Çeşme to Chios Ferry: Operators, Schedule, Tickets and Visas

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The ferry from Çeşme to Chios runs all year, takes roughly half an hour to an hour, and lands you in the middle of Chios town, so a day trip is easy. Ertürk Lines is the main operator, and Turyol also sells tickets on the route. Remember that you are leaving Turkey and entering the Schengen area, so check your visa situation for both directions before you book.

Quick answer

Crossing time: About 20–45 minutes on the fast boat, up to an hour or more on the car ferries. Sources quote different figures (details below).
Season: Year-round. Several sailings a day in summer; in November and December usually one round trip a day, and not every day.
Operators: Ertürk Lines (Ertürk High Speed Craft, Apostolos S., Ertürk-1). Turyol also sells tickets.
Documents: Passport, plus a Schengen visa if your nationality needs one. EU citizens can travel on a national ID card.
Day trip: Yes. Leave Çeşme around 09:00 and return from Chios between 16:30 and 18:00.

Sailings and operators

Ferries leave from Ulusoy Port in Çeşme and arrive at Chios Port, right in town.

Vessel	Operator	Takes cars	Notes
Ertürk High Speed Craft (HSC)	Ertürk Lines	No	Fastest option, the one that keeps running in winter
Apostolos S.	Sold via Ertürk Lines	Yes	Carries cars and motorbikes
Ertürk-1	Ertürk Lines	Yes	Car ferry
Turyol – Chios / Catamaran Imbros	Turyol	Ask the operator	Turyol lists time windows, not a fixed timetable

Rest of October 2026 (Ertürk’s published timetable): a fast boat leaves Çeşme at 09:00 every day, with a car ferry added at 09:20 or 09:30 on weekends and some other days. Back from Chios, there is a fast boat at 18:00 daily, plus a car ferry between 16:00 and 17:00 on some days.

November–December 2026: from 4 November only the fast boat runs: Çeşme 09:00, Chios 16:30. November sailings are listed mostly Wednesday to Sunday; December has only a few weekends listed.

Summer: reports of the 2026 summer schedule gave morning departures from Çeşme at 09:00, 09:20 and on some days 10:00, with returns from Chios between 17:00 and 18:30, and extra sailings on Fridays and Saturdays. The summer 2027 timetable has not been published yet.

Time difference: Turkey stays on UTC+3 all year. Greece is on UTC+2 from the last Sunday in October to late March, so in winter Chios is one hour behind Çeşme. Check which local time your ticket shows.

Crossing time: Ertürk’s timetable shows 17 minutes for the fast boat; Ferryscanner gives 35 minutes as the fastest, 47 minutes on average and 1 hr 20 min as the slowest. Turyol says about 45 minutes. Plan for an hour.

Fares

Ertürk Lines’ website (updated September 2026) lists adult fares of €38–40 one way and €50 return, children 6–12 €25–30 one way and €35 return. A car costs €90–100 one way or €140–150 return; a motorbike €45–50 one way. Turyol lists €40 one way and €50 return for adults. Prices change, so check before booking.

Taking a car

Only Apostolos S. and Ertürk-1 carry vehicles; the fast boat does not. Since only the fast boat runs in winter, there may be no car sailings then. Ertürk’s rules: a Green Card insurance certificate is compulsory (arriving without it means losing your ticket), and if you are not the owner you need a notarised authorisation, translated into English. For rental cars, ask the rental company whether they allow the car to leave Turkey before you book.

Tickets and the port

Booking: on erturk.com.tr, turyolonline.com, or aggregators such as Ferryscanner. Book ahead for summer weekends.
Check-in: Ertürk does not let you board directly with a QR ticket. You must check in at its desk in the port 1.5 hours before departure, with or without a vehicle.
Order of things: check-in, bag X-ray, Turkish exit passport control, then boarding. On arrival you go through Greek passport control in Chios.
EES: since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System is fully running. Non-EU short-stay visitors have their fingerprints and photo recorded at the Schengen border, and passports are no longer stamped there.
Carry: passport (or EU ID card), any visas, your return ticket, euros or a card.
Children travelling without one or both parents need a letter of authorisation from the absent parent(s).

