Dikili to Lesvos Ferry: Schedule, Tickets and Day Trip (2026)

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The İDO fast ferry from Dikili crosses to Mytilene, the main town of Lesvos, in about 30–40 minutes. It leaves Dikili at 08:00 and returns from Mytilene at 18:30, so a day trip works well. Since this is a Turkey–Greece border crossing, you need your passport, and you need a Schengen visa if your nationality requires one.

Quick answer

Crossing time: About 30–40 minutes. News reports say 30 minutes, current timetables list 40.
Season: In 2026 sailings started on 22 April and were announced to run until the end of September. Sailings were still on sale on some days in October 2026. There is no published winter service.
Operator: İDO is the only operator. The route opened in May 2025 as a joint project with Dikili Municipality.
Documents: A passport. You also need a Schengen visa if your nationality requires one, and possibly a new Turkish visa to get back into Turkey.
Day trip: Yes. You get roughly nine and a half hours on the island.

Sailings and operators

İDO and Dikili Municipality launched the route on 16 May 2025. In July and August 2025 it ran every day. İDO’s 2026 Aegean plan, announced in March 2026, said the Dikili–Mytilene line would continue with more sailings and run from 22 April until the end of September.

	Dikili → Mytilene	Mytilene → Dikili
Departs	08:00	18:30
Arrives	08:40	19:10
Operator	İDO	İDO
Cars	No (foot passengers only)	No

These times come from the October 2026 timetable published by a Turkish listings site and from the 2025 summer timetable. In summer 2025 İDO also ran extra sailings on Tuesdays and Saturdays (Mytilene 10:00, Dikili 17:00). The number of sailing days changes by month. In October 2026, for example, the Turkish booking site Obilet showed sailings only on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Check İDO for your date.

Fares

Fares published as of October 2026, from a listings site that reproduces İDO’s tariff:

Passenger	One way	Return
Adult	€35	€45
Child (6–12)	€22.50	€25
Infant (0–5)	€10	€10

Ferryhopper shows some dates from about €20–22.50 one way. Fares change through the season, so check before you book. The exit fee charged at Turkish ports applies to Turkish citizens only.

Alternatives

Ayvalık–Mytilene: This route has the most sailings. If you want more than a day, our Ayvalık to Lesvos guide covers the whole island.
Aliağa–Mytilene: In 2026 Turyol/Jalem ran daily from 1 June to 31 October, leaving Aliağa at 08:00 and leaving Mytilene at 17:30. The crossing takes about 1 hour 50 minutes and costs €35 one way or €45 return. It can be closer if you are staying north of İzmir.

All routes: routes.

Tickets and the port

Booking: You can book on İDO’s Aegean Islands site, on Ferryhopper, or on Obilet (Turkish only). Ferryhopper does not offer online check-in. You collect your paper ticket at the İDO desk in the port.

Arrival time: Be at the port at least an hour before departure. İDO advises 1.5 hours for its other Aegean ports. Dikili gets busy in summer.

At the port: You go through Turkish passport control (exit) first, then a ticket check at the boarding gate. In Mytilene you enter Greece through Schengen border control. Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully in force at Schengen external borders. Non-EU visitors give fingerprints and a photo on their first crossing, and the system replaces passport stamps.

What to bring:

Your passport. İDO says passports issued more than 10 years ago are not accepted for entry into Greece.
Euros. Greece uses the euro, and Turkish lira is not useful on the island.
One piece of luggage goes free. Pets are not allowed. İDO’s rules refuse passports with Northern Cyprus stamps or a Northern Cyprus birthplace.

Passports and visas

Leaving Turkey: You get an exit check at Dikili.
Entering Greece: Mytilene is a Schengen external border. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens just show a passport or ID card. Other nationalities that are visa-exempt for Schengen can stay up to 90 days in any 180, and the time on Lesvos counts toward it. If your nationality needs a Schengen visa, you need one before you board.
Express visa: The Greek “visa express” for the islands is open to Turkish citizens and their family members only. It does not help other foreign tourists.
Coming back to Turkey: Some nationalities get a single-entry Turkish e-visa. If you leave Turkey on one, you will need a new visa to come back, even after a day trip. Others get multiple entries or are visa-exempt. Check your status on Turkey’s official e-visa portal (evisa.gov.tr) before you travel.

What to do on Lesvos (a day in Mytilene)

A day trip gives you time for Mytilene town and its surroundings. For Molyvos, Petra, the west of the island and longer stays, see the island section of our Ayvalık to Lesvos guide.

The Kastro: A Byzantine-era fortress on the pine-covered headland between the town’s two harbours, counted among the largest castles in the Mediterranean. It is an easy walk from the ferry.
Ermou Street: The main market street, running from the north harbour to the south harbour. It has ouzo shops and bakeries, and the fish market is at the southern end.
Ottoman buildings: The Yeni Mosque, the Yalı Mosque and the old market hammam are usually closed, but you can see them from the street.
Archaeological Museum: Near the ferry port, covering Lesvos from the Hellenistic to the Roman period. It has a weekly closing day, so check before you go.
Ancient theatre: A Hellenistic theatre set in pine woods above the town.
Teriade and Theophilos museums: Next to each other in Vareia, a short taxi ride south of town. The Teriade Museum shows lithographs by Picasso and Matisse, and the Theophilos Museum shows the island’s best-known naive painter.
Tsamakia beach: A municipal shingle beach past the castle, with an entry fee. It has sunbeds, changing rooms, toilets and a café.
Dinner before the boat: Try the tavernas behind Sappho Square or the seafood places along the Navmachias Ellis waterfront. Many shops close for an afternoon siesta, so shop in the morning.

Sea, Sun and Swimming Cruise from Mytilene

4.5 hours

A boat trip from Mytilene with swim stops at Ambelia beach and Rabbit Island, and it fits between the morning and evening ferries.

Check price & availability

Where to stay

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

Around the harbour: This is the easiest base for a night or two. The ferry, Ermou and the tavernas are all within walking distance. Hotels in town cost a bit more than elsewhere on the island.
Back streets off Ermou and Komninaki: Close to the cafés and bars for evenings out.
South of town toward the airport: Quieter places by the sea, but you will want a car or taxis.
For a longer stay, villages such as Molyvos, Petra and Skala Eressos are covered in the Ayvalık guide.

FAQ

Does the Dikili–Lesvos ferry run every day?

It ran every day in midsummer. In spring and autumn it runs on fewer days a week, for example Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October 2026. Check İDO for your date.

Can I take a car?

No. The Dikili route carries foot passengers only. You can rent a car in Mytilene.

Is a day trip worth it?

Yes. You arrive at 08:40 and leave at 18:30, which is enough time for the castle, Ermou, a museum, lunch and a swim.

How do I get to Dikili?

Dikili is about 120 km north of İzmir and can be reached by bus, taxi or rental car. For the 08:00 departure, staying in Dikili the night before is the easiest option.

Will my single-entry Turkish e-visa still work when I come back?

No. If you leave Turkey on a single-entry e-visa, that entry is used up, and you need a new e-visa to come back. Check what your visa allows before you book.