Ferries from Samos to Kuşadası leave from two ports, Vathy and Pythagorio, and take roughly 30 minutes to 1.5 hours to reach Ege Port in the centre of Kuşadası. Most boats are based in Turkey, so the regular departures from Samos are in the late afternoon or evening. That suits a one-way crossing or a stay of a few nights on the Turkish coast better than a day trip.
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Is there a sailing?
Stay near the port: Kuşadası
Getting around Kuşadası
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Short answer
As of 11 November 2026, the Samos–Kuşadası crossing takes 30–90 minutes (operators: Meander Travel, Tilos Travel, İDO and Aegean Shipping Company); an adult foot passenger pays €37 one way. Season: Year-round; daily Apr–Oct; weekly 7 Nov–27 Dec 2026 (Vathy), no Jan–Mar 2027 timetable yet. 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
- Ports on Samos: Vathy (Samos Town) and Pythagorio. Both arrive at Ege Port, Kuşadası’s town-centre port.
- Departures (as of October 2026): Tilos Travel from Vathy at 17:30 daily until 1 November; Meander Travel at 17:00 daily from Vathy up to and including 1 November and from Pythagorio until 18 October. From 8 November to 27 December 2026 Meander has one sailing a week from Vathy, on Sundays at 17:00 (the outbound boat leaves Kuşadası on Saturdays at 09:15). Nothing is published for January–March 2027 (checked 28 October 2026).
- Fares (as of October 2026): Meander Travel lists €37 one way for adults, with taxes included, and says its rates apply from Samos as well as from Kuşadası.
- Crossing: about 75 minutes on Tilos’s Sea Star Samos; booking sites list 30 minutes to about 1.5 hours depending on the boat and port.
- 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 also use a national ID card. Check other nationalities on evisa.gov.tr.
- Clocks: from 25 October 2026 Turkey is one hour ahead of Samos.
Going for the day? Read our Samos to Ephesus day trip instead; this page is about the ferry itself.
Which port: Vathy or Pythagorio?
Vathy is the island capital on the north-east coast. In Vathy the KTEL bus stop and the taxi rank are next to the port, according to our Samos travel guide.
Pythagorio is on the south-east coast, close to Samos airport, the Heraion and the Tunnel of Eupalinos. Buses for Vathy, Kokkari and Karlovasi leave from the port exit, and there is a taxi rank outside the customs building.
Choose the port nearest your hotel and check which port your ticket shows, because operators switch between them through the season.
Operators and timetable
Ferryscanner’s Samos to Kuşadası page lists Makri Travel, Meander Travel and İDO from Vathy, and Meander Travel, Aegean Shipping Company and İDO from Pythagorio. The weekly sailing counts on its English and German pages do not match, so treat them as a rough guide and check your date.
| Operator / boat | Samos port | Departs Samos (as of Oct 2026) | Crossing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tilos Travel, Sea Star Samos | Vathy | 17:30 daily, 28 Sep–1 Nov | about 75 min |
| Meander Travel | Vathy | 17:00 daily, 14 Sep–1 Nov | listed at about 1–1.5 h |
| Meander Travel | Vathy | 17:00 Sundays only, 8 Nov–27 Dec | listed at about 1–1.5 h |
| Meander Travel | Pythagorio | 17:00 daily, 14 Sep–18 Oct | listed at about 1–1.5 h |
| Aegean Shipping Company | Pythagorio | three a week on Ferryscanner, days not published | about 1 h |
| İDO | Vathy and Pythagorio | check with the operator | about 30 min–1 h |
Summer pattern: in the 2026 peak season (15 May to 27 September), Tilos’s timetable had the Sea Star Samos leaving Vathy twice a day, at 09:30 and 18:00. Meander’s boats left both ports at 18:00 from 15 May to 13 September. In spring both operators sailed on fewer days.
Morning boat from Pythagorio: Ferryscanner gives 08:00 from Pythagorio as the earliest departure on the route. A same-day return ticket from Pythagorio that Rhenia Tours sold on GetYourGuide was no longer available when we checked on 22 October 2026. We found no operator timetable showing the days, so check before you plan around it.
Winter: Meander Travel’s timetable (samosaferibot.com, checked 28 October 2026) has daily sailings up to and including Sunday 1 November, then one a week from Vathy on Sundays at 17:00 from 8 November to 27 December 2026. Meander does not say whether that time is Greek or Turkish time; Samos is one hour behind Turkey from 25 October 2026 to 28 March 2027, so check the time on your ticket. Nothing is published for January–March 2027, and when we checked on 25 October Ferryscanner showed no sailings from 2 November. If you plan to cross in winter, confirm that a boat runs before you book anything else. Our ferry season calendar tracks this.
Cars: this is a foot-passenger route. Ferryscanner lists no vehicle fares, and the Kuşadası boats do not carry rental cars.
Fares and tickets
As of October 2026, Meander Travel’s 2026 fare table lists:
- One way: €37 adult, €27 child aged 6–11, €5 child under 6.
- Same-day return: €47 adult.
- Return: €55 (Vathy) or €59 (Pythagorio) for adults.
Meander says fuel surcharge, port fees and tax are included and that the rates apply from both Kuşadası and Samos. Ferryscanner shows foot-passenger fares from €37 out of Vathy and from €39 out of Pythagorio. Tilos Travel did not show fares on the timetable page we checked; it told us by email on 27 October 2026 that fares appear on its website once you choose a route and that port taxes are included (on all its routes except Rhodes).
Where to buy: on the operators’ websites, through their agents, or on Ferryscanner. Tickets are issued in your name. Booking a day or two ahead is sensible in summer.
