If you are thinking about whether you need to travel from Istanbul to Cappadocia, how to get to one of the most popular attractions in Turkey will be your urgent question. There are several ways to get to the object from the metropolis. The fastest and most convenient of them, of course, will be air travel. In addition, you can always get to the place by rented car or by intercity bus. The choice is yours, and we, in turn, will provide you with detailed information on all three options for an independent trip to Cappadocia.
By plane
If you are puzzled by the question of how to get to Cappadocia in Turkey, you should know that getting to the place will be the easiest from Istanbul. The nearest settlement to the attraction is the village of Goreme, so when viewing a map and forming a route, it is worth focusing on this particular object. Obviously, there is no airport in the village itself, but there are two air harbors nearby. One of them is located in the town of Nevsehir, about 40 km west of Cappadocia, the second – in the city of Kayseri, 77 km east of the attraction.
How to get to Cappadocia from Istanbul? This can be done by plane through the city of Kayseri. Today, flights to Istanbul-Kayseri are carried out immediately by three Turkish air carriers: Turkish airlines, Pegasus Airlines and Anadolu Jet. The first company operates flights from Ataturk Airport, which is located in the European part of the metropolis, the second and third – from Sabiha Gokcen Airport, located in the Asian region of the city. It’s easy to get to any of them by metro.
The cost of an Istanbul-Kayseri ticket with Turkish airlines, depending on the departure time, is 100-140 TL one way. The price of a flight at Pegasus Airlines is 110-130 TL. Using the services of Anadolu Jet, you will pay for a ticket to Cappadocia 100 TL. Travel time for all three air carriers does not exceed 80-90 minutes.
Now consider how to get to Cappadocia from Kayseri Airport. First you need to get to the central bus station of Kayseri Otogarı. To do this, upon arrival from Istanbul you need to find a bus stop of Havaş company, located near the exit from the terminal. From here, with an interval of 1-2 hours, you can get to the city center. The fare is 12 TL. Plying the center of Kayseri, transport makes a stop right at the bus station, where you need to get off.
Every day, six flights depart from the central city bus station to the village of Goreme to:
- 09:00
- 11:00
- 18:30
- 19:00
- 9 p.m.
- 10 p.m.
The fare is 20 TL, and travel time is approximately 1 hour. In Goreme, the bus arrives at the local bus station, from where you can easily get to the hotel by taxi.
However, it is worth noting that by using public transport, you will save only 3 TL. Indeed, from the Kayseri airport you can transfer to Cappadocia by transfer for only 35 TL per person. The hotel administration or the corresponding sites will help you book a private car (the two addresses are listed below).
If you are looking for an option where it is better to get to Cappadocia, then you should not lose sight of such a settlement as Nevsehir. Every day from Istanbul, there are several direct flights to the city. A larger number of flights are operated by Turkish airlines: departures are made both from Ataturk Airport and from Sabiha Gokcen. The price of a one-way ticket is 120-140 TL, travel time takes 70-90 minutes.
Anadolu Jet is also offering one flight per day (except Saturdays and Mondays). Departure is from Sabiha Gokcen Air Harbor. The ticket price varies between 100-140 TL, the flight duration is on average 70 minutes.
Now about how to get to Cappadocia on your own from Nevsehir airport. To do this, you need to find a stop on arrival from Istanbul, where dolmushi drive up to the city center. It is worth noting that the road is not long and takes about 30 km. The fare is 15 TL. A bus will take you to the city bus station, and from there you can get to Cappadocia. The distance from the center of Nevsehir to the village of Göreme is only 10 km, the fare is 5 TL.
If you do not want to use public transport, you can get by transfer, ordering a car through your hotel or on your own at numerous sites. A private car trip from Nevsehir Airport to Cappadocia costs 30 TL per person. The price difference between transfer and public transport is only 10 TL, so it makes sense to save time and take an individual trip. You can book a car, for example, here argeus.com/airport-transfers or here www.heliostransfer.com/en.
By car
This paragraph of the article is intended for those who want to know how to get to Cappadocia from Istanbul in Turkey by car. The distance from the metropolis to the village of Goreme is 760 km, and on average the road takes from 8 to 9 hours. You can rent a car directly at the airport in Istanbul: the price tag for an economy class car starts at 80 TL per day.
A liter of gasoline in Turkey in November 2018 costs 6.30 TL. To cover a distance of 760 km, you need about 45 liters of gasoline, which is about 290 TL. Plus 290 TL in the opposite direction, a total of 580 TL you will spend only on gasoline. Add to this amount 240 TL for renting the most budget car for 3 days and get 820 TL for a trip to Cappadocia and back.
It is clear that driving alone is beneficial only if your group will consist of 4-5 people. Otherwise, getting to Cappadocia will be more economical even by plane, taking into account the cost of a transfer.
By bus
How to get from Istanbul to Cappadocia by bus? To do this is quite simple, using the services of transport companies engaged in intercity flights throughout the country. Buses in Turkey are quite comfortable: each seat is equipped with a TV screen and a power outlet, Wi-Fi is available in the cabin. The steward serves you throughout the trip, offering tea, coffee, juices, water, and light snacks. Drivers make small stops every 2-3 hours at city bus stations, during which you can visit the restroom. Half-hour parking for lunch and dinner is also arranged.
In Turkey, there are several large companies that offer trips in the direction we are interested in. How much to go from Istanbul to Cappadocia by bus, where to buy a ticket and at what price, we consider in detail below for each company.
Transport to Goreme village departs daily from Esenler Otogarı Bus Station, located in the European part of Istanbul. There are only 4 flights per day: in the morning at 08:00 and at 08:20 and in the evening at 22:00 and at 22:20. The cost of the trip is 110 TL. You can reach your destination in 11 hours. Typically, tourists buy tickets at the box office or on the official website of the company www.metroturizm.com.tr/.
Every day, from the Esenler Otogarı bus terminal in the direction of Istanbul-Cappadocia, three buses of this company leave at 05:00, 20:00 and 23:31. The ticket price is 110 TL, the journey takes 12 hours. Pay for tickets at the ticket office in Esenler Otogarı or buy a ticket on the company website https://www.kamilkoc.com.tr/.
Nevşehir Seyahat has two daily flights to Cappadocia from Esenler Otogarı Bus Terminal. Both trips start in the evening: at 20:30 and at 22:00. The fare is 110 TL. You can get to the place only after 12 hours 15 minutes. You can buy a ticket at the box office or on the nevsehirlilerseyahat.com.tr/ website.
Now you know how to get to Cappadocia by bus. And so that your trip goes smoothly, use the recommendations below.
- When buying a ticket, it is worth considering that in Turkey it is customary to seat men and women separately. Therefore, if you are traveling as a couple, be sure to check this information at the box office.
- It happens that at the station at the same time several identical buses of the same company stop at the parking lot. In order not to get lost, it is important to remember the number of your transport.
- Most long-distance flights in Turkey provide free Wi-Fi, the password of which you can check with the steward. In general, all the questions you have during the trip should be asked by the steward, not the driver.
- Before leaving the cabin during a stop, be sure to ask about the duration of the parking. Sometimes it lasts no more than a minute.
- Tickets can be purchased on the official websites of companies, but if for some reason the payment on your card does not go through them, try to repeat the operation on the website www.neredennereye.com.
See also: How to fly in a balloon in Cappadocia – all the nuances .
Output
If you are traveling from Istanbul to Cappadocia, how to get to the facility and what time it will rise will undoubtedly be your first questions. We hope that our article has given you comprehensive information about an independent trip to the popular attractions of Turkey, and you can organize an unforgettable trip.
