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Transportation about Turkey

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:42:52 +0000

This page will help you find the transportation resources you need to help plan your trip.

The first part is International Travel organized by the continent of departure.

The second part is Travel Inside Turkey.

You may also want to visit our Tips page where fellow travelers share their travel experiences with you. There is a section dealing with transportation .

You can also contact Local Travel Agents who can help you with the purchase of international and domestic air, bus, train and ferry tickets.

International Travel

You can reach Istanbul by air from almost anywhere in the world!

Below you will find links to airlines that fly to/from Istanbul organized by continent.

TIP: If you’re thinking of an a-round-the-world ticket check out Thai Airlines at http://www.thaiair.com/

From Africa
British Airways at http://www.us.british-airways.com
Egyptair at http://www.egyptair.com.eg/
Gulf Air at http://www.gulfairco.com/
Royal Air Maroc at http://www.royalairmaroc.com/
Tunisair at http://www.tunisair.com.tn/
Turkish Airlines at http://www.turkishairlines.com/

From Asia
Air France at http://www.airfrance.com/
Aeroflot (Russia) at http://www.aeroflot.aero/eng/
British Airways at http://www.us.british-airways.com/
Gulf Air at http://gulfairco.com/
Japanese Airlines at http://www.jal.co.jp/en/
Singapore Airlines at http://www.singaporeair.com/
Thai Airlines at http://www.thaiair.com/
Turkish Airlines at http://www.turkishairlines.com/

From Australia
British Airways at http://www.us.british-airways.com/
Gulf Air at http://www.gulfairco.com/
Singapore Airlines at http://www.singaporeair.com/
Thai Airlines at http://www.thaiair.com/
Turkish Airlines at http://www.turkishairlines.com/

From Europe
TIP: If you live in the U.K., there’s a list of Turkish airlines’ offices in London. It’s at http://www.abta.com/destinations/turkey.html

Adria Airlines (Ljubljana, Slovenia) at http://www.adria-airways.com/index.asp?l=en&p=qb&m=0
Air France at http://www.airfrance.com
Air Malta at http://www.airmalta.com/
Alitalia (Italy) at http://www.alitalia.com/home/index.htm
Austrian Airlines at http://www.aua.com/
British Airways at http://www.us.british-airways.com/
Czech Airlines at http://www.csa.cz/ (from all major European capitals)
Finnair at http://www.finnair.fi
Iberia (Spain) at http://www.iberia.com/
JAT (Yugoslavian Airlines) at http://www.jat.com/active/en/home.html
KLM at http://klm.nl/
LOT (Poland) at http://www.lot.com/
Lufthansa at http://www.lufthansa-usa.com/
Malev (Hungary) at http://www.malev.hu/
Qantas (from London) at http://www.qantas.com.au/
SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) at http://www.sas.se/
Singapore Airlines at http://www.singaporeair.com/
Swissair at http://www.swissair.com/
Turkish Airlines at http://www.turkishairlines.com/

From the Middle East
British Airways at http://www.us.british-airways.com/
El Al (Israel) at http://www.elal.co.il/
Emirates Airline at http://www.emirates.com/
Gulf Air at http://www.gulfairco.com/
Saudi Arabian Airlines at http://www.saudiairlines.com/
Turkish Airlines at http://www.turkishairlines.com/

From North America
American Airlines at http://www.americanair.com/
British Airways at http://www.us.british-airways.com/
Finnair at http://www.finnair.fi
Lufthansa at http://www.lufthansa-usa.com
Thai Airlines at http://www.thaiair.com/
Turkish Airlines at http://www.turkishairlines.com/
United Airlines at http://www.ual.com/

From South America
Varig (Brazil) with travel partner, Lufthansa, at http://www.varig.com.br/

Air Couriers and Ticket Consolidators

Air Couriers
There are two interesting sites that provide information and links about these two alternatives in budget traveling.

Budget Travel on About.com is a great site for those on a tight budget It offers links and brief explanations about flying as a courier, stand-by travel and using ticket consolidators.

The International Association of Air Couriers offers insights and numerous links to air courier services and traveling space available as well.

