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Lesvos airport (MJT), officially Mytilene Airport “Odysseas Elytis”, lies about 8 km south of Mytilene town, the island’s capital and ferry port. A town bus links the airport with the centre and taxis wait outside arrivals, so reaching Mytilene is simple. The rest of the island is a different matter: Molyvos, Petra and Skala Eresou are an hour or more away by road, and there is no direct airport bus to any of them, so most visitors heading there take a taxi or pick up a hire car at the airport.
Short answer
- Mytilene town and port: take the town bus (Astika Mytilinis) from the stop in front of the departures building, or a taxi from the rank outside arrivals. Tickets are sold by the driver.
- Bus fare: Astika lists on-board fares of €1.50, €2.00 or €2.50 depending on the zone (as of October 2026), but does not say which zone the airport is in.
- Molyvos, Petra, Plomari, Skala Eresou: no direct bus. Go into Mytilene and change to a KTEL Lesvou bus, or take a taxi or hire car. Molyvos is about 59 km from Mytilene, Skala Eresou about 84 km.
- Car hire: Avis–Budget, Avance and Hertz–Thrifty have desks in the arrivals hall, according to the airport.
- Winter flights: the runway is closed every Tuesday from 17 November 2026 to 23 March 2027, with a few exempt dates around Christmas and New Year.
- Ferry to Turkey: the port is in the town centre. Afternoon sailings to Ayvalık can work on the day you land if your flight arrives early enough.
Flights to Lesvos
Compare airline fares in one search on Booking.com Flights. Check the baggage allowance and connection times before you book.
Where the airport is
The airport is operated by Fraport Greece. Its website gives the address as Mitilini Airport, Lesvos 811 00, and the coordinates 39.053322, 26.604367. It does not state the distance to town. Wikipedia puts the airport 8 km from Mytilene.
The terminal is open daily from 06:00 to 22:30, according to the airport website (as of October 2026).
Who flies to Lesvos
The airport’s airline list includes Aegean Airlines, Olympic Air, Sky Express, Pegasus Airlines, Jet2.com, Transavia, SAS and TUI fly (Belgium and Netherlands). Jet2 included Lesvos in its summer 2026 Greece programme. Austrian Airlines flies from Vienna once a week from 15 June to 28 September 2026, according to the Lufthansa Group route network. Out of season, fly via Athens; see our flights guide.
Winter runway works
Fraport Greece has announced runway reconstruction every Tuesday, around the clock, from 17 November 2026 to 23 March 2027. Flights are suspended on those days. Fraport’s English announcement lists 23, 24 and 31 December 2026 and 6 and 7 January 2027 as exempt, while its Greek announcement and the airport’s own homepage give 22, 24 and 31 December and 5 and 7 January (Fraport’s Greek text re-checked 6 November 2026). On the Greek dates, Tuesday 22 December and Tuesday 5 January are open, leaving 17 closed Tuesdays. Check with your airline before booking a Tuesday flight on those dates. More in our news report on the Tuesday closures.
Distances from the airport
| Destination | Distance (approx.) | How to get there |
|---|---|---|
| Mytilene town and port | about 8 km from the airport | town bus or taxi |
| Agiasos | about 24 km from Mytilene | KTEL bus from Mytilene |
| Plomari | about 39 km from Mytilene | KTEL bus from Mytilene |
| Petra | about 55 km from Mytilene | KTEL bus from Mytilene |
| Molyvos | about 59 km from Mytilene | KTEL bus from Mytilene |
| Skala Eresou | about 84 km from Mytilene | KTEL bus, about 2.5 hours |
| Sigri | about 88 km from Mytilene | KTEL bus or car |
The village distances are measured from Mytilene town, as given by Discover Greece and in our Lesvos travel guide; the airport lies south of town, so for the north and west add a few kilometres. Roads on Lesvos are winding, so allow more time than the distances suggest.
Town bus to Mytilene
The airport website describes a bus service between the airport and the city of Mytilene. The stop is in front of the departures terminal building, tickets are bought from the driver, and the airport links to Astika Mytilinis, the town bus company, for times and fares.
