Turkey Ferries

Greece to Turkey — the Aegean crossings

The most internationally known Turkish ferry routes are the short crossings from Greek islands to the Turkish Aegean coast. These are international border crossings: both a valid passport and any required visa (see the FAQ below) are mandatory.

Bodrum is the busiest hub on the Turkish side. Fast catamarans and hydrofoils cross to Kos (around 20–30 minutes) and Rhodes (around 2 hours and 15 minutes). The Bodrum–Kos service is one of the most popular Aegean crossings in summer, with multiple daily departures in peak season. Turyol and Bodrum Ferryboat Association (Bodrum-Ferry) operate these routes.

From Marmaris, fast ferries reach Rhodes in 50 minutes to 1.5 hours — shorter than the Bodrum–Rhodes route and a good option if you are already on Turkey's Turquoise Coast.

Çeşme, near İzmir, connects to the Greek island of Chios in about 30 minutes — one of the shortest international sea crossings in the Mediterranean. Kuşadası, the port for Ephesus, has crossings to Samos (around 1 hour 15 minutes), making it straightforward to combine a visit to one of Turkey's greatest ancient sites with island-hopping in the eastern Aegean.

Further south, Fethiye on the Turquoise Coast runs a service to Rhodes (around 1.5 hours), which can be useful for travellers combining the Lycian Coast with Greek island time.

All these routes are operated primarily by Turyol, which runs the widest network of Turkish-side Aegean crossings, with Bodrum-Ferry covering the Bodrum routes.

Passport and visa note: Turkish immigration is cleared at the Turkish port on arrival. Most EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian passport holders can obtain a Turkish e-Visa online (valid for 90 days within 180 days); check the official Turkish e-Visa website for your specific nationality before travel. Greek Schengen entry stamps in your passport do not affect entry to Turkey. On the Greek side, EU citizens need only a national ID card; non-EU travellers entering Greece from Turkey re-enter the Schengen Area.

Sea of Marmara — İstanbul's fast ferries

İDO (İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri) operates a network of car ferries and fast ferries across the Sea of Marmara, the enclosed sea between the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. These are entirely domestic Turkish services — no passport required beyond standard Turkish ID for citizens; foreign visitors simply board.

The İstanbul–Bursa service crosses to Mudanya (Bursa's ferry port) in around 2 hours, from where buses reach central Bursa in 30 minutes. Bursa, the first Ottoman capital, is a rewarding city visit: the Grand Bazaar, the Green Mosque and Mount Uludağ are all easily reached from the waterfront.

The İstanbul–Bandırma crossing, also around 2 hours, is the smarter route for travellers heading to the Aegean coast or the Dardanelles without driving through İstanbul. Bandırma is the northern terminus of the railway to İzmir, and buses from there reach Çanakkale. Both routes carry cars — a significant time saving over driving around the Marmara coast.

Ferries depart from Yenikapı, İstanbul's main İDO terminal on the European shore, connected to the metro and Marmaray suburban rail.

The Dardanelles — Çanakkale and Gallipoli

The strait of the Dardanelles is crossed continuously by Gestaş car ferries between Çanakkale on the Asian shore and Eceabat on the European (Gallipoli) side. The crossing takes around 25 minutes and runs approximately every 30–60 minutes around the clock.

Eceabat is the gateway to the Gallipoli Peninsula (Gelibolu Yarımadası) — the site of the 1915 World War One campaign that has particular significance for Australian, New Zealand, British and Turkish history. Anzac Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair and the Turkish memorials are all within 15–30 minutes of the ferry port. Most visitors combine this with a visit to Troy (Truva), the legendary ancient site 30 km south of Çanakkale on the Asian side.

The Turquoise Coast

Turkey's southwestern coast — the Turquoise Coast (Türkiye Rivierası) — is fringed with bays accessible mainly by sea. Gülets (traditional wooden sailing-motor yachts) run day trips and multi-day Blue Voyages from Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye and Göcek, making the sea the primary way to explore hidden coves and ancient Lycian ruins that have no road access. Regular passenger ferry and water-taxi services connect coastal villages and resorts in season.