Ticket Consolidators and Bucket Shops
There are many ticket consolidators and bucket shops on the Internet. Unfortunately, not many of them offer tickets to Istanbul. Below is a brief listing of those who do offer ticketing to Turkey. You can also easily locate budget airfares by perusing the Sunday travel section of your local newspaper.

You should carefully select a reputable operator. For a travel agent Edward Hasbrouck�s perspective on how to best purchase an international ticket see
http://www.travel-library.com/air-travel/consolidators.html .

Below is a list of ticket consolidators who offer tickets to Turkey:

Australia
APP International Travel at http://www.cheapafares.com/ says that since they were founded in 1982 they have grown to a major wholesaler of very discounted tickets on the international market.

Timeless Tours is a travel wholesaler. They sell air and land arrangements in Turkey to both the travel agents and also direct to the public. (They don’t have a web site, but we’ve provided a link to their e-mail.)

Canada
Butte Travel Service Ltd. says they offer very good prices to Turkey. They say they have been providing travel information and reservation services to the Edmonton community for more than 30 years.

England

For the UK bucket shops, the largest and most popular (by far) aggregator site is http://www.cheapflights.co.uk.

The Air Travel Advisory Bureau is another option. Companies subscribe to be listed (so they’re screened), but callers pay nothing to use the service. Tell ATAB (020/7636-5000 from the U.S. and 0870/870-5540 toll-free from the United Kingdom, or www.atab.co.uk) which city you want to fly to from London, and it refers you to up to six British consolidators specializing in that destination.

Korea
BoraNet Travel at http://www.boranet.com/ (Korean) says they offer the lowest air price and air ticket booking on Internet

USA
AESU at http://www.aesu.com/say they have been the experts in discount travel since 1977. Air fare from all major gateways. No need to be a student. They’re available to everyone. Major airlines. No charters.

All Continents Travel at http://www.allcontinentstravel.com/ says it is one of the founding members of the U.S. Air Consolidators Association. They say they are the West Coast’s leading airline ticket consolidator. they say their paramount objective is to provide top value, competitive pricing and efficient services.

Travel Inside Turkey

There’s a way to travel for everyone’s budget from the local dolmus (or mini-bus) to air transport.

Air
Domestic air service is available from three carriers: Turkish Airlines information is available at http://www.turkishairlines.com/.

There is also Istanbul Airlines and Onur Air, but they do not have web pages.

Getting from/to Istanbul’s International Airport
There is an airport bus. It runs from 06:00 to 23:00 and costs around $5 per person. It stops in Aksary (from here you can take the tram to the bus station) Sultanahmet, the main tourist district, and Taksim.

You can also usually arrange for an airport transfer from your hotel Ask them about the cost or contact an Istanbul travel agents for limo service as well as normal airport pick-up.

There are, of course, taxis. It’s difficult to estimate cost. Between 23:00 and 05:00 when the airport bus isn’t running the cost is around $12 to Sultanahmet. It will be more during the day, because of traffic delays! Check with the Tourist Information Office in the International Terminal (to the left after you go through the doors after baggage claim) for estimates and advice on the best transport to take based on the time of your arrival and budget.

From hotels in the Sultanahmet area there is The Airport Bus that picks you up at the door of your hotel. It, too, costs around $5. Ask at your hotel.

Bus
Buses are very easy to use and are usually comfortable. Ulusoy, Varan, Kamil Koc and Pumukkale are generally considered to be the top bus companies in Turkey. Ulusoy will be the most expensive while Varan and Kamil Koc are a bit cheaper. Pamukkale is usually the cheapest of the group.

But different bus companies cover different parts of the country, and for certain destinations, such as Cappadocia, none of the four offer service and you’ll have to use a local carrier.

For long distance travel, most people take overnight buses. As a rule of thumb, tickets usually cost between $1.50 and $2 per hour of travel.

All buses are now smoke-free (except for the driver!)

TIP: When the bus makes a stop at their special centers, you will have to pay a small fee to use the rest room. They are usually clean. Don’t despair when you see the Oriental style rest rooms. Walk to the end and you’ll find one or two Western style toilets!

