Getting Around Turkey: Buses, Flights, Trains, Ferries and Car Hire

In short: Turkey is big, so for long distances most visitors fly (domestic flights are frequent) or take a comfortable long-distance bus. High-speed trains link Istanbul, Ankara and Konya, but there are no trains to Antalya, Fethiye, Bodrum or Cappadocia. On the coast, dolmuş minibuses and local buses take you between towns and beaches, and car hire gives the most freedom.

Last checked: 10 November 2026. We don’t list fares because they change often.

Long-distance buses

• The otogar: every city has a bus station (otogar), where each bus company has its own ticket desk. You can also book online and receive your seat number by text message.
• Big companies: Pamukkale Turizm, Kamil Koç and Metro Turizm are among the best known; there are hundreds of regional firms too.
• On board: buses are air-conditioned and non-smoking, a steward usually serves drinks and snacks, and there are rest stops every two to two and a half hours. Most buses have no toilet.
• Seating: men and women who are not travelling together are usually not seated side by side, so you may be asked to swap seats.
• Getting into town: big-city bus stations are often far from the centre. Some companies run free shuttle buses (servis); otherwise take a dolmuş, city bus or taxi.

Domestic flights

• Istanbul has two airports: Istanbul Airport (IST) on the European side and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side. Check which one your flight uses. See Istanbul Airport to the city and Sabiha Gökçen to the city.
• Useful routes: Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevşehir for Cappadocia (about an hour and a half), and Istanbul to Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum, İzmir and Denizli (for Pamukkale).
• Between the resorts: SunExpress flies between İzmir and Antalya, and seasonally between İzmir and Bodrum.

Trains

• High-speed trains (YHT): Istanbul to Ankara in about 4 hours 15 minutes, Istanbul to Konya in about 4 hours 40, Ankara to Konya in about 1 hour 40, and Ankara to Sivas.
• Tickets: buy on the official TCDD Taşımacılık website or app, which has an English version. Tickets go on sale about 60 days ahead, and your passport is checked at the gate.
• Sleeper train: the Doğu Ekspresi (Eastern Express) runs daily between Ankara and Kars in eastern Turkey, about 25 hours; a winter-only Touristic Eastern Express with sleeper cars and sightseeing stops runs three times a week each way. For more routes, see scenic train journeys in Turkey.
• Near İzmir: trains run from İzmir Basmane to Selçuk for Ephesus, about an hour and a half.
• No trains serve Antalya, Fethiye, Bodrum or Cappadocia.
• Istanbul: the Marmaray line runs under the Bosphorus; see getting around Istanbul.

Ferries

• Istanbul: city ferries cross between Europe and Asia and go to the Princes’ Islands.
• Sea of Marmara: İDO car ferries link Istanbul (Yenikapı) with Bursa, Yalova and Bandırma, and frequent ferries cross the Dardanelles at Çanakkale.
• Greek islands (passport needed, many routes reduced in winter): Bodrum–Kos (20–30 minutes), Marmaris–Rhodes (about an hour), Fethiye–Rhodes (about 1.5–2 hours), Kaş–Kastellorizo/Meis (10–15 minutes) and Çeşme–Chios (20–40 minutes). Greece is in the Schengen Area, and the EU’s new Entry/Exit System applies at the border.

Car hire and driving

• Licence: UK drivers need a 1968 International Driving Permit (or a notarised Turkish translation of their licence). Carry your passport and the car’s insurance papers at all times.
• Speed limits for cars: 50 km/h in towns, 90 km/h on two-way roads outside towns, 110 km/h on divided roads, and 130 km/h on motorways (140 km/h on some privately run motorways). Always follow the signs.
• Tolls: motorways and big bridges use the electronic HGS tag. Most hire cars have one, and the company charges you the tolls afterwards.
• On the road: drive on the right. Main roads are generally good, but accidents are common; take extra care at night and slow down at police checkpoints. Drink-driving is punished with fines and losing your licence.
• Fuel: carry some cash in remote areas.

Dolmuş, city buses and taxis

• Dolmuş: shared minibuses on fixed routes. Wave one down, and when you want to get off, say “inecek var”. In Fethiye you can pay in cash, by card or with a Muğla Kart; see Fethiye without a car.
• City cards: Istanbulkart in Istanbul, Muğla Kart in the Muğla resorts (Fethiye, Bodrum, Marmaris).
• Taxis: use metered or pre-booked taxis, or a taxi app such as BiTaksi.

Which option for which journey?

Sources we checked (November 2026): UK FCDO: driving in Turkey · KGM: speed limits (Turkish) · KGM: HGS tolls (Turkish) · Seat61: trains in Turkey · Şehir Hatları ferries · Ferryhopper: Turkey–Greece ferries · Turkey Travel Planner: buses

Getting around Turkey: questions

Header photo: a ferry on the Bosphorus. Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons