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Ferries to Greece from Turkey

We Answer Your Travel Questions for Crete

Ferries to Greece from Turkey - ferry services run from the mainland towns of Cesme, Kusadasi, Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye and Kaz in Turkey to matching island ports in Chios and the Dodecanese, including Rhodos, in Greece.

Companies running ferries on these routes include Anek Lines, Bodrum Express and Miniotis Lines.

If your question is not covered in the information on this page - please ask it below.

The Dodecanese Δωδεκάνησα - this is the name for twelve islands (dodeca is the word for twelve in Greek) in the eastern Aegean, sitting off the south-west coast of Turkey. This group of islands is made up of the following 12 main islands and 150 smaller islands:

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Rhodes Island

One of the most well-known islands in the Dodecanese is Rhodes.

• See more about Rhodes accommodation here
• See how to get from Rhodes to Crete here
• More about Rhodes restaurants and tavernas here
• More about magical places to stay in Rhodes here
  
• Karpathos is a large island which can be reached by ferry en route to Crete from Rhodes

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No Direct Ferries

There are no direct ferries from Turkey to Crete. There are many island-hopping options outlined below. There are flight options from the main towns in Turkey such as Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara.

From the Turkish coast and northern Dodecanese, it is possible to sail to Rhodes and then take a connecting ferry to Crete. Companies running ferries on these routes include Blue Star Ferries, NEL Lines, Dodekanisos Lines, GA Lines and Anen Ferries.

From Rhodes you can sail via Karpathos to Sitia or Heraklion in Crete.

From various islands in the Dodecanese, it is possible to sail across to Santorini in the Cyclades Island group. From Santorini it is a short distance to sail to Heraklion in Crete.

• Santorini to Crete info

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Ferries to Greece from Turkey
From Ayvalik to Mytilini

The Greek island of Mitilini or Lesbos (Mytiline) is located in the north-eastern Aegean opposite the town of Ayvalik in Turkey. The ferries running from Ayvalik to Mytilene take approximately 1 and a half hours to cross. Timetables vary depending on the season. Always check before departure at the port due to prevailing weather conditions.

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From Cesme to Chios

Ferries to Greece from Turkey

The Greek island of Chios sits in the north-eastern Aegean opposite the town of Cesme in Turkey. The ferry running this Chios to Cesme route is Miniotis Lines.

NEL Lines runs ferries to Samos, Kos and Rhodes from Chios.

Miniotis Lines runs ferries south to Karlovasi and Vathy on Samos, from where you can continue your ferry journey south to Kos and then to Rhodes or Santorini.

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From Kusadasi to Samos

Ferries to Greece from Turkey

The Greek island of Samos is located at the northern tip of the Dodecanese, opposite the town of Kusadasi in Turkey.

There is a ferry service from Kusadasi in Turkey to Vathy port on Samos island. The journey takes about one hour and 15 minutes.

See this traveller's question and our answer about her trip from Kusadasi.

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From Bodrum to Kos

The Greek island of Kos is in the centre of the Dodecanese and sits opposite the town of Bodrum in Turkey.

The Kos-Bodrum route is run by the Bodrum Express or Dodecanese Flying Dolphins and the trip takes about 45 minutes. From Kos Port there are more ferries to Greece, with two options to travel to Crete, via Santorini or via Rhodes. 

See this answer about travel from Bodrum to Crete showing options

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From Kaz to Kastellorizo

The Greek island of Kastellorizo is located 125 km south-east of Rhodes in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, just 2 km from the Turkish coast and opposite the village of Kaz. The ferry on the Kaz-Kastelorizo route is the Meis Express, crossing takes approximately half an hour.

From Kastellorizo take Blue Star Ferries or Dodekanisos Seaways to Rhodes then continue on to Crete by air or by sea.

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Ferries to Greece
Marmaris & Fethiye to Rhodes

The Fethiye-Rhodes route is served by regular ferries with duration of journey being 1 hour and 45 minutes.

From Turkey the ferries to Greece run very frequently and more frequently in summer.

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Ferries to Greece
From Rhodes to Crete

Ferries to Greece - to get from the Dodecanese to Crete, from the south of the Dodecanese, ferries leave Rhodos for Crete via Halki, Karpathos and Kasos with LANE Lines or GA Ferries. 

The ferry journey from Rhodes to Crete takes you to the islands of Chalki, Karpathos. It is possible to island hop between Rhodes and these islands on the way to Crete.

See the map below showing the route of the ferry from Rhodes to Diafani Port on Karpathos, then Karpathos Port on Karpathos, then Kassos, then Sitia and Heraklion on Crete. The total duration of the crossing from Rhodes to Crete is 13-14 hours. It is best to get a cabin or even better to fly.

The other option is to fly, the flight takes only 1 hour.

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