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A day trip from Chios to Çeşme works only on days when a boat leaves Chios in the morning and another leaves Çeşme in the evening. Most sailings on this route are timed the other way round, for people coming from Turkey, so the timetable decides your day. When it fits, you get several hours for Çeşme Castle, the old town and either Alaçatı or Ilıca beach.
Short answer
- Is it possible? On some days. As of October 2026, Ertürk Lines’ timetable shows the car ferry Apostolos S. leaving Chios at 08:00 and Çeşme at 18:00 on most days until 31 October. For summer 2026, Tilos Travel’s timetable listed 09:15 from Chios and 17:30 from Çeşme.
- Winter: From November the timetable only has a morning boat from Çeşme and an afternoon boat from Chios, so a same-day trip from Chios is not possible without a night in Çeşme.
- Crossing: Roughly 20–45 minutes depending on the boat, arriving at Ulusoy Port, about 15 minutes’ walk from Çeşme’s main square.
- Time: Turkey is on UTC+3 all year. Greece moves to UTC+2 on 25 October 2026, so from then on Çeşme is one hour ahead of Chios.
- Documents: Bring a passport unless you have confirmed that Turkey accepts your ID card (it accepts the German one). Visa rules depend on nationality; see our day trips to Turkey hub.
- Best plan: Çeşme Castle and museum in the morning, then a dolmuş to Alaçatı or Ilıca beach, back at the port 1.5 hours before your return sailing.
Ferries from Chios to Çeşme
Boats leave from Chios Port in the centre of Chios town and arrive at Ulusoy Port in Çeşme. Our full route guide, written from the Turkish side, is the Çeşme to Chios ferry page.
Who sails the route
- Ertürk Lines sails all year. Its timetable lists the Ertürk High Speed Craft (HSC) and the car ferries Apostolos S. and Ertürk-1. Ertürk has an office in Chios town at Neorion 27.
- Tilos Travel sails with Sea Star Makri. Its published 2026 plan runs to 24 October.
- Turyol also sells tickets, but only publishes time windows, and these suit a day trip from Turkey rather than from Chios.
The morning-out, evening-back pattern
The schedules are built around Turkish day-trippers: out of Çeşme in the morning, back from Chios in the evening. For a day in Çeşme you need the opposite. This is what the operators’ own pages show as of October 2026.
| Period (2026) | Operator and boat | Leaves Chios | Leaves Çeşme | Fits a day trip from Chios? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–24 May | Tilos Travel, Sea Star Makri | 09:30 | 17:00 | Yes, daily |
| 25 May–11 Sep | Tilos Travel, Sea Star Makri | 09:15 (also 16:45, 18:15) | 17:30 (also 08:30, 10:15) | Yes, daily |
| 12 Sep–24 Oct | Tilos Travel, Sea Star Makri | 18:15 | 08:45 | No |
| 16–31 Oct | Ertürk Lines, Apostolos S. | 08:00 | 18:00 | Most days, not 18 or 26 Oct |
| Nov to mid-Dec | Ertürk Lines, HSC | 16:30 | 09:00 | No, only with a night in Çeşme |
- Late October 2026: On Ertürk’s timetable, Apostolos S. leaves Chios at 08:00 and Çeşme at 18:00 on 16, 17, 19–25 and 27–31 October. On 18 October there is no morning boat from Chios, and on 26 October only the Çeşme-based fast boat runs. The timetable gives no crossing time for Apostolos S., which is a car ferry.
- November and December: From 4 November Ertürk lists only the fast boat, leaving Çeşme at 09:00 and Chios at 16:30, mostly Wednesday to Sunday in November and on a few December weekends. Nothing is listed after 13 December.
- Summer 2027: Neither operator had published a 2027 timetable at the time of writing. Tilos Travel’s page does not say whether the 09:15 from Chios and the 17:30 from Çeşme are the same boat, so confirm your return before booking.
If no same-day option fits, take the afternoon boat from Chios, sleep in Çeşme and return the next morning. See where to stay in Çeşme.
Crossing time and fares
Ertürk’s FAQ gives about 17 minutes for its catamaran; Tilos Travel and Turyol both say about 45 minutes. Ferryscanner lists Chios to Çeşme at 25 minutes at the fastest and about 35 minutes on average. Allow up to an hour, plus passport control at both ends.
