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Ferries to Lesvos leave from the Ayvalık sea border gate (Ayvalık Deniz Hudut Kapısı) on the town-centre waterfront, beside the historic Customs Square (Gümrük Meydanı). Booking sites also list it as Ayvalık pier (Ayvalık İskelesi) or Ayvalık port; Turkish passport control and customs are handled here.
Short answer
- Terminal: Ayvalık Deniz Hudut Kapısı (sea border gate; Ayvalık İskelesi or Ayvalık Limanı on ticket sites)
- Location: On the waterfront in the town centre, next to the historic Customs Square (Gümrük Meydanı).
- Distance to the centre: By our calculation from OpenStreetMap data, about 200 m in a straight line from the Ayvalık town hall, or about 500 m and 7 minutes on foot.
- Getting there: On foot from central hotels; by municipal bus or taxi from Ayvalık bus station (about 3.8 km to the gate by road, our calculation).
- Operators (2026): Jalem Tur, Turyol, Ertürk Lines (summer), Uğur Jale Lines; İDO announced sailings for 2026, and BADO’s summer service ended on 27 September.
- Routes from here: Ayvalık → Lesvos
- Check-in: Jalem Tur’s general terms ask all passengers, including those with a car, to be at the port at least two hours before departure. Other sources give less (1 hour on Ferryscanner’s Jalem Tur page, 1.5 hours in a 2026 ferry guide); allow two hours.
- Parking: The Customs Square next to the gate used to be a car park; it reopened as a public square in August 2026. Local reports from December 2025 said only short drop-offs would be allowed there, with no long-term parking.
The ports on the map
- Ferry terminal
- Customs / border post
- PParking
- Bus stop
Map drawn from OpenStreetMap data (October 2026). Terminals and customs points are placed where OSM tags them; your ticket has the binding meeting point and time. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL
Getting to the port
- On foot: From hotels in the town centre you can walk to the gate.
- Dolmuş (minibus): From Cunda or Sarımsaklı, take a municipal bus or dolmuş into the centre, or a taxi.
- Bus: Intercity buses, including from İzmir, arrive at Ayvalık bus station (Ayvalık Otogarı); some also stop at Altınova or the Ayvalık junction. Municipal buses run from outside the bus station to the centre, and taxis wait there.
- From the airport: The nearest airport is Balıkesir Koca Seyit (EDO) at Edremit, with shuttles and taxis towards Ayvalık. From İzmir Adnan Menderes (ADB) there is no Havaş bus; as of October 2026 the airport’s taxi price list (dated May 2026) gives 10,200 TL. See Izmir Airport transfers.
- By car: Ayvalık lies on the Çanakkale–İzmir highway. Parking in the centre gets tight in summer.
Parking
The Customs Square next to the gate used to be a car park; it reopened as a public square in August 2026. Local reports from December 2025 said only short drop-offs would be allowed there, with no long-term parking; we could not verify the current parking or access rules. We found no official multi-day parking option, so ask your ferry operator or hotel.
Check-in and passport control
Jalem Tur’s general terms ask all passengers, including those travelling with a car, to be at the port at least two hours before departure. Other sources give shorter times: Ferryscanner’s Jalem Tur page asks you to arrive at least 1 hour before departure, a 2026 ferry guide says 1.5 hours. Allow two hours. Online tickets are exchanged for a boarding card at the counter or kiosk, then come Turkish exit passport control and the X-ray check; Greek border control, including EES fingerprints and photo for non-EU travellers, is in Mytilene.
Facilities
Tickets can be bought or collected at counters at the port. Jalem Tur also has an office in the Güzide business centre on Atatürk Bulvarı (150 Evler quarter). We could not verify other facilities at the gate.
