Coast to Island

Greek Islands with Kids from Turkey: Ferries, Fares, Rules

Taking children from the Turkish coast to a Greek island: child ferry fares and age bands, consent letters, EES for under-12s, car seats and tips.

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On this page
  1. Short answer
  2. Documents for children
  3. EES with children
  4. Child ferry fares and age bands
  5. On board
  6. Car seats, taxis and hire cars in Greece
  7. Beaches near the port
  8. Health cover
  9. FAQ

Hopping from the Turkish coast to a Greek island with children is straightforward if every child has their own passport and you carry proof that both parents agree to the trip when only one is travelling. Ferry operators charge reduced child fares, but the age bands differ from company to company, so check them before you book. Under the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), children under 12 are not fingerprinted.

Short answer

  • Passports: every child needs their own valid passport, babies included. UK passports must meet the Schengen rules (issued less than 10 years ago, valid at least 3 months after you leave).
  • One parent travelling: there are no EU-wide rules, but individual countries, airlines and border officers can ask for a consent letter. UK law requires permission from everyone with parental responsibility.
  • EES: children aged 11 or younger are not fingerprinted but may be photographed. Gov.uk says Greece has indicated it will not collect EES biometrics from UK travellers.
  • Child fares: infants usually pay €5–25 and children €15–30 one way (October 2026). “Infant” means under 6 on some lines and under 3 or 7 on others.
  • Leaving Turkey: we found no special exit rule for foreign children, apart from dual Turkish nationals.
  • Hire cars: child seats are a legal requirement in Greece. Book one with the car.
Silhouettes of a family walking along the shore at sunset
Silhouettes of a family walking along the shore at sunset · Photo: Kevin Delvecchio / Unsplash

Documents for children

Passports and Schengen rules

The island is in Greece and therefore in the Schengen area, so the usual entry rules apply to each child. For British children, gov.uk says the passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive and must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. The 90-days-in-180 limit applies to children too, and days on the island count towards it.

Citizens of EU countries can travel on a valid passport or national ID card. If you plan to use an ID card, check that Turkey accepts it for the outbound part of your trip.

Travelling with one parent or another adult

The European Commission’s Your Europe portal says there are no EU rules on this. Each country decides, and a child travelling alone, with only one parent or with another adult may be asked for an official document signed by the absent parent or guardian(s). Transit countries can ask too. Airlines often have their own forms.

We did not find a Greek government page with a specific rule for foreign children arriving by ferry. In practice, carry:

  • a signed consent letter from the absent parent with their contact details and the trip dates
  • a copy of the absent parent’s passport or ID
  • the child’s birth certificate if your surname differs from the child’s

If you live in the UK, gov.uk says you need permission from everyone with parental responsibility, or from a court, before taking a child abroad. Without it, the trip can count as child abduction. A letter is usually enough. It should include the other parent’s contact details and the trip details, and you may be asked for it at a border. If a child arrangements order says the child lives with you, you can travel for up to 28 days without that permission, unless a court order says otherwise.

Leaving Turkey with a foreign child

Gov.uk’s Turkey advice mentions only one case: if you leave Turkey with a child who is a dual British-Turkish national, you may need to show permission to travel from the Turkish parent. We found no other special exit requirement for foreign children. If your child is a Turkish citizen as well, read our Turkish-language version of this guide, because Turkish rules on parental consent apply.

EES with children

The EU’s Entry/Exit System started in stages on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, according to the French foreign ministry. On first entry, non-EU travellers are registered with fingerprints and a facial image.

  • Under 12: children are not fingerprinted. Gov.uk says children aged 11 or younger can still be asked for a photo.
  • Cost and validity: registration is free and the record lasts 3 years.
  • Greece and UK travellers: gov.uk’s Greece page says Greek authorities have indicated they will not collect biometric data from UK travellers as part of EES, and tells you to follow the advice of officers on the ground.

Allow extra time at the island port anyway. The passport queue on either side can take longer than the crossing itself.

ETIAS is not yet in operation. The French foreign ministry expects it in the last quarter of 2026. Check before you travel.

A person on a ferry deck looking out over the sea
A person on a ferry deck looking out over the sea · Photo: Veronica Dudarev / Unsplash

Child ferry fares and age bands

These are one-way fares listed on operators’ own websites in October 2026. Operators define “infant” and “child” differently, sometimes even on different routes.