As of October 2026, Ertürk’s fare page (dated 14 October 2026) lists a same-day return at €50 for adults and €35 for children aged 6–12, on both the fast boat and Apostolos S. That page covers journeys starting in Çeşme, so ask Ertürk’s Chios office or Tilos Travel what a return starting in Chios costs.
The time difference
Turkey has stayed on UTC+3 all year since 2016. Greece uses summer time: on Sunday 25 October 2026 its clocks go back from 04:00 to 03:00, moving from UTC+3 to UTC+2.
- Until 24 October 2026, and again from late March: Chios and Çeşme show the same time.
- From 25 October 2026: Çeşme is one hour ahead. A boat leaving Chios at 08:00 Greek time leaves at 09:00 Turkish time.
Ertürk’s timetable does not say which time zone its times are in. Ask when you book, and set an alarm in local time for the return check-in.
Passports and entry, in brief
You leave the Schengen area at Chios, enter Turkey at Çeşme, and reverse it in the evening. Our day trips to Turkey hub covers the rules in full.
- EU citizens: the EU’s Your Europe portal says a valid passport, and for some countries a visa, is needed for non-EU countries. Turkey also accepts some national ID cards; check for your own nationality.
- German citizens: the German Foreign Office lists the passport, the national ID card and the children’s passport as accepted for Turkey, and visa-free stays of up to 90 days in 180.
- British citizens: gov.uk says you can visit Turkey visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with a passport valid for at least 150 days after arrival. Re-entering Greece, the EU Entry/Exit System records fingerprints and a photo, which can add a few minutes.
- Others: check the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s visa page. If you need an e-Visa, use only evisa.gov.tr.
- Children travelling without one or both parents need notarised consent from the absent parent, according to Ertürk.
- Northern Cyprus stamps: Ertürk’s FAQ says passengers with a Northern Cyprus entry stamp are not allowed to enter Chios.
Ertürk’s FAQ also mentions an exit fee payable at a machine inside Ulusoy Port, without saying who must pay it. Ask at check-in.
What to do in Çeşme in a day
The castle, the caravanserai and the main square sit together a short walk from the port, and the dolmuş for Ilıca and Alaçatı leaves from the centre.
Çeşme Castle and the Archaeology Museum
According to Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the castle was first built by the Genoese and rebuilt in 1508 under Sultan Bayezid II. It now houses the Çeşme Archaeology Museum, with finds from ancient Erythrai and a Bronze Age settlement, and a display on the 1770 naval Battle of Çeşme.
As of October 2026, the ministry’s museum page lists winter hours (1 October to 1 April) of 08:30 to 17:30, with the ticket office closing at 17:00, and summer hours of 08:30 to 21:00. Entry for non-Turkish visitors aged 8 and over is €6; younger children go free.
The old town and the caravanserai
Çeşme’s municipality says the caravanserai beside the castle was built in 1528 under Süleyman the Magnificent to lodge travelling merchants and is now a hotel. In front of the castle stands the statue of Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha with his lion, where the seafront promenade and the main shopping street begin. Visit İzmir describes the nearby Ayios Haralambos Church, built in 1832, as a restored cultural centre for exhibitions and concerts.
For a quick swim, the municipality lists Tekke, a small, shallow, calm bay in the town centre.
Ilıca beach
The municipality describes Ilıca’s beach as almost 2 km of wide white sand with a Blue Flag. The water stays shallow for about the first 100 metres, which suits children, and thermal springs rise under the sea nearby. It is on the same dolmuş line as Alaçatı.
Alaçatı stone houses and windmills
Alaçatı is known for its Ottoman-era houses of pale stone with wooden doors, and for windmills from the 1800s that you can visit free at any time. Steady winds have also made it a windsurfing centre. In one day, choose either Alaçatı or a long stop at Ilıca alongside the castle, not both.
Getting around
- On foot: Turkey Travel Planner puts the walk from the main square around the bay to the port at about 15 minutes.
- Dolmuş: A Çeşme–Ilıca–Alaçatı minibus leaves from a lot just south of the tourist information office. We found no published frequency or fare, so ask the driver about the last bus back.
- Taxi: Turkey Travel Planner notes that taxis to Alaçatı are possible but can be expensive. Agree the fare first.
