Winter Ferry Report 2026–27: Turkey to Greek Islands

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We put the November 2026 to March 2027 status of all 16 ferry routes from the Turkish coast to the Greek islands into one table, using the operators’ own timetables, their email replies to us and official announcements. In short: 7 routes run in winter, but only 5 have a published timetable for January 2027, and none of them sails every day. This report was published on 28 October 2026; the data was checked up to 27 October 2026. You are free to reuse the data with a link (how to cite).

Key findings

• Update 12 November: Aliağa–Lesvos now runs in winter too from 21 November (mostly Saturday–Sunday; no sailings 8 February–4 March; Turyol timetable, news). The table below is updated; the counts, chart and CSV still show the 27 October data.
• 7 of 16 routes run in winter, 9 stop (27 October). Of the 16 routes in our season calendar, Dikili, Aliağa and Akçay–Lesvos, Çanakkale–Lemnos, Seferihisar–Samos, Kuşadası–Patmos, Turgutreis–Kos (except 1, 5 and 15 January) and both Leros routes have no sailings from December.
• Routes with published sailings, by month: November 8, December 7, January 5, February 5, March 5. For February and March, Kuşadası–Samos and Marmaris–Rhodes have no timetable yet; Kaş–Kastellorizo has nothing listed from 27 December to 26 February (updated 31 October 2026).
• 4 routes have a timetable for all five months: Ayvalık–Lesvos (Turyol), Çeşme–Chios (Turyol), Bodrum–Kos (Ertürk) and Fethiye–Rhodes (Ertürk).
• Cars: 3 routes carry vehicles from November to January (Ayvalık–Lesvos, Çeşme–Chios, Bodrum–Kos). The last listed car sailing on Çeşme–Chios is now on 31 January 2027 (Ertürk’s Apostolos S., checked 30 October 2026), leaving 2 routes from February.
• Bodrum–Kos has thinned out: last winter (2025–26) it ran every day; the only timetable published so far for December 2026 to April 2027 (Ertürk) shows 4 days a week in December (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday) and 3 from January (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday; checked 11 November 2026).
• Fares: the cheapest return is Kaş–Kastellorizo at €25 same-day (Meis Express); the most expensive foot-passenger return is Marmaris–Rhodes at €90 with a different-day return (Yeşil Marmaris fare table, checked 30 October 2026). With a car, Çeşme–Chios costs €140–150 return (Ertürk).
• Visa on arrival (Turkish passport holders only): €80–100 per adult, €20–55 per child, applications 5–10 days before travel. No extension has been announced for travel after 1 April 2027.

Which routes run, month by month

“Daily”: at least one sailing every day of the month. “Some days”: certain days of the week. “No timetable”: the company has not published sailings for that month yet, so the status is unknown. “No sailings”: nothing in the company’s timetable or our season calendar for that month. Sources: the operators’ own timetables (checked 22–27 October 2026) and the emails named below.

Route notes:

• Ayvalık–Lesvos: Turyol’s car-carrying Fokaia is listed on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in both directions, at least to the end of April 2027 (checked 1 November 2026), its catamaran Friday to Sunday until 28 February. The November–December day counts combine the Ertürk, Turyol and Jalem Tur timetables.
• Çeşme–Chios: Ertürk’s fast boat is now listed to 30 September 2027 (daily from 30 April; checked 29 October), with no fast-boat sailings from 11 January to 11 February, then Friday to Sunday from 12 February, daily from 5 to 14 March and Wednesday and Friday to Sunday in April (checked 28 October 2026; our report). Ertürk’s car ferry Apostolos S. is also listed on Fridays to Sundays in December (not 25 December) and January, up to 31 January 2027 (checked 30 October 2026; our report). Turyol’s runs to 30 September 2027; in January and February Catamaran Imbros sails on Tuesdays and Thursday to Sunday.
• Bodrum–Kos: four boats in November (Ertürk timetable, 24 October 2026). Bodrum Sea Lines sails Wednesday to Sunday from 4 to 29 November; on 25 October the company told us by email that its December timetable will be announced in November. Sea Star (Tilos Travel) shows 2 sailings each way a day from 28 October to 6 November; nothing after that is published.
• Marmaris–Rhodes: November and December from the Sea Dreams timetable; Yeşil Marmaris Lines confirmed by email on 25 October that it sails every day in November and on 14 days in December. For January 2027 Sea Dreams has published only 1 January and Saturdays.
• Kaş–Kastellorizo: When we searched Meis Express’s own timetable by date on 31 October 2026, it was no longer daily: 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 25 and 28 November, then 4, 5, 7, 12, 19 and 26 December, and nothing for January 2027. Meis Ferry Lines sails on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays in November and on Saturdays in December (company email, 24 October; Ertürk’s booking system on 31 October). With both companies there are no sailings listed from 27 December 2026 to 26 February 2027. Ertürk’s system then lists Meis Ferry Lines’ Kahramanlar 4 (the company also uses the name Kahramanlar) on 27 February and 6-14 March on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays to Sundays, Kalimera on some days from 20 March, and Kalimera daily from 19 April (checked with two date ranges on 31 October 2026). Turyol’s timetable lists the boat Kastellorizo every day to 31 December; because Meis Express’s own timetable does not show this, we left it out of the table. See the news of 31 October 2026.
• Kuşadası–Samos: Meander Travel sails daily until 1 November, then once a week from 7 November to 27 December, Saturday from Kuşadası at 09:15 and Sunday from Vathy at 17:00, so a day trip is not possible.
• Turgutreis–Kos: in Ertürk’s timetable the Erdem Karadeniz leaves Turgutreis in November; it has no December departures from Turgutreis, but sails on 1, 5 and 15 January 2027 (Turgutreis 09:00, Kos 16:00; checked 11 November 2026).