Hop-On Hop-Off buses have been designed for backpackers. You buy an open ticket which allows you to get on and off at 22 “hot spots” from Istanbul then down the Coast and back to Istanbul via Cappadocia. Buses pick up and drop off at a main hostel.

Hop-On Hop-Off ‘s e-mail address is feztravel@feztravel.com.

Ferries
Ferry schedules are UNPREDICTABLE and are all subject to change without notice. If you are catching a plane or must be somewhere on a precise day, either plan to arrive a day early or have an alternate plan!

Prices shouldn’t change very much.

BODRUM
Bodrum has two ferry providers: the Bodrum Ferryboat Association and Bodrum Express Lines, which operates hydrofoils. Both offices are located near The Castle of St. Peter.

The Bodrum Ferryboat Association accepts Visa, MasterCard and Eurocard. They have offices in Bodrum, Datca and Didim (Didyma).

Bodrum:
Phone: 90-252-316-0882
90-252-313-2509
Fax: 90-252-313-0205

Datca:
Phone: 90-252-712-2143
Fax: 90-252-712-4239

Didim:
Phone: 90-256-813-1479
Fax: 90-256-813-1479

Bodrum Express Lines also accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Eurocard, plus travelers cheques and foreign currency. They offer no smoking and smoking areas, passenger insurance, hostess service and comfortable airline-style seats. Children under 6 are free. Children 6 – 12 are half price. Their phone number is: 90-252-316-4067. The fax number is: 90-252-313-0077.

CESME
Cesme has three main ticketing agents for ferries to Greece and Italy, although, you may buy tickets from almost any local ticket agent. The three main ticketing agents are: Erturk, Karavan and Maskot.

Erturk is located near the ferry dock. Their telephone number is 90-232-712-6768. Their fax number is 90-232-712-6223. Karavan is also located near the ferry docks. Their phone number is 90-0232-712-7230. Their fax number is 90-232-712-8987. They also have offices in the following cities where you can make reservations:
Izmir: 90-232-421-9572
Istanbul: 90-212-247-5044
Kusadasi: 90-256-612-5329
Marmaris: 90-252-412-0455
Fethiye: 90-252-612-2361
Antalya: 90-242-248-8280
Alanya: 90-242-511-1857
They also have a web site at http://www.karavantravel.com/.

Maskot is the representative for the Italian Liner, Med Link Lines with service to Brindisi. They are located in the town center. Their phone number is 90-232-712-7654. Their fax number is 90-232-712-8435.

DATCA
Datca has two ferry providers: the Bodrum Ferryboat Association and Bodrum Express Lines, which operates hydrofoils.

The Bodrum Ferryboat Association accepts Visa, MasterCard and Eurocard. They have an office in Datca. Their phone number is 90-252-712-2143. The fax is 90-252-712-4239.

Bodrum Express Lines also accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Eurocard, plus travelers cheques and foreign currency. They offer no smoking and smoking areas, passenger insurance, hostess service and comfortable airline-style seats. Children under 6 are free. Children 6 – 12 are half price. Their office is in Bodrum. The phone number is: 90-252-316-4067. The fax number is: 90-252-313-0077.

DIDYMA
Didyma is served by the Bodrum Ferryboat Association. They have an office in Didim (Didyma). Their phone number is 90-256-813-1479. The fax is 90-256-813-1479. Boats depart from Altinkum, just 4 km. from Didyma.

The Bodrum Ferryboat Association accepts Visa, MasterCard and Eurocard.

ISTANBUL
Karavan is one of the main ticketing agents for the ferry from Istanbul to Izmir. Their phone number is 90-212-247-5044. Their fax number is 90-212-241-5278.
They also have offices in the following cities where you can make reservations:
Cesme: 90-0232-712-7230
Izmir: 90-232-421-9572
Kusadasi: 90-256-612-5329
Marmaris: 90-252-412-0455
Fethiye: 90-252-612-2361
Antalya: 90-242-248-8280
Alanya: 90-242-511-1857
They also have a web site at http://www.karavantravel.com/.