- Fares (as of October 2026): Astika’s fare table, valid from 11 March 2026, lists on-board fares of €1.50 for zone A, €2.00 for zone B and €2.50 for zone C, with slightly cheaper prices at the ticket office. The table does not say which zone covers the airport. A 2024 travel guide gave the airport fare as €1.60.
- Timetable: Astika publishes its winter timetable, valid from 11 September 2026, as an image on its website. We could not read the airport times from it, so check on arrival or on the Astika site. A timetable published by the University of the Aegean in 2025 listed around 15 weekday departures from Sappho Square to the airport between early morning and about 21:00, fewer on Sundays, with buses returning from the airport about 15 minutes later. Treat this as a rough pattern only.
- In town: the main town bus stop is Sappho Square, near the harbour.
Onward by KTEL bus to the villages
Long-distance buses on Lesvos are run by KTEL Lesvou. All routes start in Mytilene, from the bus station on the south side of the harbour, and the KTEL website lists no airport stop. To reach Molyvos, Petra, Plomari, Kalloni or Skala Eresou by public transport, take the town bus or a taxi into Mytilene first.
Departures are few: in mid-October 2026 most routes had a handful of buses a day and many had no Sunday service (details in our Lesvos travel guide). After an afternoon landing, the last bus north or west may already have gone.
Taxi
The airport says the taxi rank is in front of the arrivals terminal building. It does not publish fares, and we found no official fixed price list for Lesvos airport taxis. A 2024 travel guide put the ride into Mytilene at roughly €15. Fares to Molyvos, Petra or Skala Eresou are much higher because of the distance.
Agree the price or check the meter is running before you set off. For long trips or late flights, ask your hotel to book a taxi for your arrival time.
Car hire
The airport lists three car hire companies with desks in the arrivals hall: Avis–Budget, Avance and Hertz–Thrifty. It does not give desk opening hours, so book ahead and include your flight number, particularly for late arrivals.
A car makes most sense if you are staying in the north or west: Lesvos covers about 1,630 km², and village buses are infrequent. If you plan to take the car on the ferry to Turkey, read taking a car to the Greek islands and get the rental company’s written permission first.
Car hire: Mytilene Airport (MJT)
DiscoverCars compares offers from several rental companies in one search. Check the pick-up point, deposit and insurance terms before you book.
Private transfers
Several companies sell pre-booked rides from the airport to resorts across the island. We found no airport transfer on GetYourGuide that we could check, so we do not recommend a specific product. If you book one, check the late-flight policy and whether the price is per car or per person. Many hotels can also arrange a pick-up.
Comparison of options
| Option | Mytilene and port | Molyvos, Petra, Skala Eresou | Late arrival | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town bus (Astika) | direct, about 8 km | change to KTEL in Mytilene | depends on timetable | lowest |
| KTEL bus | – | from Mytilene bus station, few departures | unlikely | low |
| Taxi | yes, from the rank | yes, long and expensive | if taxis are waiting or pre-booked | medium to high |
| Private transfer | yes | yes | yes, if pre-booked | medium to high |
| Hire car | yes | yes | book ahead | depends on days |
Straight from the airport to a ferry
Mytilene’s ferry port is in the town centre, about 8 km from the airport. All ferries from Turkey and the Blue Star ferries to other islands use it.
To Turkey
- Ayvalık: runs all year with Jalem Tur, Uğur Jale Lines and Turyol. As of October 2026 the sea buses leave Mytilene at 17:45, moving to 16:45 from 25 October, and take about 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes (Jalem’s catamaran about 45 minutes, Uğur Jale’s Seda Jale about 1 hour 15). Sailings are not daily, so check the date. On a day with a sailing, a flight landing by early afternoon can usually make it. See Lesvos to Ayvalık ferry for operators, fares and entry rules, and the Ayvalık travel guide.
- Dikili: İDO’s foot-passenger service ran in summer 2026 and was announced until the end of September; there is no published winter service. See Dikili to Lesvos ferry.
Allow time for passport control. From 25 October 2026 Turkey is one hour ahead of Greece. If you only want a short visit, Lesvos to Ayvalık day trip explains why one or two nights usually work better than a same-day return.
To other Greek islands
Blue Star Ferries links Mytilene with Chios, Lemnos and Piraeus all year, with fewer sailings outside June to September. See island hopping from Turkey and the ferry route planner.
