Transportation
City (local) buses
The Mytilene City Bus central station is located in Sapfous square (49A Koudourioti street), near the port.
There is also a daily special bus connection to Kara Tepe and Moria camp with daily frequent routes. This bus station is just opposite Sapfous square.
A one way bus ticket to Kara Tepe costs 1.10 euro and to Moria Camp 1.60 euro. This bus runs once an hour between 07.00 and 21.45.
From there you can also take busses for all over the city and nearby destinations. These bus fares cost from 0.60 to 2.00 euro, depending on the bus line and distance. For any changes in the timetable, you can ask in the blue booth at bus station or call +30 22510 46436.
Intercity buses of Lesvos (KTEL)
If you want to transfer from the town of Mytilene to another location or vice versa, you can take the intercity buses of Lesvos. The intercity bus station is located in Aghia Eirini square.
For more information about itineraries, timetables and fares click here or call +30 22510 28873.
Taxi
There are two main taxi stations within the town of Mytilene:
- In Sapfous square (near the city bus station)
- In Aghia Eirini square (near the intercity bus KTEL)
Also, three radio taxi companies operate in Lesvos:
- Radio Taxi Mytilene, +30 22510 23500, +30 22510 25900. For more information: www.radiotaxi-mytilene.gr
- Mytilene Taxi, +30 22512 00200. For more information: www.mtaxi.gr
- Taxiplon, 18222 (call charge as for local phone calls). For more information: http://www.taxiplon.gr/ (website currently under construction) and https://el-gr.facebook.com/taxiplon?fref=ts&__tn__=*s
The minimum fare for a taxi is 3.5 euro. Most routes within the town cost around that sum. The fare for destinations outside the town is 1.10 euro per kilometer.
Emergency contacts
Greek Police 100
Greek Ambulance Service 166
European Emergency Number 112
Fire Brigade 199
Greek Police - Information Centre 1033
Coast Guard 108
Helpline SOS 1016
Helpline SOS for Children 1056
Poison Control Centre + 30 210 7793777
Local Greek Police - Officer on Duty + 30 22510 22021, + 30 22510 58847
Mytilene Coast Guard + 30 22510 40827, + 30 22510 24115, + 30 22510 37447-8
Molyvos Coast Guard + 30 22530 71307
Health
Access to public hospitals and medical clinics
Asylum seekers, recognised refugees, people with subsidiary protection and stateless people by Greek law have free access to Greek public hospitals and medical clinics.
- General Hospital of Mytilene. Vostaneio General Hospital of Mytilene (link only in Greek) operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is located at 48 Eustratiou Vostani street. Call centre: +30 22510 57700 and +30 22513 51100 To get to the hospital, you can take bus line “Nosokomeio” (Hospital) from Sapfous square.
In case of a health emergency
In case of a health emergency you can dial 166 (Greek Ambulance Service) or the European Emergency Number 112.
Health services at sites and locations
- Health services are available at Moria and Kara Tepe (Kara Tepe has 24/7 health coverage) sites and at PIKPA shelter by NGOs and volunteers;
- NGOs also provide first aid services at Molyvos (Mithimna) harbor, North and South Coast of Lesvos and in Skala Sykamineas
- Medical assistance by NGOs in Greece
Pharmacies
In Lesvos you can find a pharmacy anytime, during daytime or at night. Every pharmacy in Greece has a list of the weekly “on duty pharmacies” in the window.
Asylum & Legal assistance
For information on the asylum procedure in Greece you can:
- Visit the website of Greek Asylum Service, with asylum information in 18 languages;
- Contact the Regional Asylum Office of Lesvos at Moria;
- Call the Asylum Help Line on +30 210 6988 660, with recorded information in 10 languages;
- Contact a UNHCR representative in your location.
How you can get legal assistance:
In case you need help in your asylum application process or relocation request or family reunification request, the following NGOs provide currently legal assistance in Lesvos:
- European Lawyers in Lesvos provide legal aid in first instance stage of the asylum process and assistance regarding family reunification applications. They operate at Moria site and in the town of Mytilene;
- HIAS provides legal aid on cases for asylum and relocation requests and operates at Moria and Kara Tepe sites;
- METAdrasi provides legal aid on cases for asylum and relocation requests and operates at Moria and Kara Tepe sites;
- Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) provides legal aid on cases for asylum and relocation requests and operates at Kara Tepe and Moria sites and in PIKPA shelter;
- Danish Refugee Council (DRC) provides legal aid in terms of counselling and representation for vulnerable asylum seekers and operates at Moria site.
