Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

There are plenty of ways to get into and out of Turkey by air, sea, rail and bus. There are international airports at İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir and some of the Mediterranean resorts. Turkish Airlines has direct flights from İstanbul to three dozen European cities and New York, as well as the Middle East, North Africa, Bangkok, Karachi, Singapore and Tokyo. Departure tax is about 12.00 but is normally included in the ticket price. By train, the daily Bosfor Ekspresi links Budapest, Bucharest, Belgrade and Sofia to İstanbul. Major European cities such as Frankfurt and Vienna are also well serviced by Turkish bus lines. The overnight Dostluk Ekspresi links İstanbul to Thessaloniki and is becoming a popular option with travellers.You can travel by train and bus to Syria and Iran, and by bus to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Marmara Lines runs car ferries from Çeşme to Ancona and Brindisi from late March to late October. Private ferries run between Turkey's Aegean coast and the Greek islands.

Getting around

Turkish Airlines links all major cities, including the busy İstanbul-Ankara corridor. Buses go everywhere in Turkey frequently, cheaply and usually comfortably. Trains have a hard time competing with long-distance buses for speed, but the sleeping-car trains linking İstanbul, İzmir and Ankara are good value. If you're driving around Turkey, you'll find mechanical services easy to find and relatively cheap but dealing with impatient drivers may be more of a problem.

Driving in cities should be avoided - traffic is terrible and parking difficult. Dolmuşes (shared taxis) are a good option for short trips. Car ferries can save you lots of driving - there's a useful hydrofoil from İstanbul to Yalova, for Bursa.

Visa information

Citizens from a long list of countries do not require a visa to enter Turkey. This list includes some South American, European, Asian and Middle Eastern countries, so it is worth checking out whether or not you will need a visa. However, travellers from Canada, the UK, the USA, Australia, Hong Kong, and a number of other countries do need a visa to enter Turkey; however, this is just a sticker bought on arrival at the airport or border post rather than at an embassy in advance (make sure to join the queue to buy your visa before the queue for immigration). Those from the UK and the USA pay 15.00. All other travellers who require a visa must apply for one before leaving for Turkey. The standard visa is valid for three months and, depending on your nationality, usually allows for multiple entries.