There are direct charter flights to Kefalonia from May to October from the following countries : United Kingdom (Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Newcastle, Stansted), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Cyprus (Larnaca), Slovenia (Ljubljana), Switzerland (Zürich), Serbia (Beograd), Russia (Pulkovo), Austria (Wien, Graz, Innsbrück), Finland (Helsinki), Norway (Oslo), Slovakia (Bratislava), Czechs Republic (Prague), Italy (Rimini), Germany (Weeze), Denmark (Copenhagen), Hungary (Budapest). There are correspondance charters from Greece (Chania in Crete, Skiathos, Corfu) and regular flights from Preveza, Zakynthos and Thessaloniki (Salonica).
There is usually two daily regular flights of Olympic Air from Athens to Argostoli (EFL - Kefalonia International Airport). The ticket costs about 80-100 Euros, if it is a one way ticket. The Arrival is an hour later. The airplane is a small but modern ATR (42 or 72 passengers) with screws.

You can travel by train only up to Brindisi or Ancona (Italy) by the Eurostar or by another less fast train ; then you have to embark a ferry boat (look further down). Information at the italian public train company : trenitalia.com
There is also a train leaving from Athens for Patras. But you will always finish your journey in ship. This Intercity is called : "Parthenon" (IC10). It departs from Piraeus at 11:43 and arrives at 15:33. When you return , it departs at 16:35 and arrives in Piraeus at 20:25 (IC11). The supplement costs about 5 Euros for a class A seat and 4 Euro for class B. You can be informed on the prices of the tickets in the site of the train company : OSE.
More information on the prices in Europe : Raileurope aŭ Interail (if you are less than 26 years old).
If you want to know everything about the schedules and the directions in Europe, you should find the Europe by Rail guide book : Thomas Cook Publishing.

The route is more or less the same as the one you would follow if you come by train through Italy up to Brindisi. You can also embark on a ferry boat in Ancona or in Venice. It depends on your preferences. If you come for a North European country (i.e. very long trip), better to imbark in Venice, if you come from France or North of Italy, the best choice is Ancona. Brindisi is very convenient for Italians from Rome and the South. Furthermore, bringing the car with you can be of great advantage because you will always need it to explore Kefalonia. As far as the kilometres are concerned, you can consult the site of Via Michelin.

1 - International lines
It is possible that you go by bus up to Brindisi , Ancona or Venice so as to cross the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea on ship. You can find more about it if you visit the site of Eurolines.com.
2 - Greek lines
Otherwise, if you arrive by airplane in Athens, you can travel by the regional lines. The pullmans depart from the Kifissos Bus Station, known also as KTEL station (connection by bus 051 from center of Athens & bus 420 from Pireas) and go directly to Argostoli. The journey lasts around 6 hours (included a stop of twenty minutes to stretch). The price of the ferry boat is included in the price you will pay at the KTEL bus station in Athens but they will give you two different tickets . All together, coming to Kephalonia will cost you around 45 Euros for a one-way ticket. You can buy the ticket in the office of the bus station which is simply called "Kephalonia".
You have two options as far as the buses are concerned :
1- The route Athens - Patras (the embarking port) - Sami (port of Cephalonia)
2 - The route Athens - Kyllini (the embarking port) - Poros (port of Cephalonia)
Both routes have the same duration, but if you choose the first one the journey on the ship is longer (2:45), while from Kyllini to Poros, the journey lasts more than one hour less.

There are coming from Italy to Kefalonia (but mostly to Patras). The companies are the following :
"Endeavor Lines", "Minoan Lines", "Anek Lines", "Agoudimos Ferries", "Super Fast Ferries" and t"Blue Star Ferries".
1 - Ferries Brindisi-Sami (direct to Kefalonia).
Attention : only the Endeavor Lines offer a regular connection during summer from Brindisi to Sami (Kefalonia).
The voyage Brindisi-Patras lasts a dozen of hours and costs from 522 to 765 Euro for a family of four people (children under 12 years) in an inside cabin and a vehicle costs from 66 to 135 Euros. A simple seat (pullman seat of the airplane type but with more space !) costs from 100 to 165 Euros. The prices are indicatives and for return tickets. If you do not have enough money, it is possible to sleep on the deck but the difference in price between the deck and the seat is not so different and that is why we do not suggest it !
Timetable of direct ferries : Brindisi - Sami &  Bari - Sami
Timetable of ferries by Igoumenitsa/Patras:
Brindisi - Igoumenitsa - Patras &  Bari - Igoumenitsa - Patras

2 - Ferries Ancona-Patras or Venezia-Patras
Minoan Lines , Anek Lines, Superfast Ferries and Blue Star Ferries offers international lines from Ancona or Venezia to Patras.
The prices of the companies are similars. There are special offers for families of four members. If you come from Venice or Ancone we advise you to rent a cabin because the journey lasts 38 or 31 hours (a mini-cruise in other words). The ferries are gigantic and you can find almost anything inside (piscina, disco, bar, video games, casino, living rooms, shops ...).
Timetable of ferries by Igoumenitsa/Patras:
Ancona - Igoumenitsa - Patras &  Venice - Igoumenitsa - Patras

3 - Ferries Patras-Sami or Kyllini-Poros
Strintzis Ferries, which is a Kefalonian Company, offers the majority of the connections from Patras and Kyllini to Kefalonia (Poros, Sami or Argostoli). Ionian Ferries, a company from Zakynthos (Zante), ensures the conection Kyllini - Poros too. With the other biggest companies from Italy (as mentioned above) you have to change ferries in Patras. Be aware, cencerning local ferries, it's not possible to make a pre-paid reservation, you have to get real tickets, either directly at the port office or by mail.
local ferries timetable : Patras - Sami &  Kyllini - Poros

Observe the differences in prices acording to the seasons, and you will understand that you have to look the dates carefully if you want to find what really fits you. With us, you will be able to confirm the prices, see the schedules and then make a reservation (prepaid) or get your tickets (we assure a fast and safely sending in all Europe and the rest of the world).
Do not reserve at the last minute but at least one or two months earlier (especially if you bring a vehicle or you want to have a cabin). If you are coming in August, think about it around February-March.
In general the low season (for ferries) lasts up to the end of June and starts again on about the 10th of september. However as far as the journeys and the ports of departure are concerned, the differences are important and also strangely there are numerous departures in July and in August which are considered as low season, especially concerning the direct line from Brindisi to Sami.