- Lesvos Legal Centre helps on asylum applications, relocation and family reunification, as well as giving information and advice on any other legal issues refugees may have. The Centre is based at 9 Sapfous street in the Mosaik Refugee Support Centre in the town of Mytilene.
For more information go to the sites management secretary office or contact directly NGOs staff in their containers within the sites.
Assisted Voluntary Return from Greek islands
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has launched a new reintegration package within the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme. The new package exclusively concerns non-vulnerable third country nationals who are currently hosted on the Greek islands, such as Lesvos.
For more information:
- Contact IOM Office in Lesvos at +30 69 58475878;
- Reintegration package for returnees from islands
Education
How to get access to Greek public schools educational programmes:
The best way is to go directly to the education coordinators appointed by the Greek Ministry of Education. Five education coordinators operate in total in Lesvos, two located at Moria site, two at Kara Tepe site and one in Iliaktida shelter.
Informal educational activities
- At Kara Tepe site
Currently, there is a variety of informal courses and educational activities provided in Kara Tepe by NGOs and institutions, such as:
- Geography and English lessons organised by the Open Greek University (EAP);
- Educational and recreational activities for children, as well as Greek and English lessons organised by SOS Children’s Villages;
- Recreational activities for preschool children (drawing, jumping robe, arts and crafts) organised by Because we Carry (BWC);
- English and Mathematics lessons as well as creativity for children and teenagers organised by Boat Refugee Foundation (BRF) and Refugee Support Platform Portugal (RSPP);
- English lessons for adults (men and women) organised by Humanitarian Support Agency (HSA);
- Educational activities for children and teenagers, Greek and English lessons organised by Save the Children;
- English lessons for children, recreational and creativity activities for women and for men organised by CARITAS.
For more information go to the site management secretary office or contact directly NGOs staff in their containers within the site.
- In Mosaik Support Centre for Refugees and Locals. Mosaik Support Centre for Refugees and Locals offers language courses in English, Greek, Arabic both for minors and adults and other informal educational activities. For more information: https://www.lesvosmosaik.org/en/
- In One Happy Family community centre. One Happy Family community centre has a non-formal school with courses in Greek, English, French, Arabic and Farsi, as well as Computer, Crafts, Mathematics, both for minors and adults. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Happy-Family-Swisscrosshelp-Social-Center/262549920839133
- In Lesvos Solidarity - PIKPA shelter. Lesvos Solidarity - PIKPA shelter provides daily preschool programme and Greek and English courses for adults. For more information: http://www.lesvossolidarity.org/index.php/en/
- In Iliaktida shelter. Iliaktida shelter provides informal educational programmes for unaccompanied minors. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/iliaktidamke/
Social & cultural activities
- At Kara Tepe site- Currently, there is a variety of social and cultural activities provided in Kara Tepe by NGOs, such as:
- Music lessons (violin) organised by Angel’s Relief Team (ART);
- Children’s choir organised by Polyphonica;
- Activities for men (barber shop, chess playing, bootcamp, cultural activities) organised by Because we Carry (BWC);
- Activities for women (yoga, beauty, cultural activities, bootcamp, aerobics) organised by Because we Carry (BWC);
- Recreational activities for children with songs arts, crafts and movement and exercise, reading afternoon parents with children, sewing circle organised by Movement on the Ground (MOTG);
- Recreational and creativity activities for women and for men organised by CARITAS;
- Cinema for children and adults organised by Boat Refugee Foundation (BRF), Refugee Support Platform Portugal (RSPP) and Movement on the Ground (MOTG).
- Party for all residents of the site every Saturday night organised by Movement on the Ground (MOTG) and Because we Carry (BWC).
For more information go to the site management secretary office or contact directly NGOs staff in their containers within the site.
- In Mosaik Support Centre for Refugees and Locals. Mosaik Support Centre for Refugees and Locals provides training in arts and crafts, music courses and different types of cultural events. For more information: https://www.lesvosmosaik.org/en/
- In One Happy Family community centre. One Happy Family community centre operates a coffee shop, an internet radio-station, a cinema and a library and organises a variety of activities. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Happy-Family-Swisscrosshelp-Social-Center/262549920839133