IZMIR
Karavan is one of the main ticketing agents for the ferries to Istanbul and Italy. Their phone number is 90-232-421-9572. Their fax number is 90-232-463-6472.
They also have offices in the following cities where you can make reservations:
Cesme: 90-0232-712-7230
Istanbul: 90-212-247-5044
Kusadasi: 90-256-612-5329
Marmaris: 90-252-412-0455
Fethiye: 90-252-612-2361
Antalya: 90-242-248-8280
Alanya: 90-242-511-1857
They also have a web site at http://www.karavantravel.com/.

KUSADASI
Kusadasi has two main ticketing agents for ferries to Greece, although, you may buy tickets from almost any local ticket agent. The two ticketing agents are: Azim Tour and Diana Travel Agency.

Azim Tour accepts Visa, MasterCard. Eurocard and American Express. They are located in the Grand Bazaar. Their phone number is 90-256-614-1553. Their fax number is 90-256-614-5479. Their e-mail address is: info@azimtours.com. Children under 6 are free and children 6 – 12 are half price.

Diana Travel Agency is located on a side street close to the ferry docks. Their phone number is 90-256-614-3859. Their fax number is: 90-256-614-3170. They also have an Istanbul branch. Their phone number is: 90-212-247-3879.

MARMARIS
Bodrum Express Lines serves Marmaris to Bodrum. They accept Visa, MasterCard, and Eurocard, plus travelers cheques and foreign currency. They offer no smoking and smoking areas, passenger insurance, hostess service and comfortable airline-style seats. Children under 6 are free. Children 6 – 12 are half price. Their phone number in Bodrum is: 90-252-316-4067. The fax number is: 90-252-313-0077.

TASUCU
Erturk is the ticketing agent from Tasucu to Cyprus. Their phone number is: 90-324-741-4325. The fax number is: 90-324-741-4033.

Travel Tips

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:35:00 +0000

Welcome to Travel Turkey Tips. Oftentimes, it’s the little things we learn that help make our travels more enjoyable. If you have a tip to share, e-mail to your agent and we’ll spread the news. Please remember to give us your name and country so we can thank you for your tip.

Money

TIP: You will get a better rate of exchange for cash than for travelers cheques. We found that the exchange places charged a commission for travelers cheques, but not for changing cash. — M. Culshaw, Canada

TIP: When you bring cash make sure that none of the bills have ANY rips in them. We have had bills refused with small rips. — A. Higgins, Canada

TIP: Credit cards are used most places in Istanbul, but lots of cash or access to it is really necessary. The old thing of tipping with American dollars is not too well received – which is strange due to the strength of the dollar. Good advice was to change money every few days rather than a lot at once due to the unruly fluctuation of the value of the dollar. –L. Durand, USA

TIP: If you are planning to be in Turkey for more than a few days, convert your money a little at a time. Inflation is high in Turkey (50% in 1999) and you will be surprised by the changes a week in exchange rates can bring.

TIP: When you arrive at the airport, the best place to exchange money is at the PTT (post office) inside baggage claim. And always count your money no matter who is making change. Turks do it and so should you!

TIP: If you purchase your visa at your point of entry have cash. They do not take traveler’s checks, credit cards or Turkish lira.

What To Wear

TIP: Don’t bring too many clothes from home. Buy them there. It is inexpensive, especially if you discuss the price and bargain.– G.&R Rock, Belgium

TIP: Wear flat shoes for walking, and watch where you are walking. The sidewalks are often not only uneven, but also broken, with lots of unexpected holes. — M. Culshaw, Canada

TIP: If you are male, don’t wear shorts when you visit a mosque, unless you want to walk around it clad in a skirt. The skirt will be provided at the door, and you won’t be allowed to enter until you have donned it! – M. Culshaw, Canada

TIP: Ladies, if you are contemplating eating in small local restaurants you may be well advised to wear a skirt rather than pants. Many of these local places have toilets that are of the ‘hole in the floor’ variety! ‘Nuff said? — M Culshaw Canada.

