogs, cats or ferrets.

On deck, pets need a leash and muzzle and stay with their owner; they cannot enter restaurants, bars or the vehicle deck during the crossing, and unaccompanied animals are not accepted. Assistance and therapy dogs are the exception, travelling inside without a carrier or muzzle. ANEK’s own registration page for companion animals mentions free tickets, which does not match Superfast’s priced fees – since the Adriatic service runs under the joint agreement described above, Superfast’s fees are the ones to budget for on this crossing. Our guide to ferry travel with pets covers documents and preparation in more detail.

FAQ

Are Superfast Ferries and ANEK Lines really the same service?

Legally, yes, on the Adriatic. Both brands sell tickets for the same Ancona, Bari and Venice crossings to Greece, operated by Blue Star Ferries Maritime S.A. & Co Joint Venture within the Attica Group. ANEK’s own site lists only Greek domestic islands as destinations and points Adriatic customers to Superfast’s offers.

How early do I need to check in?

At least three hours before the scheduled departure. The rule applies the same way to foot passengers and drivers, under ISPS security rules that make no distinction between them.

Can I sleep in my motorhome on the car deck?

No. Superfast discontinued camping on board in 2004 for security reasons and books affected passengers into cabins instead. A 20 percent early-booking discount exists for camper vehicle fares, but it does not include overnight accommodation on the vehicle deck.

How much is the return-ticket discount?

30 percent off, provided the outbound and return tickets are issued together under the same booking, with matching passenger names and vehicle category. It is the one discount that stacks with the other fare reductions.

What does it cost to bring a pet?

A pet cabin costs €50 per animal per crossing, or €20 per animal for a kennel space, with a maximum of five animals per passenger on a non-commercial trip. Kennel space is limited, so book ahead if you are travelling with an animal.