Bodrum to Patmos Ferry

Patmos, the sacred Dodecanese island where the Book of Revelation was written and home to the UNESCO-listed Monastery of Saint John and the Cave of the Apocalypse, sits well to the south of Bodrum and is a far less direct crossing than nearby Kos. There is no fast, everyday direct ferry from Bodrum to Patmos: the connection is a limited seasonal service, and in practice many travellers reach Patmos by connecting through Kos.

How the connection works

In the peak summer season a small number of direct high-speed catamaran sailings operate on the Bodrum-Patmos axis, typically only a couple of days per week and often stronger in the Patmos-to-Bodrum direction. The alternative, available far more often, is to sail Bodrum to Kos first and then take a Greek domestic ferry from Kos up to Patmos; going via Kos the whole journey can take around five to six hours including the connection. Because departures are sparse and timings shift through the season, always confirm the exact days before planning a trip.

Season

This is a summer-only route, running roughly from June to October and disappearing in winter. Sailings are weather-dependent and can be cancelled in strong Aegean winds.

Passports and border formalities

Whether you travel direct or via Kos, this is an international crossing into Greece across an EU external border, so a valid passport is mandatory and passport control applies. Non-EU travellers should check Schengen visa requirements; Patmos is included in Greece's eastern Aegean express visa-on-arrival scheme for Turkish citizens. Allow generous time for check-in and passport control, and if connecting via Kos leave a comfortable buffer between boats so a delay on the first leg does not cause you to miss the second.