The ferry from Chios Town to Ulusoy Port in Çeşme is one of the shortest crossings between Greece and Turkey, at roughly 20 to 45 minutes depending on the boat. Ertürk Lines sails it all year, with morning and late-afternoon departures from Chios in October 2026 and a reduced pattern in winter. The car ferries make it a practical way to start a Turkish leg of a trip, or to move on to İzmir airport.
Plan the crossingAffiliate linksFull toolkit
Is there a sailing?
Stay near the port: Çeşme
Getting around Çeşme
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure
On this page
Short answer
As of 11 November 2026, the Chios–Çeşme crossing takes 20–80 minutes (operators: Ertürk Lines, Turyol and Tilos Travel); an adult foot passenger pays €30–40 one way. Season: Year-round; several daily in summer, a few days a week in winter. Documents: Turkey is outside Schengen; UK and most EU citizens need no visa for up to 90 days in 180, and German, Dutch, Belgian, French and Swiss citizens can enter with an ID card.
Data behind this answer: ferry fares 2026 (CSV) · 2027 timetable tracker · ferry map and route data
- Route: Chios Port, in the town centre, to Ulusoy Port in Çeşme, about 15 minutes’ walk from Çeşme’s main square.
- Departures (as of October 2026): Ertürk’s car ferry Apostolos S. leaves Chios at 08:00 on most days to 31 October; its fast boat leaves at 18:00 until 24 October and at 16:30 from 25 October. Tilos Travel’s Sea Star Makri leaves at 18:15 daily until 24 October.
- Winter (Ertürk and Turyol checked 24 October 2026, Ertürk again 29 October): Ertürk lists sailings until 30 September 2027 (daily from 30 April), mostly the 16:30 fast boat (18:00 from 28 March), with no fast-boat sailings from 11 January to 11 February; the car ferry Apostolos S. runs on Friday to Sunday in November (08:00 from Chios on 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 and 28 November). Turyol’s timetable runs to 30 September 2027, with departures from Chios at 16:00–16:30, mostly on Tuesdays and Thursdays to Sundays; its ship Chios, which has car fares, sails on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. In December and January the only morning departures from Chios are Ertürk’s car ferry Apostolos S. on Fridays and Saturdays (08:00, added by 30 October 2026).
- Fares (as of October 2026): Ertürk’s fare page lists €38–40 one way for adults, but only for trips starting in Çeşme. Turyol’s fare table (checked 2 November 2026) lists €30 one way for adults from Chios, port taxes included; Ferryscanner shows €30–40.
- Entry to Turkey: UK, German, Dutch, Austrian and Swiss citizens need no visa for up to 90 days in 180 days. Germans, Dutch and Swiss can use a national ID card; Austrians need a passport.
- Clocks: from 25 October 2026, Çeşme is one hour ahead of Chios.
Only going for the day? See our Chios to Çeşme day trip page for which dates allow a morning crossing and an evening return.
2027 season: what is published so far
We queried Ertürk’s booking system and Turyol’s timetable on 30 October 2026, each with two different date windows, and got the same sailings both times. Both list sailings up to 30 September 2027, without fares. Times are local; Chios is one hour behind Çeşme until 28 March 2027.
| Month | Morning from Chios | Afternoon from Chios | Day trip from Chios? |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2027 | Apostolos S. (cars) 08:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, 1–30 January | Ertürk fast boat 16:30 on 1–3 and 8–10 January; Apostolos S. 16:00 on Saturdays and Sundays; Turyol 16:30, mostly Tuesdays and Thursdays to Sundays | Fridays and Saturdays: out 08:00, back from Çeşme 18:00 on Apostolos S. |
| February–April 2027 | none listed | Ertürk fast boat 16:30 (18:00 from 28 March) on its sailing days from 12 February; Turyol 16:30 (18:00 from 28 March) | no |
| May–September 2027 | none listed | Ertürk and Turyol daily at 18:00 | no, on what is published so far |
- The morning gap: both 2027 summer timetables are built around a 09:00 departure from Çeşme and a return from Chios at 18:00. In summer 2026 Tilos Travel’s Sea Star Makri also left Chios at 09:15 (25 May to 11 September); Tilos had not published 2027 dates when we checked.
- Cars: the last car sailings listed are Apostolos S. on 29–31 January 2027. Turyol’s car ferry Chios last sails on 2–3 January 2027.
- Fares: none for 2027 yet; see below for 2026 figures.
- Entry: Turkey’s rules for EU, UK and US citizens do not change with the season. The Greek visa-on-arrival scheme for Turkish citizens on Chios runs until April 2027, with no decision on what follows as of 30 October 2026.
