You can visit Ephesus as a day trip from Samos. A passenger ferry crosses the Mycale Strait from Samos — Vathy or Pythagorio — to Kuşadası in as little as 30 minutes (IDO from Vathy), and Ephesus is 18 km inland. You cannot bring your rental car: the ferries are passenger-only, rental insurance is void in Turkey, and Turkish customs bonds a foreign vehicle to the driver's passport, so you leave the car on Samos and cross on foot. The crossing runs daily from roughly April to October. Book 24–48 hours ahead with passport details, check in at least 90 minutes before departure, and budget about €37 one-way or €47 for a same-day return on Meander Travel (port taxes included). Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System biometrically registers non-EU travellers on re-entry to Samos, so allow 30–60 minutes extra. Turkey's visa rules changed in 2026 — EU/EEA and UK are visa-free, Canadians need a US$60 e-visa, and US and Australian rules shifted, so check evisa.gov.tr. Ephesus entry is €40 in 2026 (Terrace Houses +€15; summer hours 08:00–20:00), and after the ferry, border and transfer you get roughly 3–4 hours on site.