- Cars: Only Apostolos S. and Ertürk-1 carry vehicles, and Ertürk requires Green Card insurance. For a day trip it is simpler to leave a hire car on Chios; see taking a car to the Greek islands.
A sample day
This plan assumes a weekday in late October 2026 on Apostolos S. (Chios 08:00, Çeşme 18:00), after the clocks change. Times in Çeşme are Turkish time.
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| Before 08:00 Greek time | At Chios Port; ask Ertürk’s Chios office how early to arrive |
| 08:00 Greek time | Depart Chios |
| About 09:30–10:00 | Arrive at Ulusoy Port, passport control, walk into town |
| 10:00–12:00 | Castle and Archaeology Museum, caravanserai and the square |
| 12:00–15:30 | Dolmuş to Alaçatı for the stone-house lanes and windmills, or to Ilıca beach |
| 15:30–16:30 | Back to Çeşme and walk to Ulusoy Port |
| By 16:30 | Check in at the Ertürk desk, 1.5 hours before departure |
| 18:00 | Depart Çeşme, back in Chios in the early evening |
In summer on Tilos Travel’s 2026 timetable, the same day would run from 09:15 out of Chios to 17:30 out of Çeşme, with no time difference.
Money and phones
Turkey uses the Turkish lira and Chios the euro. For a few hours in Çeşme a card covers most things, but keep small change for the dolmuş. Cash limits and card tips are in our money and mobile data guide, and duty-free limits for the way back in our customs allowances guide.
According to the European Commission, EU “roam like at home” covers Greece but not Turkey. With an EU SIM, check your operator’s Turkey tariff or switch data roaming off.
As of October 2026 we found no organised day tour from Chios to Çeşme on GetYourGuide, and the ferry plus a dolmuş is all you need. For a longer stay on the peninsula, see our Çeşme travel guide.
FAQ
Can I visit Çeşme as a day trip from Chios?
On some dates. As of October 2026, Apostolos S. leaves Chios at 08:00 and Çeşme at 18:00 on most days until 31 October; for summer 2026 Tilos Travel’s timetable listed 09:15 from Chios and 17:30 from Çeşme. From November there is no same-day option.
How long is the ferry from Chios to Çeşme?
About 17 to 45 minutes, depending on the boat and the source. Plan for up to an hour plus passport control.
Is there a time difference between Chios and Çeşme?
Not in summer. From 25 October 2026, Çeşme (UTC+3 all year) is one hour ahead of Chios (UTC+2).
Do I need a visa for Turkey?
It depends on your passport. British and German citizens can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in 180, according to gov.uk and the German Foreign Office. See the day trips hub for more.
When do I need to be back at Çeşme port?
Ertürk requires check-in at its port desk 1.5 hours before departure, so by 16:30 for an 18:00 sailing.
Timetables, prices and entry rules change; check the official source before you travel.
Sources
- Ertürk Lines – Çeşme–Chios timetable (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ertürk Lines – Çeşme–Chios fares (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ertürk Lines – FAQ (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ertürk Lines – Contact (accessed Oct 2026)
- Tilos Travel – 2026 Aegean islands sailing plan (accessed Oct 2026)
- Turyol – Çeşme–Chios tickets (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryscanner – Chios to Çeşme (accessed Oct 2026)
- Greek City Times – Greece returns to winter time on 25 October 2026 (accessed Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia – Time in Turkey (accessed Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK – Turkey entry requirements (accessed Oct 2026)
- Auswärtiges Amt – Türkei: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (accessed Oct 2026)
- Your Europe – Travel documents for EU citizens (accessed Oct 2026)
- Republic of Türkiye MFA – Visa information for foreigners (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ministry of Culture and Tourism – İzmir Çeşme Museum (accessed Oct 2026)
- Çeşme Municipality – Historical tourism (accessed Oct 2026)
- Çeşme Municipality – Public beaches (accessed Oct 2026)
- Visit İzmir – Ayios Haralambos Church (accessed Oct 2026)
- Turkey Travel Planner – Çeşme and Alaçatı transport (accessed Oct 2026)
- Turkey Travel Planner – Alaçatı (accessed Oct 2026)
- European Commission – Roaming policy (accessed Oct 2026)
