A new seasonal ferry service connecting the Greek island of Lemnos with the Turkish port city of Çanakkale is set to launch on June 13, opening a direct cross-border link in the northern Aegean aimed at boosting short-stay tourism from Turkey.
The route, with a crossing time of approximately 2.5 hours, has already appeared in Turkish travel reservation systems, with early listings suggesting fares starting at around 75 euros. Local officials said preparations are advancing ahead of the summer season.
"Lemnos has been added to the booking engine, marking the start of the new coastal ferry connection with Turkey," said Lemnos Prefect Apostolis Koutsoyiannis in a social media post announcing the development.
The launch comes as Greece continues to extend its fast-track visa-on-arrival scheme for Turkish visitors to selected Aegean islands, a program running until April 2027 that allows eligible travelers to visit participating islands for stays of up to seven days on a single-entry visa. The scheme has driven a fivefold increase in Turkish tourist arrivals to Greek islands in recent years.
More than one million Turkish travelers visited Greek islands by ferry last year, with Chios, Rhodes and Kos among the most popular destinations. More than 100,000 express visas were issued for Greek island visits in 2024 alone.
The Lemnos-Çanakkale route adds a northern Aegean option to a growing network of cross-border connections, extending the reach of Turkish day-trippers and short-stay visitors beyond the better-established routes serving the eastern Aegean islands.