Ferries from this port
| Route | Operators | Season | Crossing | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayvalık → Lesvos | Jalem Tur, Turyol, Ertürk Lines (summer), Uğur Jale Lines (timetable to 20 November 2026, checked 22 October), BADO (summer 2026, ended 27 Sep), İDO (announced for 2026) | Year-round; daily in summer, 3–5 days a week in Nov–Dec | 45–90 min | Ayvalık → Lesvos |
This week from Ayvalık
Today:
Ayvalık → Lesvos · Ertürk Lines This month on the route: fewer sailings
| Day | From Ayvalık | From Lesvos |
|---|---|---|
| 18:00 Fokaia · cars18:00 Seda Jale · cars | 09:00 Fokaia · cars09:00 Fatih Jale · cars09:00 Seda Jale · cars | |
| 08:45 Catamaran Kalimnos09:00 Fokaia · cars09:00 Seda Jale · cars | 14:00 Fokaia · cars16:30 Catamaran Kalimnos16:45 Fokaia · cars16:45 Seda Jale · cars | |
| 08:45 Catamaran Kalimnos09:00 Fokaia · cars09:00 Seda Jale · cars | 16:30 Catamaran Kalimnos16:45 Fokaia · cars16:45 Seda Jale · cars | |
| 08:45 Catamaran Kalimnos12:00 Fokaia · cars12:00 Seda Jale · cars | 16:30 Catamaran Kalimnos16:45 Fokaia · cars16:45 Seda Jale · cars | |
| no sailing | no sailing | |
| no sailing | no sailing | |
| 09:00 Fokaia · cars09:00 Fatih Jale · cars09:00 Seda Jale · cars | 16:45 Fokaia · cars16:45 Seda Jale · cars |
Source: Ertürk Lines – ayvalik-midilli sefer saatleri, checked 12 November 2026. Ertürk sells other companies' boats on this route. Route guide: Ayvalık → Lesvos
This box is rebuilt every day; sailings are as we saw them in the company's timetable on the check date. Weather and demand can change them, so confirm with the company before you travel.
Good to know
- Holidays are the busiest days: about 7,000 passengers crossed to Lesvos during the nine-day Kurban Bayramı holiday in 2026, so arrive early on Turkish public holidays.
- Ayvalık is one of the few ports here with a car ferry; Jalem Tur sells vehicle tickets and gives about 90 minutes for its car-carrying vessel. See taking a car to the Greek islands for papers and insurance.
The night before the ferry
The gate is only about 500 m (7 minutes) on foot from the Ayvalık town hall, so a room in the old town keeps the morning walk short. Hotels by area are in where to stay in Ayvalık; the town itself is covered in the Ayvalık travel guide.
Reader reports: waiting at the port
Passport and border-control waiting times reported by readers who used these ports in the last 14 days. Crossed recently? Add yours in ten seconds; no name, email or free text needed.
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FAQ
Where does the Ayvalık ferry to Lesvos leave from?
From the Ayvalık sea border gate (Ayvalık Deniz Hudut Kapısı) on the town-centre waterfront, also listed as Ayvalık pier or Ayvalık port. Timetables and fares are in the Ayvalık to Lesvos ferry guide.
How early should I be at the port?
At least two hours before departure: Jalem Tur’s general terms ask this of all passengers, including drivers. Ferryscanner’s Jalem Tur page says 1 hour and a 2026 ferry guide 1.5 hours, but allow the full two hours and confirm with your operator.
Can I park near the gate while I visit Lesvos?
The old Customs Square car park reopened as a public square in August 2026; local reports in December 2025 said only drop-offs would be allowed there. For multi-day parking, ask your ferry operator or hotel about current options.
Which airport is closest?
Balıkesir Koca Seyit (EDO) at Edremit. İzmir Adnan Menderes (ADB) is further away but has many more international flights; there is no direct airport bus from İzmir to Ayvalık.
Timetables, prices and entry rules change; check the official source before you travel.
Sources
- OpenStreetMap: Ayvalık ferry terminal, Ayvalık town hall and Ayvalık bus station records (data of 15 and 24 Oct 2026; distances calculated from these locations on 24 Oct 2026, rounded and approximate)
- FOSSGIS OSRM routing engine (OpenStreetMap data), walking and road distances (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
- Politikam – Renewed Customs Square in Ayvalık (Dec 2025) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Politikam – Square project at the Ayvalık sea border gate (20 Feb 2026) (accessed Oct 2026)
- DHA – Ayvalık’s historic Customs Square opens as a public square (6 Aug 2026) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Gazete Birlik – 7,000 passengers on the Lesvos route over the holiday (accessed Oct 2026)
- Jalem Tur – official site (accessed Oct 2026)
- Jalem Tur – General terms and rules (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryscanner – Jalem Tur (accessed Oct 2026)
- Feribotseferleri – Ayvalık–Midilli ferry guide 2026 (accessed Oct 2026)
- Feribotseferleri – Ayvalık–Midilli sailings (accessed Oct 2026)
- Pegasus – Balıkesir Koca Seyit Airport (accessed Oct 2026)
- İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport – Taxi services (accessed Oct 2026)
- Turna – İzmir to Ayvalık bus (accessed Oct 2026)
- Hellenic MFA – EES takes full effect on 10 April 2026 (accessed Oct 2026)
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