Luggage: the operator pages we checked do not publish a luggage allowance. If you are moving on with a large suitcase, ask when you book.
At the port in Samos
None of the operator pages we checked gives a check-in time for Samos. For the Kuşadası side, Ferryhopper advises at least an hour and İDO asks for 1.5 hours, so plan to be at the port at least an hour before departure, longer with İDO or on busy summer days.
- Exchange your booking for a boarding pass at the operator’s counter.
- Greek exit control (EES for non-EU travellers; see the entry box below).
- Board. In Kuşadası you go through Turkish passport control and customs at Ege 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 Kuşadası: Turkish passport control and customs are at Ege Port.
- Clocks: from 25 October, a 75-minute crossing that leaves Samos at 17:30 local time arrives at about 19:45 Kuşadası time. The operator pages do not state a time zone; assume local time at each port and check with the operator.
Arriving in Kuşadası
Boats dock at Ege Port, run by Global Ports Holding, on Atatürk Bulvarı. The operator gives the distance to the centre as 50 m, so you can walk to central hotels. Our Kuşadası ferry port page has more on the terminal.
- Bus station: about 4 km away; take a dolmuş or taxi.
- Ephesus: about 17 km by road. Dolmuş minibuses for Selçuk and Ephesus leave from Şevki Hasırcı Meydanı, a roundabout one block inland from the town hall. See Ephesus from Kuşadası.
- İzmir airport: Havaş links Kuşadası bus station with İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport via Selçuk in about 90 minutes. A timetable site updated on 20 September 2026 lists departures from Kuşadası roughly every two hours from 03:00 to 23:00, at 600 TL; confirm times on havas.net. Our İzmir airport transfers page also covers the İZBAN train from Selçuk and the airport’s taxi prices.
- Money: Turkey uses the Turkish lira. Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for dolmuş fares and taxis.
Car hire: Kuşadası
DiscoverCars compares offers from several rental companies in one search. Check the pick-up point, deposit and insurance terms before you book.
Staying in Kuşadası
Arriving on an evening boat, you will want a bed close to the port. These two come from our accommodation guide; more areas are in where to stay in Kuşadası, and things to do in the Kuşadası travel guide.
Liman Hotel (Mr Happy's)
Centre & harbour
- Ferry port: Across the road from the Samos ferry dock
- Best for: Night before the ferry / budget / no car
Across the road from the Samos ferry dock in Kuşadası, and it can book Samos tickets.
Ilayda Avantgarde Hotel
Marina seafront4★
- Best for: Couples / first-timers
On the promenade with a pool, about 1.2 km from the marina, if you want more than a ferry-night room.
Useful bookings
Izmir Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer from/to Kusadasi
Private car between Kuşadası and İzmir airport, handy for an early flight after a night in town; the listing names German- and English-speaking drivers.
Check price & availability
From Kusadasi or Izmir: Ephesus Private Tour
Private full day with the House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus and the Basilica of St John, for travellers staying a night or more in Kuşadası.
Check price & availabilityFor the crossing in the other direction, see the Kuşadası to Samos ferry guide. Operator profiles are on our ferry operators 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
Is there a morning ferry from Samos to Kuşadası?
Not on the regular timetables as of October 2026, which show Samos departures at 17:00 or 17:30. In summer 2026 Tilos had a 09:30 from Vathy. A morning boat from Pythagorio was sold by Rhenia Tours on GetYourGuide, but that listing was no longer available when we checked on 22 October 2026.
How much is the ferry from Samos to Kuşadası?
As of October 2026, Meander Travel lists €37 one way for adults, taxes included, valid from Samos too. Ferryscanner shows fares from €37 to €45.
Do ferries run from Samos to Kuşadası in winter?
Yes, but rarely. Meander Travel sails daily up to and including 1 November 2026, then once a week from 8 November to 27 December, on Sundays at 17:00 from Vathy. Nothing had been published for January–March 2027 when we checked on 28 October 2026. Confirm before you travel.
Can I take a car from Samos to Kuşadası?
No. The route carries foot passengers only.
Do I need a visa for Turkey?
Not if you are a UK, German, Dutch, Austrian or Swiss citizen staying up to 90 days in 180 days. Other nationalities should check the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s visa page.
How early should I be at the port?
The operators do not publish a Samos check-in time. Allow at least an hour, longer in summer or with İDO.
Timetables, prices and entry rules change; check the official source before you travel.
Sources
- Tilos Travel – 2025–2026 Aegean islands sailing plan (Kuşadası–Samos) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Meander Travel – Ferry to Samos timetable and fares 2026 (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryscanner – Samos to Kuşadası (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryscanner – Samos nach Kuşadası (German) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryhopper – Samos to Kuşadası (accessed Oct 2026)
- Ferryhopper – Kuşadası port (accessed Oct 2026)
- İDO Aegean Islands – travel rules (accessed Oct 2026)
- GetYourGuide – Same-Day Return Boat Ticket to Kusadasi (Rhenia Tours, t463088): no longer available; the link redirected to the Samos listing page (checked 22 Oct 2026)
- Global Ports Holding – Ege Port Kuşadası (accessed Oct 2026)
- Turkey Travel Planner – Kuşadası transport (accessed Oct 2026)
- Havaş – Bus services (accessed Oct 2026)
- e-Yaşam Rehberi – Kuşadası to Adnan Menderes Airport Havaş timetable (Turkish) (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)
- Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs – Visa FAQ (single-entry visas) (accessed Oct 2026)
- timeanddate.com – Clock changes in Athens (accessed Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia – Time in Turkey (accessed Oct 2026)
- Tilos Travel, email reply, 27 October 2026
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