Which island can you reach by car in winter?

The Bodrum–Kos car information rests on Ertürk’s email of 25 October 2026: the Turkish Sea Lines agency’s boat takes vehicles, and Asım Kaptan is the only boat in Ertürk’s timetable without the “no cars” note. Direct Ferries gives its capacity as 4 cars, 20 motorbikes and 1 caravan. Confirm days and fares with the company. Paperwork: taking a car to the Greek islands.

Winter fares

Per person, adult, in euros. No operator has published a separate winter tariff; these are 2026 fares with the date we saw them.

Is port tax included? What the companies told us or show on their sites:

Visa on arrival by company (Turkish passport holders only)

According to the press, Greece’s express visa-on-arrival programme runs for one year from 1 April 2026, so November to March is covered. No extension has been announced for travel after 1 April 2027. You apply for a specific sailing through the company that sells you the ticket. Other nationalities follow normal Schengen rules.

Sources: the companies’ visa-on-arrival pages (25–27 October 2026) and email replies from Turyol (17 October), Ertürk, Yeşil Marmaris Lines, Bodrum Sea Lines (25 October), Meis Ferry Lines (24 October) and Tilos Travel (27 October). Documents and rules: visa-on-arrival guide.

Winter points: for Kos, Sea Star accepts visa passengers only on its 08:30 and 10:45 sailings; Tilos Travel (Rhodes) and Bodrum Ferryboat (Kos) do not accept visa-on-arrival day trips. On weekly routes, plan the return around the 7-day limit before you buy.

What changed since summer

• Number of routes: in August 2026 all 16 routes in our season calendar had sailings; for January 2027 only 5 have a timetable.
• Frequency: in summer Ayvalık–Lesvos, Kuşadası–Samos, Marmaris–Rhodes, Fethiye–Rhodes and Kaş–Kastellorizo ran daily and Bodrum–Kos several times a day. In winter the busiest route is Bodrum–Kos in November (daily); from December no route has daily sailings published.
• Time difference: Greece put its clocks back on 25 October 2026; until 28 March 2027 the islands are one hour behind Turkey. Ask which country’s time your return ticket uses (news).
• Day trips: not possible on Kuşadası–Samos in winter. Almost all departures from the islands to Turkey are in the afternoon (15:00–17:00).
• Online sales: when we checked on 25 October, Ferryscanner showed no sailings on Kuşadası–Samos from 2 November or on Bodrum–Kos from 1 December. On those dates you may need to buy from the company’s own site or at the port.

Key dates

The Turkish exit fee (Turkish citizens only) is 1,250 TL under the decision in the Official Gazette of 31 December 2025; children under 7 are exempt. Check the 2027 amount before you travel (Turkey departure fee).

