İzmir-Midilli voyages, which were initiated by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality to revive sea tourism and set an example for all of Türkiye, will start on May 3. This year, 41 voyages will be organized twice a week with İhsan Alyanak and Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar ships. While ticket sales have started in the program, which includes special trips for Ramadan Feast, young people will travel with 50 percent discount this year.

İzmir-Midilli trips, launched in line with İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer's goal of increasing the tourism of the city and the country through sea tourism, will start on May 3. İZDENİZ ( İzmir Deniz İşletmeciliği A.Ş.), affiliated to İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, will further strengthen the sea bridge established between İzmir and the Aegean Islands since 2022 by increasing the frequency of voyages this year. Following the approval of the European Commission this year, İzmir-Midilli Trips will be organized as two trips per week, departing on Wednesday and Friday, in order to meet the demand of the citizens based on the one-week visa application for Turkish tourists in the Greek islands. Since the door visa will be valid for 7 days and in order to enable the passengers to spend more time on Lesbos Island, the trips were planned for 2 days. In line with the demands, daily or one-day additional trips can also be made.

This year, there will be 41 voyages with two ships

The 2024 summer trips will start on May 3, 2024, and end on September 27, 2024. In more than 20 years, İhsan Alyanak Ship, which is the first passenger ship to wave the flag in international waters by departing from İzmir Port, will be accompanied by Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Ship, the second high-speed ship of İZDENİZ this year.   This year, the number of trips will be increased by 143 per cent and 41 trips will be made throughout the season. This number may increase with additional trips to be made in line with the increasing demand. The departures will be every Wednesday and Friday at 08.30 from İzmir Alsancak Port and every Friday and Sunday at 17.00 from Lesbos Port.  The distance from Lesbos Port to İzmir Alsancak Port is 64 nautical miles. Depending on weather and sea conditions, the journey will take 2 hours 30 minutes.

Special trips for the Ramadan Feast

İZDENİZ has planned a special trip for the upcoming Ramadan Feast. In order for citizens to make the most of their holidays, there will be trips departing from Alsancak on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, and Friday, April 12, and departing from Mytilene on Thursday, April 11 and Sunday, April 14. Weekend price tariff will be valid for holiday special trips. Additional trips will be able to be placed upon high demand.

Ticket sales started, young people get 50 per cent discount

Ticket prices for 2024 for Friday departures (Friday departure-Sunday return) 0-7 years old one way 5 Euro, round trip 8 Euro, 8-18 years old one way 22,5 Euro, round trip 34 Euro, full ticket one way 45 Euro, round trip 68 Euro. 
Ticket fares for Wednesday departures (Wednesday departure-Friday return) are determined as 0-7 years old one way 5 Euro, round trip 8 Euro, 8-18 years old one way 20 Euro, round trip 30 Euro, full ticket one way 40 Euro, round trip 60 Euro. Ticket sales for İzmir-Midilli trips, for which İzmir residents are already making holiday plans, have started. Tickets for the trip are on sale online via bilet.izdeniz.com.tr website. Tickets can also be purchased from İZDENİZ ticket sales office located in İzmir Port and from the authorized agencies on the website.

It will be possible to travel by bicycle

Passengers who wish to participate in the İzmir-Midilli trips will be able to use their bicycles, provided that they notify this at the time of ticket reservation. İhsan Alyanak and Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Cruise Ships will be able to accept up to 10 bicycle passengers each.  

Target is 3 times the number of passengers

While there were one thousand 384 ticket sales in 18 trips in 2022, when the trips were first organized, 80 percent occupancy rate was achieved in 16 trips organized in 2023 and 4 thousand 262 ticket sales were reached.  Thus, the number of passengers tripled in 2023. In 2022, an average of 76 passengers per trip was carried, while in 2023 an average of 266 passengers per trip was carried. In 2024, IZDENIZ aims to triple the number of passengers again.

Sets an example for Türkiye

İzmir - Lesbos Trips, which were launched by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and İZDENİZ A.Ş. in 2022, pioneered other institutions and organizations to increase passenger transport from İzmir to the Aegean Islands by sea. Starting from 2023, thanks to the cooperation formed by exchanging ideas, Istanbul Deniz Otobüsleri A.Ş. (IDO) will organize trips from Seferihisar and Kuşadası to Samos Island in the 2024 summer season.