AboutOguz Kosebalaban Expertise I`ve been leading tours throughout whole Turkey since 1987 as a licensed tour-guide on archaeological, cultural, and Christian Pilgrimage tours , visiting Istanbul-Ankara-Cappadocia-Antalya-Hierapolis-Aphrodisias-Ephesus-Pergamon-Troy-Bursa many many times.
My web presence : check www.geocities.com/oguzbalaban and my visiual istanbul guide blog is at www.my.opera.com/istanbulinsider and http://www.flickr.com/photos/23822697@N02/
Experience The info I provide is limited to traveler's interest sites in Turkey , and useful information for travelers;
I am not able to accommodate questions on relocations, wages, apartment rentals, lost connections etc.
Organizations Bachelor's degree from FAculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University , Guiding licence from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Publications Bachelor's degree from FAculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University , Guiding licence from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Education/Credentials Bachelor's degree from FAculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University , Guiding licence from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Awards and Honors Bachelor's degree from FAculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University , Guiding licence from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Past/Present Clients Bachelor's degree from FAculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University , Guiding licence from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Question hello , i will arrive tomorrow at ten in kusadasi and i want to go directly to istanbul . what is the best way and the fastest?(also cheap) , are there regular buses which go directly to istanbul?
thank you very much
........Your trip from Kusadasi ( or izmir ) to Istanbul..........
Cheap and fast do not ususally come together :
You would either travel inexpensively ( cheap , as you refer to ) by bus ( they are almost always couch ) , or you travel fast by taking a flight ( however exception is below ) .
Busses are available from Kusadasi ( or from izmir which you do not need in your case ) : Bus tickets cost about 35 - 40$ US , you may buy a ticket online ; www.kamilkoc.com.tr is a good one ; their " rahat hat " is two plus one seats at each row ; that single seat is like first class of a plane , wireless internet, complimentary drinks etc. The departures are many times a day ; many backpackers prefer departing by 10 pm arriving next day in the morning by 7 am .
two more top bus company : www.varan.com.tr , www.ulusoy.com.tr
Flight : Or, you can go online , pay little bit more and save on whole day and freshness , and instead of 10 hour or so on the way by bus you may do more siteseeing in Istanbul :
Nowadays because of Ramadan a number of Turks are fasting and they travel not so much and flights are less expensive :
if you go online www.flypgs.com I found a rate for wednesday as low as 70 lira ( 50ish$ US ) final rate ; sometimes outside Turkey you do not see this rate ; if you see it, I wuold have bought it right away if I were you : ( the other airlines are www.thy.com , www.onurair.com.tr , www.atlasjet.com )
If you will fly :
1 . Get the public van from Kusadasi to Selcuk
( 25 minute ride , they depart every half hour also from city center , you have to locate the stop ( walk striaght from the " kalekapisi " the sea being behind you - and ask on the way, all will point it out )
2 In selcuk get out at bus terminal , ask for Izmir minibus ; but ask for the one that goes by the airport ( you will be dropped off right outside the airport ; then it is 25 minute walking into the airport or a taxi ride ( taxi is waiting across the highway from where you are dropped off, taxi driver will call you ) - be carefull crossing the highway )
This trip is approx 45 minute ; busses from the airport is approx every 45 minutes.
3. You need to show up approx 1.5 hour before your flight I presume they say ; to me it always worked fine when I got there 40 minutes before ) .
Enjoy the ride , check my pages for some good Turkey , Istanbul and Ephesus travel tips and advice :
www.geocities.com/oguzbalaban
( My about to become ) photo guide of Istanbul & Turkey :