Operators and timetable
Ertürk Lines runs the route all year with the fast boat Ertürk High Speed Craft (HSC) and the car ferries Apostolos S. and Ertürk-1. Its Chios office is at Neorion 27 in Chios Town. Tilos Travel sails with Sea Star Makri, and Turyol runs its own ships Chios and Catamaran Imbros. Ferryscanner also lists İDO and another operator on Chios to Çeşme; we could not confirm their sailings on operator pages.
Departures from Chios, rest of 2026
From Ertürk’s and Turyol’s timetables as we checked them on 22 and 24 October 2026:
| Dates | Morning | Afternoon / evening |
|---|---|---|
| 16–24 Oct | Apostolos S. 08:00 (not 18 Oct; Ertürk-1 also 08:00 on 17 Oct) | HSC 18:00 daily; Apostolos S. 17:00 on 16–18, 23 and 24 Oct |
| 25 Oct–1 Nov | Apostolos S. 08:00 (not 26 Oct or 1 Nov) | HSC 16:30 daily; Apostolos S. 16:00 on 25, 30, 31 Oct and 1 Nov |
| November | Apostolos S. 08:00 on Fridays and Saturdays (6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 Nov) | HSC 16:30, mostly Wednesday to Sunday; Apostolos S. 16:00 Friday to Sunday |
| December | Apostolos S. 08:00 on 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19 and 26 Dec (Ertürk, checked 30 Oct) | HSC 16:30 on 1, 4–6, 11–13, 18–20, 25–27, 30 and 31 Dec (Ertürk, checked 24 Oct); Apostolos S. 16:00 on 4–6, 11–13, 18–20, 26 and 27 Dec; Turyol 16:00–16:30, mostly Tue and Thu–Sun |
Ertürk’s timetable (checked 29 October 2026) runs to 30 September 2027, and Turyol’s (checked 24 October 2026) to 30 September 2027. Neither states a time zone. In December Ertürk’s fast boat leaves Chios at 16:30 on Fridays to Sundays (4–6, 11–13, 18–20 and 25–27 December), on 1, 30 and 31 December, and on 1–3 and 8–10 January. After a gap from 11 January to 11 February with no Ertürk fast-boat sailings (the car ferry Apostolos S. still sails on January weekends), it leaves Chios on Fridays to Sundays from 12 February, daily from 5 to 14 March and on Wednesdays and Fridays to Sundays in April and daily from 30 April to 30 September, at 16:30 and from 28 March at 18:00 (our report). Ertürk updates its timetable often, and the November car-ferry sailings in particular may change, so check again close to your date.
Tilos Travel: Sea Star Makri leaves Chios at 18:15 daily from 12 September to 24 October 2026, with a crossing of about 45 minutes. Its published plan has nothing after 24 October. In summer 2026 (25 May to 11 September) it left Chios three times a day, at 09:15, 16:45 and 18:15.
Crossing time: Ertürk’s FAQ gives about 40 minutes by ferry and 17 minutes by its catamaran; Tilos says about 45 minutes. Ferryscanner shows 17 to 43 minutes. Allow up to an hour, plus passport control at both ends.
Fares and tickets
Ertürk’s fare page (updated 15 October 2026) covers only the Çeşme to Chios direction:
| Ticket | Fast boat / Ertürk-1 | Apostolos S. |
|---|---|---|
| Adult one way / return | €40 / €50 | €38 / €50 |
| Child 6–12 one way / return | €30 / €35 | €25 / €35 |
| Car one way / return | €100 / €150 | €90 / €140 |
| Motorbike one way | €50 | €45 |
Ertürk does not publish fares for tickets starting in Chios. Ask its Chios office or compare on a booking site; Ferryscanner listed foot-passenger fares of €30 to €40 from Chios in October 2026.
Where to buy: erturk.com.tr, Ertürk’s offices in Chios and Çeşme, tilostravel.com, turyolonline.com, or booking sites such as Ferryscanner.
Ticket rules (Ertürk): no name changes; date changes are allowed, and Chios tickets stay valid for one year from purchase.
Luggage: Ertürk’s FAQ does not give an allowance. Ask when you book if you are travelling with a lot.
Pets: Ertürk asks you to email the Chios veterinary office at least two days before travel. You need an EU-compliant pet passport, a rabies titre test, rabies vaccination and a microchip.
Taking a car
Vehicles go on Ertürk’s Apostolos S. and Ertürk-1 and on Turyol’s Chios; Turyol’s Catamaran Imbros does not take cars. Ertürk’s fare page also lists vehicle fares for its High Speed Craft, but its timetable marks the fast-boat sailings “No Car”, so ask Ertürk which sailing takes your vehicle. Ertürk’s car ferry runs mainly on Friday to Sunday in November; Turyol’s Chios leaves Chios on Tuesdays (16:30), Saturdays (16:30) and Sundays (16:00) in November and December, the last listed on 3 January 2027 (Turyol timetable, checked 24 October 2026). Ertürk says vehicle insurance must be arranged before you reach the port, or the ticket is forfeited. A Greek rental car also needs the rental company’s written permission to leave Greece, which many companies refuse. See taking a car to the Greek islands.
At Chios port
Ertürk’s FAQ requires check-in at its counter 1.5 hours before departure in Çeşme, and QR tickets alone do not let you board. It gives no separate time for Chios, so ask the Chios office and plan on 1.5 hours to be safe. Flying in to catch the boat? The airport is about 3 km from the port; bus, taxi and car hire options are in our Chios airport transfers guide.
- Check in at the operator’s desk and get your boarding card.
- Greek exit control (EES for non-EU travellers; see the entry box below).
- Board. In Çeşme you go through Turkish passport control and customs at Ulusoy Port.
Passports and visas for Turkey
Entry to Turkey in brief
- Leaving Greece: you pass a Schengen exit check at the Greek port. Non-EU travellers are recorded in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), fully running since 10 April 2026; EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not. GOV.UK says Greek authorities have indicated they will not take UK travellers' fingerprints and photos.
- Entering Turkey: Turkey is outside Schengen. UK, German, Dutch, Swiss and most other EU citizens need no visa for up to 90 days in 180. Germans, Dutch, Belgians, French and Swiss can enter with an ID card; Austrians, Danes, Swedes and Finns need a passport. Republic of Cyprus passport holders need a visa before they travel. Everyone else: check the Turkish Foreign Ministry and apply only on evisa.gov.tr.
- Schengen visas: a single-entry Schengen visa is used up when you leave Greece; coming back is a new Schengen entry.
- Clocks: Turkey stays on UTC+3. From 25 October 2026 to 28 March 2027 it is one hour ahead of Greece, so ask which clock your ticket uses.
Full rules by nationality, with sources: entry rules in our Turkey day trips guide · EES and ETIAS guide. Checked October 2026.
On this crossing:
- Arriving in Çeşme: Turkish passport control and customs are at Ulusoy Port, where the boat docks.
- Children: Ertürk asks for a consent letter from any parent who is not travelling.
- Clocks: if the 16:30 fast boat from Chios is timed in Greek time, it leaves at 17:30 Turkish time from 25 October. Ertürk does not say which time zone its timetable uses, so ask when you book.
Arriving in Çeşme
Ulusoy Port sits across the bay from the main square; Turkey Travel Planner puts the walk at about 15 minutes. With luggage, a taxi is easier. Our Çeşme ferry port page has more on the terminal.
- Bus station: Çeşme bus station is on the İzmir road, about 15 to 20 minutes’ walk from the square. Buses run to İzmir (Üçkuyular and the main bus station), where you can connect to Selçuk, Kuşadası and Bodrum. Minibuses link Çeşme with Ilıca and Alaçatı.
- İzmir airport: Havaş runs between Çeşme bus station and İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport. A timetable site updated on 20 September 2026 lists departures from Çeşme roughly every two hours between 03:00 and 22:00, at 600 TL; Havaş gives the journey as about 100 minutes. Confirm times on havas.net, and see İzmir airport transfers for taxis and car hire.
- Money: Turkey uses the Turkish lira. Cards cover most things, but carry small change for the dolmuş. EU roam-like-at-home rules do not cover Turkey, so check your mobile tariff.
The town, Alaçatı and the beaches are covered in our Çeşme travel guide.
Staying in Çeşme
If you arrive on a late-afternoon boat, a hotel in the centre is a short walk or taxi ride from Ulusoy Port. Both come from our accommodation guide; more options in where to stay in Çeşme.
Ertan Hotel
Çeşme town centre
- Ferry port: On Cumhuriyet Meydanı; about 1 min walk to the castle, 2 min to the marina
- Best for: couples / sea view / night before the ferry
On Cumhuriyet Meydanı for a first night in Çeşme; the ferry terminal is across the bay, about 1.4 km on foot.
Ridvan Hotel
Çeşme town centre
- Ferry port: About 200–300 m to the marina, about 500 m to the castle
- Best for: budget / no car / night before the ferry
A simple room by the bazaar after the crossing; no parking.
