How To Get Around Turkey Without A Car? | 2026

Turkey By Public Transport

Traveling around Turkey by public transport is quite common, and you don’t need to rent a car to get by. 

Sure, having your own vehicle would make you more independent, but it is not necessary. 

Public transport in Turkey is quite affordable, which is great if you’re backpacking Turkey on a budget. 

Turkey has quite an extensive bus network and railway connecting virtually every tourist destination. 

One downside is that timetables and price information can be hard to find online for certain routes, and you might have to go to the bus or train station in person to get reliable information. 

Railways mainly pass through the country’s north and center, so you’ll have to rely on buses to travel along the Turquoise Coast. 

Turkey is a large country, so domestic flights can be the best way to travel around Turkey when it comes to long distances.

Finally, most big cities like Istanbul, Ankara, or Antalya have well-developed public transport with trams, metros, and buses. 

🚘 Not convinced by public transport in Turkey? Check rental cars here!

Long-distance Buses In Turkey

Long-distance buses are the most popular way of getting around Turkey without a car. 

Unlike most countries in Western Europe, where you only have one or two bus operators (I’m looking at you, France!) Turkey has a ton!

I’m pretty sure I saw more than 20 different bus companies when I went to the bus station in Bodrum!

The most popular operators and the ones I’ve seen the most around are:

• Kamil Koç (Flixbus)
• Pamukkale
• Metro

Because there are so many bus companies in Turkey, the best way to get an overview of prices and routes is to use obilet.com.

Now, some of these companies are better than others. For example, Kamil Koç is known for providing snacks on some routes.

However, I’m a simple girl and opted for the cheapest option with the shortest travel time. I’m quite used to bus travel, so I’m good as long as the bus is operational.

How do you book buses in Turkey?

My number one tip is to check routes on obilet.com.

However, you can also just show up at the bus station and book your bus ticket in person. 

When I took a bus from Fethiye to Kas, I checked the timetables on the website and then went to the bus station to see if the price would be lower if I bought in person – it wasn’t. 

In fact, buying the ticket in person was hysterical. I think they simply bought the ticket online and just wrote my departure time and seat number on a scrap of paper! 

While I recommend booking your bus tickets in advance, especially if traveling in high season, some lines can’t be booked in advance.

I wanted to reserve a ticket for a bus from Kas to Antalya, but I was told that I had to wait and buy the ticket on the bus.

I’m not sure how that would work in the summer – first come first serve?

Also, some bus operators don’t have a website or timetables online.

That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not possible to do the route! You just might have to go to the bus station in person and ask.

Dolmus Buses In Turkey

If you don’t see a bus route connecting two nearby cities on obilet.com, it is probably because those cities are connected by dolmuses. 

Dolmus buses are basically minibuses that connect different towns and villages within a region. 

Each region manages dolmuses within the region, so the ability to find route information online will differ depending on where you are. 

I used dolmuses in the Mugla and Antalya regions, and the systems were completely different!

You can get a dolmus to virtually every town within both regions, but it will be easier to plan your trip in Mugla than in Antalya. 

The Mugla Dolmus website is in Turkish, but Google translated it automatically for me. You can use the website to see the routes, bus stations, and ticket prices!

I used the website to plan my trip from Bodrum to Fethiye, and I noticed that tickets are almost 30% cheaper when paid by card than with cash!

On the other hand, I couldn’t get the website in the Antalya region to work, so I had to go to the bus station to check the timetables in person – they were written on a whiteboard next to the bus. 

Also, it wasn’t possible to pay by card for dolmus from Kas to Kaputas Beach at all, so be sure to have some cash on you just in case!

All of this to say, don’t worry if you can’t find information online. Dolmuses are a reliable transportation option, and so many locals depend on them.

Trains In Turkey

Turkey also has a well-developed train network with modern trains. 

There are no railways along the Turquoise coast, so I didn’t manage to take one, but they are popular in the north and the center of the country. 

You can take a high-speed train from Istanbul to Ankara, covering a distance of 556 km in just over 5 hours. Way faster than taking a bus!

I planned to take the train route before my itinerary changed from Izmir to Pamukkale and from Izmir to Ephesus. 

You can buy train tickets for most long-distance routes online, but you’ll have to go to the train station for some.

You can check the timetables and prices on the Turkish Railways official website, as I noticed that third-party websites weren’t too reliable for booking trains in Turkey.

If you’re on a budget, you’ll notice trains are slightly more expensive than buses, but they are quicker and usually more comfortable. So it depends on what you value more!

Domestic Flights In Turkey

You can also take flights for long-distance travel in Turkey!

I’m usually not the one to check domestic flights as they are out of my budget, but Turkey is huge, and flights are surprisingly affordable. 

I took a flight from Istanbul to Bodrum for about 20€, with checked luggage included! It saved me from a 12-hour bus ride and was well worth the price.

I took Pegasus Airlines, but other domestic airlines had similar prices too!

You can check different domestic flights with Google Flights and see if it is worth it for your route.

One thing to consider is that some Turkish airports are quite far from the city you’re going to. 

Bodrum Airport was about an hour from the city, and I had to pay another 5€ bus fare to get there. 

That’s not too bad, but if your flight lands late and the buses aren’t running anymore, you might have to pay 10x that price for a taxi.

Transport from the airport to the city can get especially pricey in Cappadocia, where the most used airport is about 75 km from Göreme, where you actually want to get to.

Ferries In Turkey

If you want to visit Turkish islands or even Greek islands on a day trip from Turkey, you can take ferries. 

I always use Ferryhopper to plan ferry routes and book tickets, and they also work in Turkey!

Public Transport In Cities

Turkish cities have a great public transportation system!

Apart from dolmuses in smaller cities, I also used buses, metros, and trams when backpacking Istanbul and Antalya. 

I won’t get into much detail here, but Google Maps works great for figuring out the routes.

In both Istanbul and Antalya, you had to buy a transportation card, which you then charged and used to pay for a ride.

You could also pay directly with a debit card in Antalya, but the ride would be slightly more expensive that way.

One ride was very affordable in both cities, about 0,50€!

Taxis And Private Transfer

If you’re not too worried about your budget, you can get a taxi or private transport to literally anywhere in Turkey. 

As a solo traveler, private transport is usually out of my budget. But it can be a great idea for larger groups. 

My best advice is to insist on taxis using the taximeter or agreeing on the price before getting into the car if you’re using private transfers.

If you’re like me, always terrified that taking a taxi will financially ruin you, there’s also Uber in Turkey, so you can see the price of the ride in advance.

Final Thoughts: Getting Around Turkey Without A Car

And there you have it! Everything you need to know about getting around Turkey. 

Turkey is not cheap, but public transport works great in the country. You really don’t need to rent a car or spend a ton of money on private drivers. 

Sure, if you’re not on a budget, traveling in a group, or simply want to treat yourself, it’s good to know that hiring drivers and private transfers are a popular way to get around, too!

I didn’t have any issues with the buses, and most drivers spoke at least a basic level of English, so I knew I was on the right bus.

Now that you know how to get around Turkey without a car, you are ready to plan your Turkey itinerary!