Route / operator Infant Child Adult
Ayvalık–Lesvos, Jalem Tur sea bus 0–5: €10 6–12: €22.50 €35
Ayvalık–Lesvos, Jalem Tur car ferry 0–5: €10 6–12: €20 €30
Çeşme–Chios, Ertürk 0–6: €25 6–12: €30 12+: €40
Çeşme–Chios, Turyol €20 €30 €40
Kuşadası–Samos, Meander Travel 0–5: €5 6–11: €27 €37
Kaş–Kastellorizo, Ertürk listing 0–7: €5 7–12: €15 12+: €25
Kaş–Kastellorizo, Meis Express €5 €15 €25
Fethiye–Rhodes, Ertürk listing 0–3: €5 3–10: €27.50 10+: €55

Turyol and Meis Express do not publish their age bands online, so ask when you book. We could not see child fares for Bodrum–Kos or Marmaris–Rhodes on operator sites, so check those directly with the operator or an agency. Same-day returns usually cost less than two singles. For example, Meander Travel lists €37 for a child’s same-day return to Samos, against €27 one way. Meander says port taxes and fees are included in its fares. Jalem Tur charges 300 TL port tax on top for passengers leaving Ayvalık.

Turkey’s 1,250 TL departure fee is set out in Turkish rules as a charge on Turkish citizens leaving the country, with children under 7 exempt. If your family includes Turkish citizens, budget for it.

For route details, see the ferry map and our guides to Ayvalık–Lesvos, Çeşme–Chios, Kuşadası–Samos, Bodrum–Kos, Marmaris–Rhodes and Kaş–Kastellorizo. The trip cost calculator helps you add up a family’s fares.

On board

Pick a short crossing. Jalem Tur’s Ayvalık–Lesvos sea bus takes 45 minutes, against 90 minutes on its car ferry. Shorter routes such as Kaş–Kastellorizo and Bodrum–Kos are covered in our route guides.

Seasickness: seat children midship, near a window, and get them looking at the horizon. Avoid boarding hungry or overfull. Ask a pharmacist or doctor before giving any travel-sickness medicine, as suitability depends on age.

Prams and life jackets: none of the operator pages we checked state rules on prams or children’s life jackets. A light, folding buggy is easiest in passport queues and on boarding ramps. If you are bringing a full-size pram, or want to know whether child-size life jackets are on board, ask the operator when you book.

Pack for the queue: keep water, snacks and a change of clothes in your hand luggage.

Aerial view of a sandy beach and clear blue water
Aerial view of a sandy beach and clear blue water · Photo: Evangelos Mpikakis / Unsplash

Car seats, taxis and hire cars in Greece

Greek law requires children in cars to use a restraint suited to their size. A guide citing the current Greek Highway Code (Law 5209/2025) says children under 150 cm need an approved restraint suited to their weight, though between 135 and 150 cm an adult seat belt may be used. Children under 12 may only sit in the front with a suitable child seat. Hire cars are covered in full, so reserve a seat or booster with the car.

Taxis: the same source says Greek rules exempt taxis from the child-seat requirement. We could not confirm this against the official text, and an exemption does not make a child any safer. If you have young children, ask your hotel or a transfer company for a vehicle with a child seat, or bring your own.

Beaches near the port

Greece’s national tourism site describes Lambi, about 2.5 km from Kos Town, as having clear, shallow water and sailing lessons for children. Tigaki, 11 km away, is also recommended for its shallow water. On Kastellorizo there is no sandy beach: most people swim from ladders along the harbour, which matters if you have toddlers.

Tables and chairs on a stone patio beside the sea
Tables and chairs on a stone patio beside the sea · Photo: Johnny Africa / Unsplash

Health cover

UK travellers need a GHIC or EHIC for medically necessary state healthcare in Greece, but gov.uk is clear that it is not a substitute for travel insurance. Make sure your policy covers each child and includes the Greek island leg as well as Turkey. EU citizens can use their EHIC in Greece. It is not valid for treatment in Turkey.

Rules change; confirm with the official source before you travel.

FAQ

Does a baby need a passport for a day trip to a Greek island?

Yes. Every child, including a newborn, needs their own valid passport to leave Turkey and enter Greece. There is no exception for day trips.

There are no EU-wide rules, but a border officer, airline or agency can ask for one. UK law also requires permission from everyone with parental responsibility. Carry a signed letter from the absent parent with their contact details, plus a copy of their passport.

Are children fingerprinted under EES?

No, not under 12. Gov.uk says children aged 11 or younger are not fingerprinted but may be photographed. It also says Greece has indicated it will not collect EES biometrics from UK travellers.

At what age do children pay full fare on the ferry?

It depends on the operator and route. On most lines it is 12, but Fethiye–Rhodes listings charge adult fare from 10. The infant band also varies, from under 3 up to under 7.

Are child seats required in Greek taxis?

Sources say taxis are exempt, but we could not confirm this in the official text. Child seats are required in hire cars. Ask for a transfer with a child seat or bring your own.

Sources