Turkey - Be Our Guest

Let's get around

Turkey is traversed by buses of all shapes and sizes at any hour of the day or night, supported by a wide network of rest areas open around the clock, some of which resemble small shopping centers. Most long-distance buses make many stops here so that passengers can smoke, dine, pray, use the restroom, and purchase regional foods and souvenirs.

You'll likely need to change to a dolmuş or minibus at the closest otogar (bus stop) to get to smaller towns and villages. Dolmuş, which means "filled" in Turkish, is most frequently a minibus, though it can also be a van or a sedan. Because it doesn't leave until all of its passengers are on board, there may be long waits in less-traveled areas. Dolmuşes follow a predetermined itinerary, although riders must let the driver know where they wish to get off. The destinations of the cars are typically indicated by a sign in the window, and in crowded places, you might see a tout announcing the routes of the upcoming dolmuşes. Dolmuş routes are increasingly being replaced by minibus routes with set departure times and stops.

Turkey's huge and largely well-maintained highway network, as well as the country's abundance of picturesque small towns and intriguing, off-the-beaten-path attractions, make road trips rewarding. A big multinational firm like Avis, Budget, or Enterprise typically charges between $50 and $70 per day for a car rental with insurance. Cars with manual and automatic transmissions are frequently offered. It is strongly advised to rent a 4WD vehicle if you plan to travel to more inaccessible, difficult locations, such as the hilly Black Sea region.

Turkey's train alternatives are getting better, but they are still few and slow. The bustling high-speed route that connects Istanbul, Eskişehir, and Ankara is a notable exception to this rule. Tickets for this route, as well as the well-liked overnight trip on the Dou Ekspresi (Eastern Express), a leisurely and Instagram-friendly voyage between Ankara and the border city of Kars, should be purchased well in advance. Turkish State Railways runs all trains, including those that run locally in Izmir and to Konya and Adana. 

In Turkey, taxis can be found practically anywhere, in both large cities and tiny communities. They have a bad reputation in Istanbul for being rude and trying to con passengers, especially tourists. More accountability can be had by using the local ride-hailing apps BiTaksi (also accessible in Ankara) or Uber (which, in response to complaints from taxi drivers, only provides trips in regular yellow and turquoise cabs). You can also have your hotel summon a taxi rather than hailing one on the street. Other places confront such issues far less frequently.

Some highlights in Turkey

How long do flights to Turkey take?