Fast ferries speed between Istanbul's Yenikapı Feribot Terminalı and Bandırma on the south shore of the Sea of Marmara (), connecting Istanbul with towns in the southern Marmara and northern Aegean region (map). You can take buses from Bandirma to anywhere in Aegean Turkey, and a train to İzmir.
The large, fast Istanbul-Bandırma catamaran car ferries (hızlı feribot) carry both cars and passengers. The voyage takes about two hours.
These ferries used to connect at Bandırma with trains to/from İzmir, allowing you to travel between Istanbul and İzmir comfortably and economically in 8 hours by ferry and train. However, now it's no longer so easy. More...
Ferry terminal & train station, Bandırma.
Fast ferry boat fares for cars are in several classes and are priced dynamically, like airfares, meaning that fares purchased in advance, or for less popular sailings, may be lower, and those purchased at the last minute, or for popular departures (such as on weekends and holidays), or which are refundable, may be higher.
These ferries are operated by İDO (İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri A Ş). You can make reservations and buy your ferry tickets online, in English, but the procedure is fairly complicated and may not work. Here's how...
İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri A Ş
Kennedy Caddesi, Yenikapı Hızlı Feribot İskelesi
34480 Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey
Call Center: +90 444 44 36
Tel: +90 (212) 455 6900
Fax: +90 (212) 517 3958
info@ido.com.tr
BANDIRMA-İZMİR EXPRESS TRAIN
The 6 Eylül Ekspresi train travels between Bandırma and Izmir in about 5-1/4 hours. Its arrival and departure at Bandırma are no longer coordinated with the fast ferry, meaning you may have to spend several hours waiting in Bandırma. More...
OTHER SEA OF MARMARA FERRIES:
Istanbul - Yalova Ferries
Both passenger catamarans and car-and-passenger feribots connect Yalova with Istanbul's Yenikapı Ferry Terminal, departing about every two hours from 7:30 am to 9 pm (21:00), making the voyage in one hour. More...
Pendik (Istanbul) - Yalova Ferries
There is also a shorter, faster car-and-passenger ferry service from Istanbul's Asian suburb of Pendik to Yalova. The voyage takes only 45 minutes. More...
Istanbul - Bursa Ferries
Car-and-passenger feribots connect Güzelyalı, near Bursa, with Istanbul's Yenikapı Ferry Terminal, departing up to five times daily, making the voyage in 90 minutes.More...
Fast passenger-only İDOBus ferries connect Istanbul's Kabataş docks with Güzelyalı and Bursa even more frequently. More...
Dardanelles Car Ferries
Frequent car ferries cross the Dardanelles between Gelibolu and Lapseki, and Eceabat and Çanakkale. More...