Method: how we checked

• Scope: the 16 routes in our season calendar, i.e. routes confirmed to have sailed in 2026. Unconfirmed or planned routes (such as Datça–Symi, Bodrum–Tilos or Enez–Samothraki) are not included.
• Timetables: the Ertürk, Turyol, Jalem Tur and Meis Express timetables were pulled from the operators’ own websites on 27 October 2026 (Meis Express rechecked on 28 October). For Ertürk we compared the same dates across different search windows and did not use inconsistent data. Meander Travel, Sea Dreams and Tilos Travel pages were opened between 16 and 27 October.
• Emails: Meis Ferry Lines (24 October), Yeşil Marmaris Lines, Ertürk and Bodrum Sea Lines (25 October), Tilos Travel (27 October). We asked the companies the same questions and report their answers as given.
• Counting: a route counts as “with published sailings” in a month if at least one company’s published timetable lists a sailing that month. A month without a published timetable counts as “no timetable” (unknown), not as “no sailings”.
• Limits: winter timetables change often and sailings are cancelled for weather. This report shows the published plan, not sailings that actually ran. We update this page and our 2027 timetable tracker as new timetables appear.

How to cite

You are free to use the data and the chart in your reporting, on your website or on social media; all we ask is a link to this page.

Suggested citation: Coast to Island, “Winter ferry report 2026–27: Turkey to the Greek islands”, 28 October 2026, https://coasttoisland.com/winter-ferry-report-2026-2027/

To embed the chart:

<a href="https://coasttoisland.com/winter-ferry-report-2026-2027/"><img src="https://coasttoisland.com/charts/winter-ferry-report-2026-2027-en.svg" alt="Turkey–Greek islands ferry routes running in winter 2026–27, by month" width="720" height="420"></a>

Raw data: CSV file. How we research and how to reach us: how we research.

More: Greek islands in winter (what is open, weather), ferry season calendar, ferry prices, ferry operators.

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Before you go

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Where to stay, island by island

LesvosChiosSamosKosRhodesKastellorizo

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FAQ

Are there ferries from Turkey to the Greek islands in winter?

Yes. Seven routes run between November 2026 and March 2027: Ayvalık–Lesvos, Çeşme–Chios, Bodrum–Kos, Marmaris–Rhodes, Fethiye–Rhodes, Kaş–Kastellorizo and Kuşadası–Samos. Most sail only on certain days of the week.

Which routes definitely run in January and February?

As of 27 October 2026, the routes with a published timetable for January and February are Ayvalık–Lesvos, Çeşme–Chios, Bodrum–Kos and Fethiye–Rhodes. Marmaris–Rhodes has a January timetable (1 January and Saturdays) but none for February. Kuşadası–Samos has nothing published for January to March; Kaş–Kastellorizo has nothing for January, and Ertürk’s system lists Meis Ferry Lines again from 27 February (checked 31 October 2026).

Can I take my car to an island in winter?

Yes: Turyol’s Fokaia carries cars on Ayvalık–Lesvos four days a week all winter (at least to the end of April 2027, checked 1 November 2026), and on Çeşme–Chios Turyol’s Chios until 3 January 2027 and Ertürk’s Apostolos S. on Fridays to Sundays until 31 January 2027 (checked 30 October 2026). On Bodrum–Kos the boat Asım Kaptan is reported to take vehicles; ask the company about days and fares.

Which is the cheapest winter ferry?

Going by published 2026 fares, Kaş–Kastellorizo: €25 for a same-day return (Meis Express, 16 October 2026). Bodrum–Kos costs €25–35 one way.

Is visa on arrival valid in winter?

For Turkish passport holders, yes: according to the press the programme runs for one year from 1 April 2026. Fees are €80–100 depending on the company, with applications 5–10 days before travel. No decision has been announced for travel after 1 April 2027.

Are island departure times in Turkish time?

Companies usually give island departures in local time (Meis Ferry Lines says so explicitly). From 25 October 2026 to 28 March 2027 the islands are one hour behind Turkey, so check which time your ticket shows.

Can I use this data in my article?

Yes. The data and chart are free to reuse; the only condition is a link to this page. The suggested citation is in the “How to cite” section above.