TIP: Wear the clothes you would normally wear in your own country, as you will see the same amount of variety in Turkey (I’m often asked if I need to wear a head scarf when I go!!) — A. Higgins, Canada

TIP: Take some ‘water shoes’ as many of the beaches are rocky. — A. Higgins, Canada

Drinking and Eating

TIP: We visited the beautiful city of Marmaris the end of August 1999. We found that if you leave the main road, you can save up to 40% on prices for eating. We found a Restaurant and Bar named EVITA, placed on 165 Sok. across from Fidan Otel, Karsisi No. 8. Here the prices are low and the food is very good and Turkish. Combined with a very nice staff, make this a place you must visit in Marmaris. — L. & J. Redlef, Denmark

TIP: In the restaurants, keep track of what you ordered and notice the prices. Make your own bill (on a paper or with a pocket calculator). Do it obviously, so the waiters can see it. You will have no surprise when you ask for their “real” bill. Sometimes (often ?) there is a mistake in the addition … Turkish language is not easy to read, even on a bill. — G.&R Rock, Belgium

TIP: Drink bottled water, and in restaurants make sure the bottle is unopened when it is brought to the table. Refuse it if it isn’t. — M. Culshaw, Canada

TIP: To really experience the Turkish eating/drinking ‘behaviors’ go to a restaurant (with a Turk, if possible) and drink Raki while eating mezze, small appetizers. This process should last a number of hours, while you talk about everything. — A. Higgins, Canada

TIP: Food, glorious food. Eat in tiny places, fancy places, huge places. The food is so superb that one can almost not miss. Our favorite place was the restaurant in Topkapi. And … if you love creme caramel, you’ll be in heaven. — L. Durand, USA

TIP: Don’t drink the tap water. You can purchase water for about $1 a liter at any market. If you’re on a budget, then purchase water like the natives do at the “SU” store. Su means water, and they use a hose and meter like a petrol or gas station. Three liters of water is about 10 cents.

Places To Visit

TIP: When in Bodrum, take a one day boat trip from the harbor, about $10-20 CND ($7-14 US) includes lunch. Its very relaxing and beautiful, and will take you to a number of gorgeous little coves. It can be a bit too many people so spend a bit more and go on a day trip with only 5-10 people. — A. Higgins, Canada

TIP: Go to Dalyan – you can find a pension right on the river that leads from the lake to the sea. On the opposite side of the river are ancient tombs carved into the side of a mountain. During the day you can take a boat to the beach, the beach being a special turtle nesting area. — A. Higgins, Canada

TIP: Tahtakuslar Gallery, located between Altinoluk and Edremit, is an excellent opportunity to experience how Turkish nomads live and best of all it’s free. Visitors can try on some of the clothes the nomads used to wear and have their picture taken. There is a museum that also displays handmade items from a village about a mile away. I believe it is a very good cultural experience for tourists.– C. Askin, USA

TIP: Just 5 – 10 miles away from Tahtakuslar there are thermal hot springs named Gure Kaplicalari. It is very similar to Turkish baths. It is open 24-hours plus you can rent your own room for taking a bath. You pay a flat rate of around $2/room and you can stay as long as you want. They also have beds for people who want to spend the night. It is dirt cheap!! The spa is surrounded by olive trees and the area is referred to as “Oxygen Heaven,” because of its clear air.– C. Askin, USA

Transportation

TIP: Use “dolmus” (pronounce as “dolmoosh”). It is inexpensive (15 BEF for about 4 km) and very nice. — G.&R Rock, Belgium

TIP: Use a dolmus – an inexpensive transportation system – using cars from the 50′s (in Istanbul) or mini-busses (elsewhere) as a cross between a bus and a taxi. You get on at certain locations, the dolmus has a predefined route, but you can get of f anywhere. It will usually cost 50 cents, and the driver will not take a tip. — A. Higgins, Canada

TIP: You can make a quick trip from Istanbul to Canakkale via air. Dardanel Air offers a 40-minute flight for about $100 round-trip. Compared to a long bus ride this is worth it! They serve fruit juice & snacks, however, do not expect to find the customer service you find in the USA. My personal experience was not that pleasant, but it was still well worth the time and money savings. –C. Askin, USA