Izmir Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer from/to Cesme
Private car between your address in Çeşme and İzmir airport, useful for an early flight; the listing names English-, German- and Turkish-speaking drivers.
Check price & availabilityFor the crossing in the other direction, see the Çeşme to Chios ferry guide, and for the operator, our Ertürk Lines page.
Trip toolkit
Links in this section are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Prices and terms are set by the provider.
FAQ
How long is the ferry from Chios to Çeşme?
About 17 minutes on Ertürk’s catamaran, about 40 to 45 minutes on the other boats, according to Ertürk and Tilos Travel.
Is there a morning ferry from Chios to Çeşme?
In October 2026, yes: Apostolos S. leaves at 08:00 on most days until 31 October. In November, December and January Ertürk lists it on Fridays and Saturdays (timetable checked 24 and 30 October 2026). For February to September 2027 no morning departure from Chios is listed yet.
Is the Chios to Çeşme timetable for 2027 out?
Yes, up to 30 September 2027: Ertürk and Turyol list daily afternoon departures from Chios (18:00) from the end of April. As of 30 October 2026 there are no 2027 fares and no car sailings after January.
Can I go to Çeşme for the day from Chios in 2027?
Only on Fridays and Saturdays in January 2027 so far, with Apostolos S. (Chios 08:00, back from Çeşme 18:00). The published summer 2027 timetables have no morning boat from Chios; see the day-trip page for the 2026 pattern.
Does the ferry run in winter?
Yes, on fewer days. Ertürk lists sailings until 30 September 2027, with no fast boat from 11 January to 11 February but the car ferry on January weekends (checked 30 October 2026), and Turyol until 30 September 2027 (checked 24 October 2026), leaving Chios in the afternoon (16:00–16:30).
Can I take my car from Chios to Çeşme?
Yes, on Ertürk’s Apostolos S. or Ertürk-1 or Turyol’s Chios, with insurance arranged in advance. Ertürk’s fare page also lists vehicle fares for its fast boat; ask which sailing takes cars. A hire car also needs the rental company’s permission.
How much is the ferry from Chios to Çeşme?
Ertürk’s own fares, published for trips from Çeşme, are €38–40 one way for adults as of October 2026. Turyol’s fare table (checked 2 November 2026) lists €30 one way for adults from Chios, port taxes included; Ferryscanner shows €30–40.
Do I need a visa for Turkey?
Not as a UK, German, Dutch, Austrian or Swiss citizen for up to 90 days in 180 days. Other nationalities should check the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s visa page.
Timetables, prices and entry rules change; check the official source before you travel.
Sources
- Ertürk Lines – Çeşme–Chios timetable (checked 22, 24 and 28 Oct 2026; December 2026 to September 2027 checked 30 Oct 2026 with two date windows)
- Turyol – Ferry timetable, Çeşme–Chios (2027 checked 30 Oct 2026 with two date windows)
- Ertürk Lines – Çeşme–Chios fares (checked 22 Oct 2026)
- Ertürk Lines – FAQ (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ertürk Lines – Contact (accessed Oct 2026)
- Tilos Travel – 2025–2026 Aegean islands sailing plan (accessed Oct 2026)
- Turyol – Çeşme–Chios tickets (accessed Oct 2026)
- Turyol – Çeşme–Chios timetable (checked 22 Oct 2026)
- Ferryscanner – Chios to Çeşme (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryscanner – Chios nach Çeşme (German) (accessed Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK – Turkey entry requirements (accessed Oct 2026)
- Auswärtiges Amt – Türkei: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (accessed Oct 2026)
- ÖAMTC – Travel information for Turkey (accessed Oct 2026)
- Republic of Türkiye MFA – Visa information for foreigners (accessed Oct 2026)
- Republic of Türkiye MFA – Countries whose citizens can enter with national ID cards (accessed Oct 2026)
- Republic of Türkiye e-Visa (accessed Oct 2026)
- European Commission – Entry/Exit System (accessed Oct 2026)
- Dave’s Travel Pages – Renting a car in Greece (updated July 2026) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Turkey Travel Planner – Çeşme and Alaçatı transport (accessed Oct 2026)
- Havaş – Bus services (accessed Oct 2026)
- e-Yaşam Rehberi – Çeşme to Adnan Menderes Airport Havaş timetable (Turkish) (accessed Oct 2026)
- European Commission – Roaming policy (accessed Oct 2026)
- timeanddate.com – Clock changes in Athens (accessed Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia – Time in Turkey (accessed Oct 2026)
Was this page helpful?
No name or email needed. ›