Category Archives: Railway

Bodrum Mugla Turkey

How Can I Travel in Turkey

BY PLANE: Virtually every major city in Turkey has air service and Turkish Airlines offers nationwide services. Most flights connect through Istanbul or Ankara, both of which have domestic and international terminals. You can check Turkish Airlines’ schedules and book flights at www.turkishairlines.com

BY BUS: Busses are an efficient and affordable way to travel in Turkey. Private bus companies provide frequent day and night services between all Turkish cities. Local Tourism Information Offices usually have bus schedules for their regions; their addresses can be found at www.turizm.gov.tr

Tourism Information The major bus lines have spacious, comfortable coaches, and offer coffee, tea and snacks. The two largest bus companies’ web sites, www.varan.com.tr and www.ulusoy.com.tr, provide routes, schedules, ticket prices, and office addresses.

BY TRAIN: The extensive Turkish State Railways network connects most major cities. On some trains, sleeping compartments are available. Detailed train schedules and prices as well as reservation telephone numbers and authorized ticket agents are listed on their web site at www.tcdd.gov.tr. Transportation From and To the Airport Havas airport busses are a convenient and affordable alternative to taxis for transportation from airports to downtown areas or from downtown areas to airports in Turkey. You can find detailed information about the schedules at www.havas.com.tr

Railroads in Turkey

Most major population centers are connected by rail. From a ring around the Anatolian Plateau, rail lines radiate to Zonguldak and Samsun on the Black Sea; Istanbul, Izmir, and Bandirma in the west; and via Adana to Syria and Iraq in the south. Three lines go into eastern Anatolia. There is rail service connecting most European countries to Istanbul, and there’s also rail service within Turkey (it’s usually slower than bus service). Trains are available from Germany through Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria directed to its final destination Istanbul.

Another Train available is departing from Iran with the direction of Ankara. Planned improvements include limited privatization, upgrading of the Istanbul – Ankara trunk line to include highspeed trains, and improved rail links between Anatolia and Thrace. The Marmaray project, scheduled for completions, aims to improve rail transportation through Istanbul. It will include a railroad tunnel under the Bosporus. Plans call for some private railroad operations to supplement the state system in the future. Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir have metro systems.