Staying near the port
If you land late or sail early, a hotel on Mytilene’s harbour front saves a lot of stress. These two are a short walk from the port:
Blue Sea Hotel
Mytilene town3★
- Ferry port: Overlooks the main port; listed about 300 m from the port
- Best for: One night before or after the ferry, sea views
If your transfer ends on the Mytilene waterfront: free parking, useful if you collect a hire car at the airport.
Lesvion Hotel
Mytilene town3★
- Ferry port: On the harbour front, walking distance from the port
- Best for: Couples, central location
No car park of its own, so it suits a taxi from the airport better than a hire car.
For other areas, see where to stay in Lesvos.
Entry checks on arrival (EES)
Lesvos is in the Schengen Area. If you fly in from outside Schengen, for example from the UK, you pass border control at Mytilene airport. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully in force since 10 April 2026 and normally records non-EU visitors’ fingerprints and a facial image at the first entry. GOV.UK says the Greek authorities have indicated they will not collect fingerprints and photos from UK travellers under EES; follow the officials on the ground. Flights from Schengen countries such as Austria, the Netherlands or Denmark have no passport control on arrival. EU citizens can travel with a passport or national ID card.
The same applies when you return from Turkey by ferry. See EES and ETIAS for Greek island–Turkey trips.
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FAQ
Is there a bus from Mytilene airport to Molyvos?
Not directly. Take the town bus or a taxi into Mytilene, then a KTEL Lesvou bus from the bus station on the south side of the harbour. Departures are few, so check the KTEL timetable for your date.
How much is the bus from the airport to Mytilene?
Astika lists on-board fares of €1.50 to €2.50 depending on the zone (as of October 2026), but does not say which zone the airport belongs to. You buy the ticket from the driver.
How much is a taxi from Mytilene airport into town?
We found no official fixed fare. A 2024 travel guide put it at roughly €15. Confirm the price with the driver before you leave.
Can I go straight from the airport to the ferry to Turkey?
Often, on days with a sailing. The port is in central Mytilene, about 8 km away, and the Ayvalık sea buses leave in the late afternoon (17:45, or 16:45 from 25 October 2026). Leave time for passport control.
Are there flights to Lesvos on Tuesdays in winter?
No, on most Tuesdays from 17 November 2026 to 23 March 2027 the runway is closed for works. A few dates around Christmas and New Year are exempt, but the airport and Fraport list slightly different dates, so check with your airline.
Timetables, prices and entry rules change; check the official source before you travel.
Sources
- Fraport Greece: Mytilene Airport (accessed Oct 2026)
- Mytilene Airport: public bus (accessed Oct 2026)
- Mytilene Airport: taxi (accessed Oct 2026)
- Mytilene Airport: GPS directions (accessed Oct 2026)
- Mytilene Airport: car rental (accessed Oct 2026)
- Fraport Greece: runway construction works at Corfu and Mytilene airports (accessed Oct 2026)
- Astika Mytilinis (town buses) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Astika Mytilinis: timetables (accessed Oct 2026)
- Astika Mytilinis: tickets and fares (accessed Oct 2026)
- University of the Aegean: Mytilene bus timetable (2025, PDF) (accessed Oct 2026)
- The Mediterranean Traveller: Lesvos bus guide (2024) (accessed Oct 2026)
- KTEL Lesvou: official site and routes (accessed Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia: Mytilene International Airport (accessed Oct 2026)
- Discover Greece: Lesvos villages and distances from Mytilene (accessed Oct 2026)
- European Geoparks Network: Lesvos Geopark (accessed Oct 2026)
- Jet2: Greece programme for Summer 26 (Feb 2026) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Lufthansa Group: Austrian Airlines route network (accessed Oct 2026)
- Jalem Tur: sailing times (accessed Oct 2026)
- Uğur Jale Lines: timetable (accessed Oct 2026)
- Capital: İDO 2026 Aegean season (March 2026, Turkish) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryscanner: Lesvos (Mytilene) to Chios (accessed Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK: Greece entry requirements (accessed Oct 2026)
- European Commission: Entry/Exit System (accessed Oct 2026)
- Greek City Times: Greece returns to winter time on 25 October 2026 (accessed Oct 2026)
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