Sources

Ferry companies (timetables and fares)

• Ertürk – Çeşme–Chios timetable (checked 24, 27, 28 and 30 October 2026)
• Ertürk – Bodrum–Kos timetable (checked 24 and 27 October 2026)
• Ertürk – Fethiye–Rhodes timetable (checked 24 and 27 October 2026)
• Ertürk – Fethiye–Rhodes fares (fare table of 14 October 2026)
• Ertürk – Çeşme–Chios fares (October 2026)
• Turyol – Ferry timetable (checked 23, 24 and 27 October 2026)
• Jalem Tur – Ferry timetable (checked 27 October 2026)
• Jalem Tur – Ferry fares (October 2026)
• Meis Express – Kaş–Kastellorizo timetable (checked 27 and 28 October 2026)
• Meis Express – Fares (16 October 2026)
• Samosaferibot.com (Meander Travel) – Kuşadası–Samos sailings (checked 27 October 2026)
• Sea Dreams – Marmaris timetable, January 2027 (17 October 2026)
• Sea Dreams – Marmaris timetable, December 2026 (17 October 2026)
• Yeşil Marmaris Lines – Marmaris–Rhodes (October 2026)
• Bodrum Sea Lines – Sailings (22 October 2026)
• Tilos Travel – Aegean islands sailing plan (2025–26 winter plan, October 2026)
• Tilos Travel – Bodrum–Kos ferry ticket (booking calendar, 27 October 2026)
• Direct Ferries – Turkish Sealines (Asım Kaptan capacity, October 2026)
• Turyol – Timetable, Ayvalık–Lesvos (Fokaia) (checked 1 November 2026)

Email replies

• Meis Ferry Lines, email, 24 October 2026
• Yeşil Marmaris Lines, Ertürk Lines and Bodrum Sea Lines, emails, 25 October 2026
• Tilos Travel, email, 27 October 2026
• Turyol, email, 17 October 2026

Visa on arrival

• Turyol – Lesvos visa on arrival (25 October 2026)
• Jalem Tur – Greek islands visa on arrival (25 October 2026)
• Ertürk – Visa on arrival (25 October 2026)
• İDO – Samos visa on arrival (25 October 2026)
• Samosaferibot.com – Samos visa on arrival (25 October 2026)
• Tilos Travel – Visa on arrival (27 October 2026)
• Bodrum Feribot – Visa procedures (25 October 2026)
• Meis Express – Kaş–Kastellorizo visa on arrival (25 October 2026)
• Meis Ferry Lines – Visa on arrival (25 October 2026)
• Yeşil Marmaris Lines – Rhodes visa on arrival (25 October 2026)
• To Vima – EU extends visa express program (31 March 2026)

Dates and other

• timeanddate.com – Greece clock changes (October 2026)
• TravelDailyNews – Chios airport runway works (15 October 2026, Greek)
• Medyascope – Exit fee becomes 1,250 TL (31 December 2025, Turkish)

Correction (28 October 2026)

The first version of this report gave Kaş–Kastellorizo in November as “daily to 18 Nov, then Wed, Sat, Sun” and listed 19 November, the last date in Meis Express’s timetable, among the key dates as if the season ended then. Meis Express’s online timetable only shows about three weeks ahead (on 28 October it listed one sailing a day up to 21 November), so its last date is not the end of the season. The Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday sailings in November and the Saturday sailings in December are Meis Ferry Lines’ (email, 24 October 2026). No company has published Kaş–Kastellorizo sailings for January to March 2027. We also corrected the start of Meander Travel’s weekly winter sailings on Kuşadası–Samos: it sails daily until 1 November, and the first weekly sailing is on Saturday 7 November (the first version said “from 2 November”). The month categories and route counts (November 8, December 7, January 5, February 4, March 4) are unchanged.

Update (30 October 2026)

Ertürk has added its car ferry Apostolos S. on Çeşme–Chios on 4–6, 11–13, 18–20 and 26–27 December 2026 and on every Friday to Sunday in January 2027. We updated the car summary, the car-ferry table, the key dates and the FAQ: the last listed car sailing on Çeşme–Chios is now 31 January 2027 instead of 3 January. The route counts are unchanged. Details: our report.

On the same day we checked Yeşil Marmaris Lines’ fare table for 21 September 2026 to 31 March 2027: adults €63 one way or same-day return and €90 for a return on a different day (the text on its route page still says €60 and €95). We updated the Marmaris–Rhodes row in the fare table and the key finding on prices.

Update (31 October 2026)

When we searched Meis Express’s own Kaş–Kastellorizo timetable by date on 31 October, it no longer showed a daily service: it lists 13 days in November, 6 in December (last on 26 December) and nothing for January 2027. Ertürk’s booking system now lists Meis Ferry Lines on Kaş–Kastellorizo again from 27 February 2027 (Kahramanlar 4), on 13 days in March and daily from 19 April. We updated the Kaş–Kastellorizo row, the route note, the FAQ and the route counts for February and March (now 5 each instead of 4). The chart above still shows the state of 27 October. Details: our report.