Other Good Tips

TIP: Learn a few words of the Turkish language, such as “Hello”, “Thank you”, and so on (see http://www.turkey.org and then click on Tourism or go to http://cali.arizona.edu/). Turkish people appreciate this very much. — G.&R Rock, Belgium

TIP: Always ask a price before you decide to buy a good or a service. e.g., once a shoeshine-boy begins to clean your shoes, you have to pay him anyway, and discussing the price is much more difficult after he did it than before. — G.&R Rock, Belgium

TIP: In Turkey, there are not fixed prices. Especially on markets and in small shops, you have to discuss the prices. Usually, you can get a discount of 40 % to 60 %. If it is possible, wait until another tourist has bought something and then ask him how much he payed. This can give you a good tip about the prices. — G&R Rock, Belgium

TIP: I tried the Australia Direct number for many days before I found out that many hotels etc., for reasons best known to themselves, actually block access to the international 00 800 country direct numbers but it does work very well from public telephones and any direct (i.e. not through a switchboard) connected telephone. — B. Anderson, Australia.

TIP: The supermarket (Migros) takes VISA and has a number of prepared traditional main dishes and deserts in their deli section.– A. Higgins, Canada

TIP: Take suntan lotion with you. It is quite expensive there.–A. Higgins, Canada

TIP: We learned to enjoy the carpet sales people and played the game with them, listening to any new ploys they tried. We did not enjoy the kids selling shoe shines, etc. REMEMBER THAT NOTHING IS FREE – and often, they would spill polish on a shoe and charge to clean it off – too bad. Their favorite spots appear to be in the Hippodrome area around the mosques and at the fish market.–L. Durand, USA

TIP: We were so very thankful to have been advised to stay in the old part of the city, the Sultanahmet area. It was wonderful being able to walk to the major sites, bazaar, spice bazaar, etc. –L. Durand, USA

TIP: We had a fabulous, fabulous guide in Istanbul. I’ll be happy to recommend him if desired. You can e-mail me for the information.–L. Durand, USA

TIP: We found L. Durand’s above recommendation for a guide in Istanbul to be just as described: “fabulous”! We, too, heartily recommend him. — G & K Kokko, USA

TIP: Visit Turkey in the off-season. Our ten days in Istanbul (with two nights out for the Ephesus experience) were some of the best of our lives. I mean it. My husband, son and I have never enjoyed a trip more. We never consider weather in making our plans (other than avoiding horrid extremes, of course) and shocked many people with traveling to Turkey during Christmas. We had perfect weather – two layer outings, rarely wearing coats; no rain. Uncanny! We have also discovered the time to travel. We had Istanbul and Ephesus, etc. to ourselves – no kidding.–L. Durand, USA

TIP: If you buy a “Yagcibedir” rug (they are made mainly in the East of Turkey), get a white handkerchief or piece of cloth or piece of cloth. Wet it a little bit and rub it on the “blue” color. if the blue color comes out, DON’T BUY that rug. Blue is the most difficult color to dye, therefore, the quality of the blue color will give you an idea of the quality of the rug. Also, always turn the back of the rug and look for white threads. The yarn they stretch to weave on is always white. You should not see too much of it.– C. Askin, USA

TIP: I found a “pansiyon” in Dardanel for $5-$10/night. They only work with tourists. Representatives will pick you up at the bus station at no charge. I would say for someone who is doing adventure travel with a backpack, the Yellow Rose Pansiyon is the place to go. — C. Askin, USA

TIP: I stayed at a beautiful hotel in Istanbul…excellent service, clean, magnificent view, live music, dancing, indoor pool & sauna, exercise room, nice restaurant, daily tours, etc. I got a special deal on the price through a friend and a U.S. passport, but I understand they offer special prices for tour groups and travel agencies. You can find Hotel Euro Plaza on-line at http://www.hoteleuroplaza.com.tr. — C. Askin, USA

TIP: In need of a rest room while in Turkey? Look for the nearest mosque. There are both women’s and men’s rest rooms.