Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
The crossing
Roughly twenty minutes to an hour depending on the vessel, from Kos town harbour to Bodrum’s cruise port, running through the season with several sailings a day in high summer and a much reduced service outside it.
It is a real border
- A passport is required. You are leaving the EU and the Schengen area and entering Turkey.
- Check your visa position in both directions. Turkey requires an e-visa or a visa for some nationalities and not others, and the rules change.
- Passport control happens on both sides and adds time at each end.
- Check-in closes early, typically well before departure, because of that control. Turning up at the pier at sailing time does not work.
- Hire cars cannot cross. Greek rental agreements prohibit taking the vehicle out of the country, and this is enforced.
What Bodrum is
A large, lively Turkish resort town on a double bay, with a Crusader castle built by the Knights of St John, the same order that fortified Rhodes and Kos, and now housing an excellent museum of underwater archaeology.
Bodrum is also Halicarnassus, site of the Mausoleum, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, of which the foundations and some fragments remain.
The bazaar, the marina and the waterfront are the day-trip pattern, and it is a genuinely different atmosphere from a Greek island rather than more of the same.
Doing it as a day trip
Standard, and easy: an early boat over, an afternoon boat back. Take the passport, allow for both border queues, and confirm the return sailing time before you wander off.
Note the time difference: Turkey runs an hour ahead of Greece, and mis-reading a return time is the classic way to be stranded.
Practical notes
- Duty-free rules apply. You are re-entering the EU on the way back, with the usual allowances.
- Currency in Turkey is the lira; euros are taken in tourist areas at poor rates.
- The catamaran stops in wind, being a small fast craft.
Last checked August 2026. Border, visa and schedule rules change - confirm with official sources. See our editorial policy.
Common questions
How long is the ferry from Kos to Bodrum?
About twenty minutes to an hour depending on the vessel, from Kos town harbour to Bodrum.
Do you need a passport from Kos to Bodrum?
Yes. It is a crossing out of the EU and Schengen into Turkey, with passport control at both ends.
Do you need a visa to visit Turkey from Kos?
It depends on nationality. Some travellers need an e-visa or a visa in advance, and the rules change, so check an official source before you book.
Can you take a hire car from Kos to Bodrum?
No. Greek rental agreements prohibit taking the vehicle out of the country, and the rule is enforced.
Is Turkey in a different time zone from Greece?
Yes, one hour ahead. It is the most common reason people miss the return boat.
Next
Read Kos, Athens to Kos, or visas and entry requirements.