İDO İstanbul Deniz OtobüsleriİDO has significantly eased travel for residents by including Avcılar Pier, located on Istanbul's west side, in its Avşa Island ferry services. This new arrangement, which began on June 29, 2026, establishes a direct sea bus connection from Avcılar to Avşa. Weekday services departing Avcılar daily at 10:25 AM arrive at the island at 1:20 PM. The one-way passenger ticket price is set at 1,765 TL, and this fare will remain valid until September 13. Passengers residing in western districts such as Beylikdüzü, Esenyurt, Küçükçekmece, and Bahçeşehir can now enjoy a comfortable journey from Avcılar to Avşa without the need to travel to Bostancı or Yenikapı, avoiding morning traffic.
Current Avcılar – Avşa Route Schedule
The current departure and arrival times for İDO's services from Avcılar to Avşa are as follows:
- Monday – Friday: Avcılar departure 10:25, Avşa arrival 13:20
- Saturday: Avcılar departure 10:25, Avşa arrival 13:20
- Saturday (Extra Service): Avcılar departure 19:10, Avşa arrival 22:05
- Sunday: Avcılar departure 10:55, Avşa arrival 13:50
The Avcılar departure time on Sundays being set at 10:55 AM is due to the departure time from Bostancı, the service's starting point, shifting from 09:00 AM on weekdays to 09:30 AM on Sundays. This shift also causes the Avcılar stop to be delayed by half an hour. A similar adjustment will apply to Saturday morning services starting from September.
Two Services Available on the Avcılar – Avşa Route on Saturdays
Throughout the summer season, extra services are scheduled on the Avcılar – Avşa route only on Saturdays. In addition to the regular morning service, a sea bus departing Bostancı at 5:45 PM calls at Avcılar Pier at 7:10 PM and arrives at Avşa Island at 10:05 PM. On the return route, there is also a second service on Saturdays: a vessel departing Avşa at 9:00 AM reaches Avcılar at 11:50 AM.
These additional Saturday services offer the most flexible travel option for passengers looking to make a weekend getaway to Avşa Island, planning to travel there in the evening and return on Sunday evening.
Why Does the Avcılar – Avşa Journey Take 2 Hours 55 Minutes?
The sea bus journey from Avcılar to Avşa takes approximately 2 hours and 55 minutes because the vessel does not proceed directly to Avşa after Avcılar. The service continues with a stop at Marmara Island. İDO's full route is as follows: Bostancı – Yenikapı – Avcılar – Marmara Island – Avşa.
Although some island guide websites state a shorter duration of 1 hour and 50 minutes for this service, this typically does not include the Marmara Island stop. Furthermore, some sources indicating a departure time of 11:40 AM are not consistent with the current schedule. According to İDO's official service data, the vessel's arrival time in Avşa is listed as 1:20 PM.
Avcılar – Avşa Services Ticket Prices and Important Information
The starting price for a one-way adult ticket on the Avcılar – Avşa route is 1,765 TL. Due to İDO's dynamic pricing policy, ticket prices may increase based on seat occupancy rates. The high demand on this route is evident from occupancy data: for instance, on the outbound service on Monday, July 27, 366 out of 441 seats were sold, meaning the vessel operated at an 83% occupancy rate even on a weekday. During peak periods, Saturday morning services are notably observed to sell out by mid-week.
Services on this route are operated by sea bus, and vehicle transportation is not available. Passengers wishing to travel to Avşa Island with their vehicles must use the ro-ro (car ferry) routes between Tekirdağ–Avşa or Erdek–Avşa.
Plan Your Return Services from Avşa in Advance
For return services from Avşa Island to Avcılar, the departure time is generally 3:00 PM, with arrival in Avcılar at 5:50 PM. On Saturdays, an additional return service is available at 9:00 AM. Especially on Sundays, with only one service per day, return journeys constitute the busiest and most crowded times of the season. Consequently, Sunday return service capacities often sell out even before outbound tickets.
To learn about current schedule information, vessel details, and live occupancy status, please visit our Avcılar–Avşa and Avşa–Avcılar service pages.
Other Istanbul Departure Points for Avşa Island
In addition to Avcılar, other alternatives are available for reaching Avşa Island from Istanbul:
- Bostancı – Avşa: This pier offers the most frequent services for those wishing to travel to Avşa from the Anatolian Side. Some services can reach Avşa in 3 hours and 50 minutes without stopping at Marmara Island.
- Avşa – Bostancı: Bostancı is the final stop on return journeys from Avşa. Services typically operate with a 3:00 PM departure and a 7:15 PM arrival.
- Yenikapı: This is an intermediate stop for vessels operating the Avcılar service. It's a highly practical option, especially for passengers coming from the Historical Peninsula and central districts, thanks to its Marmaray connection.
Avcılar – Avşa Services Season Ends on September 13
İDO's Avşa services with an Avcılar stop will be removed from the summer season schedule as of September 14. After this date, there will be no direct sea connection to Avşa Island from Istanbul, and island access will be provided via ferry routes departing from Tekirdağ and Erdek.
It is recommended to regularly check our feribotseferleri.com.tr announcements page for possible service cancellations, schedule changes, or additional notices. Please note that services in the Sea of Marmara may experience cancellations, especially during adverse weather conditions such as Lodos (southwesterly wind) and Poyraz (northeasterly wind).