How To Reach Izmir

The beautiful city of Izmir lies on the west coast of Turkey and is the third most populated city in the country. It has a busy port and is a commercial hub. Izmir is known for its 3000-year-old history and the effect it has upon the city even today in terms of tourism. You can find beautiful architecture from the Roman, Byzantine & Ottoman periods and yet enjoy the modernity of the city through its Saffire blue-water beaches. The easiest way to reach Izmir is by flight but being such a frequently visited city, it has been made very accessible by all modes of transport.

The closest airport to Izmir is Adnan Menderes Airport, which is 26 km away from the main city centre. The airport is well connected to other parts of Turkey. From Istanbul, Turkish Airlines alone has more than 10 flights to Izmir every day and around 4 daily flights from Ankara. Other smaller airlines like Atlasjet, Onur Air, Pegasus Airlines etc also have many options. The flight duration is only 1 hour from Istanbul.

From India, there are no direct flights to Izmir, but you can get one with a stopover at Istanbul. There are direct flights daily from Mumbai & Delhi to Istanbul, and other flights with stopovers from other cities of India. The Adnan Menderes Airport has many private & public services that can take you to the main city of Izmir, like the airport shuttle services, public buses and local trains.

Izmir is connected to all parts of Turkey by their efficient bus service. The main bus terminal Büyük Otogar is not too far from the city centre, and there are many buses that can drop you right up to the city. The terminal is very big and has an internet cafe along with plenty of options for food and drinks. From Istanbul, the journey could take you 7 to 10 hours, best taken overnight.

You can also self-drive or hire a private vehicle to take you to Izmir from any part of Turkey. The distance from Istanbul is around 480 km and takes about 6 hours via Balikesir. A more scenic route would be via Edremit as you pass by the coastal area of Dikili. This route is much longer and could take a little over 7 hours.

There are 2 railway stations in Izmir - Basmane and Alsancak. Basmane is for regional trains and the Metro service, while Alsancak is for inter-city and commuter trains. There are direct trains from Izmir to Ankara, Denizli and Konya. To reach any other city, it would require a change in trains, like from Istanbul, you would need to change trains at Eskisehir. From Ankara and Istanbul, the journey would take you roughly 14 hours and they are overnight trains.

Izmir has a very busy seaport. You will find many international cruise ships dock here from Italy and other Mediterranean countries. There are also ferries from other cities of Turkey into Izmir. From Istanbul, you can take a ferry to Bandırma and then a train to Izmir. This mixture of a Ferry & Train journey would take about 8 hours and is a faster option compared to the 14-hours by train via Eskisehir.

Izmir is a very cosmopolitan city and has great public transport. This makes it easy to travel within the city. The city is divided into many districts and there are buses that run across each of them. You can also find mini-bus services to many popular tourist sites from the main bus terminal. There are also local trains and the Metro service that take you to popular tourist destinations as well as other districts within Izmir. The city centre of Izmir can easily be explored on foot, as many of the sightseeing places are within close proximity of each other. You can also hire taxis which are quite reasonably priced.