Travelling Around
By air
Turkish Airlines (THY) provides domestic flights from the international airports of Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Trabzon, Dalaman and Antalya to all major Turkish cities. Onur Air, Atlas Jet and Fly Air also offer internal flights.
Useful Links
Turkish Airlines
Flyair
Onur Air
Atlas Jet
Pegasus Airlines
By road
Turkey has an extensive network of well maintained roads linking its towns, cities, and popular tourist areas. When arriving from Europe, the Bosphorus crossing to Asia has been greatly facilitated by the completion of the Istanbul bypass and two Bosphorus (Bogazici) bridges which lead to the Istanbul- Ankara Expressway. The E80 and E90 are the two main roads leading to Turkey from European borders; also connecting the Iranian and Iraqi borders. These expressways have been constructed according to Asian and Middle Eastern international network standards.
The most popular way of travelling around in Turkey is by coach. Roads are in good condition and as well as air-conditioned coaches, there are very good resting resort en route where coaches stop for breaks. Prices are cheap and many private companies provide frequent day and night services between all Turkish cities. Coaches depart from the bus station (otogar) in large towns, and from the centre of the town in smaller cities.
It is not necessary to pre-book coach journeys of up to 5 hours duration, however during the main tourist season between June and September, and public holidays, reservations are essential for all journeys.
Coach Companies:
www.ulusoy.com.tr
www.varan.com.tr
www.kamilkoc.com.tr
www.metroturizm.com.tr
www.pamukkaleturizm.com.tr
Typical journey times:
Istanbul- Antalya 13 hours
Istanbul- Ankara 6 hours
Istanbul-Izmir, 8 hours
Istanbul-Van, 23 hours
Taxis are plentiful in all Turkish cities and are recognisable by their yellow colour. The fare shown on the meter reads according to distance travelled.
The “Dolmus”, a special service found only in Turkey, is a collective taxi which follows specific routes. It may be a car or a minibus. Each passenger pays according to distance travelled and can get off at specific or requested stops. This is a very practical means of transportation and much cheaper than a taxi.
Car rental
To rent a car you must be over 21 and have a valid driving licence. Rental rates range from around £30 per day, with discounts for weekly rentals. Insurance is generally extra.
Car rental companies:
Avis
Europcar
Hertz
Budget
By sea
Turkish Maritime Lines has several coastal services providing excellent opportunities for sightseeing. They leave Istanbul from the Galata Bridge (Karakoy side), Sirkeci and Eminonu. It is advisable to make early reservations for tourist cruises. There are also organised tours on both sides of the Bosphorus.
Useful Links
www.tdi.com.tr (Turkish)
www.ido.com.tr (Turkish)
By rail
The extensive network of Turkish State Railways connects to most major cities. The trains have couchettes, sleeping cars, restaurants, and lounge cars offering first and second class service. Turkey is included in Balkan Flexipass Program of Euro-Rail.
Turkish Railways
www.tcdd.gov.tr
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