BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi everyone,
I’m starting to get a bit frustrated so thought that I should post a question before I begin to pace the floors of my house. I’m planning parts of my RTW trip for 2009 and I’m up to the Italy-Greece-Turkey leg of the journey.
I will be traveling with a Busabout pass that will take me as south as Rome in Italy. I then want to make my own way to Athens and visit a couple (?) of Greek Islands and then on to Turkey. I keep changing my mind about what Islands to visit and also how to travel.
I will be traveling on a small-ish budget and I don’t have any time restraints. The Internet is frustrating me because I can’t seem to get an accurate quote for feries and would much prefer suggestions/recommendations.
Does anyone have any suggestions for an itinerary? What would be the best way to travel to these destinations on a budget?

Thanks in advance. Hayley

Well, the ferry from Bari to Igoumenitsa is probably the best bet. Agoudimos Lines has a somewhat complicated price list, but it looks like outside of July-August, it should be about 46 euros one way, up to 65 euros in high season. Then there's land transportation, which is quite reasonably priced in Greece, but I don't really know about Italy.

On the Greece-Turkey run, the ferry from Kos to Marmaris is your best bet, as it runs more dependably and in more seasons than most of the others. I have no idea how much it costs as the company that operates is doesn't have a website...check schedules on gtp.gr. If you're travelling too far into the off season, there's a chance there may not be a ferry connection at all, and you'll have to go by train or bus. I highly recommend the train into Istanbul, it's a great way to get a first view of the city.

Last October we took the ferry from Mamaris to Rhodos and back in about 10 days time. Ferry tickets are easily bought on both sides from any number of travel ticket vendors. Prices are all the same.

BUT, as non-preferred EU members (Americans we are) The Turks charged us a *dock usage fee* each way of about 100 Euros (2 peeps). Yep, it's true and they did it to a whole lot of other people who were really really pissed off about it. With the rest of them we stood in line to pay the fee. Their dock usage fee was more than the damn ferry ticket.

'Preferred EU citizens' don't have to pay this fee. There is a placard at the dock that explains all this when you get there just before the check-in at passport control.

The Turks are lobbying heavily for EU membership and so coddling EU visitors at the expense of the rest of us.....

Thought you should know that you need to budget for this. For whatever reason, it's ferry docks only and not applied at the airport. Shysters.

Thanks for letting me know about this. I could imagine I would have been one of those angry people if I hadn't of been warned. Still is pretty dodgy though.

Also thanks for the links 2wanderers

im doing the same thing but backwards

Turkey to Athens
Athens to Rome

And Im just flying from athens to rome, turkey to athens will be a sweet overnight train

MaxPowers, Who will you be flying with? If its not too much hassle would you be able to send me the links for the train and airlines you are travelling with.

Thanks,

but of course sir!

I am flying Alitalia

I think they can be found at Alitalia.com and provide cheap flights Rome to Athens for 100 Euros a pop!

100 Euros for a 2 hour flight might seem like a lot, but its all the taxes and tariffs

you can take a boat for 12 hours for maybe 60 euros but I heard it is absolutely NOT worth the hastle for the savings... that was said even by a youthful traveller

And for the AWESOME overnight train here:
http://www.seat61.com/Turkey2.htm#Turkey%20-%20Greece

for the flight
http://www.alitalia.com

Think about the train. Its reasonable, and the daylight portions of the train trip can be spectacular.

It goes from Athens to Alexandria, Alexandria to Istanbul.

The price of the ticket is probably less than 100 euros.


You arrive at the train station in Istanbul after the border people give you your stamp and visa. From the station, you only need take a tram up the hill to the hostel of choice, or walk, depending on how much weight you carry, and how much you like walking up hills. The taxi cost to the hostel is certainly less than the taxi cost from the airport.

quote:

BUT, as non-preferred EU members (Americans we are) The Turks charged us a *dock usage fee* each way of about 100 Euros (2 peeps)

I hadn't heard this before, so I did some research, and apparently it changes regularly. One ferry site was reporting it as a €14 charge per person each way currently, so that's a hard one to budget for. We payed no taxes on the Ayvalik-Lesvos run, though the cost of tickets made up for that.