Passports and visas

Leaving Turkey: you go through Turkish exit control at Ulusoy Port. If you overstay your permitted time in Turkey, it shows up here.

Entering Greece: Chios is in the Schengen area. EU/EEA citizens can travel with a valid ID card. Visa-exempt nationalities enter on their passport as normal Schengen visitors; everyone else needs a Schengen visa before travelling. Turkish citizens can also use the island “express visa” (7 days, Chios only), but that scheme is not for other nationalities.

Coming back to Turkey: this is the part people miss. Whether you can re-enter depends on your nationality. If you are visa-exempt, check you are still within your allowed days (many exemptions are 90 days in 180). If you entered on an e-Visa, note that most e-Visas are single-entry, so you may need a new one from the official site, evisa.gov.tr, before you return. Turkey also requires your passport to be valid at least 60 days beyond your permitted stay.

Ertürk notes that people with a Northern Cyprus entry stamp may be refused entry to Chios.

What to do on Chios

Chios town and the castle: the ferry docks in the centre. Walk the waterfront, the main shopping street Aplotaria, and the old castle quarter above the port.
Kampos: 5–6 km from town, a district of Genoese-era mansions and citrus orchards hidden behind tall stone walls. Good by bike.
Nea Moni: an 11th-century Byzantine monastery known for its mosaics, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990 (listed with Daphni and Hosios Loukas). About 11 km from town.
Anavatos: a deserted medieval village on a walled hilltop, linked to the 1822 massacre. Combine it with Nea Moni.
Pyrgi: the largest of the mastic villages, with black-and-white geometric patterns scratched into house fronts.
Mesta and Olympi: Mesta’s houses join up into a fortress with a single gate; Olympi has stone houses and arched lanes, with a cave nearby.
Chios Mastic Museum: on a hillside opposite Pyrgi, covering how mastic is grown, processed and used. It reopened on 3 June 2026 after maintenance; check piop.gr for hours. The know-how of cultivating mastic on Chios is on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list (2014).
Beaches: Mavra Volia, a dark beach set in volcanic scenery, is the island’s signature beach. Komi has fine sand; Karfas suits families.

On a day trip, pick either the town plus Kampos, or a hire car and the southern mastic villages. Doing both is a stretch.

Chios: Mastiha shore excursion

4.5 hours

Covers Mesta, Pyrgi and the Mastic Museum with pickup in Chios town, handy if you don't want to drive.

Check price & availability

Chios: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour

5.5 hours

Private tour you shape yourself, north or south of the island; reviewers mention Nea Moni, Kampos and the mastic villages.

Check price & availability

Where to stay

For an area-by-area comparison and hotel picks, see our where to stay in Chios guide.

Chios town: walkable from the ferry, with most restaurants and shops. Best for a short stay.
Karfas: beach area south of town near Kampos, good for families.
Kampos: quiet, with old mansions in walled gardens, close to town.
The south (Pyrgi, Mesta, Komi): villages and beaches, slower pace; you will want a car.

Greece uses the euro. If your SIM is Turkish, check roaming costs with your provider before you go.

FAQ

Can I do Chios as a day trip from Çeşme?

Yes. In October 2026 you can leave Çeşme at 09:00 and return at 18:00; in winter the return is 16:30. Be at the port 1.5 hours before departure.

Will I be able to get back into Turkey?

It depends on your nationality. Check your visa-exempt day count, or whether your e-Visa was single-entry, before leaving. Apply for a new e-Visa only at evisa.gov.tr.

Can I take my car?

Yes, on Apostolos S. or Ertürk-1, with Green Card insurance and, if you are not the owner, a notarised authorisation. Car sailings may not run in winter.

Can I buy tickets at the port?

Check-in happens at the port, but buy in advance to secure a seat, especially on summer weekends and with a car.

Can I change my ticket?

Ertürk allows date changes but not name changes, and Chios tickets are valid for one year from purchase.

Can I bring a pet?

Ertürk asks you to email the Chios veterinary office at least two days ahead. You need an EU pet passport, a rabies titre test, rabies vaccination and a microchip.

For other crossings to the Greek islands, see all routes.