Intercity Buses in Turkey: What a Traveler Should Know

Turkey has one of the most developed bus networks in the world. Intercity buses remain an essential mode of transportation for both locals and tourists.

It is cheaper than air travel, much more flexible, more frequent, and covers almost every location, from popular resorts to mountain villages. And at the same time, buses in Turkey are really comfortable.

Main bus companies

There are dozens of private operators in the country. Here are the most reliable and widespread:

Metro is the largest in terms of the number of flights and routes. It is well suited for traveling throughout the country, including remote areas.
Best Van is especially popular in the eastern part of the country and operates on the Van-Ankara and Van-Istanbul routes.
Akdeniz serves routes in the Mediterranean region, including Mersin and Antalya.
Kamil Koç is one of the oldest and most respected companies, known for its high-quality service.
Pamukkale focuses on tourists and is known for its clean buses and attention to detail.
Varan is slightly more expensive, but with a minimum number of stops and a high level of comfort.
Other regional carriers include Ulusoy, Anadolu Ulaşım, Deniz Turizm, Büzlük, Çınar Turizm, and others.

All companies use modern buses made by Mercedes, MAN, Temsa and others – with air conditioning, sockets and spacious seats.

Where to buy tickets

There are several reliable ways:

At the bus station (Otogar). In any city, there is a terminal with dozens of ticket offices, each of which belongs to a specific company. There is no single window: look for the right company by the logo. It is often possible to choose a seat when purchasing. Payment is made in cash or by card.
Through the websites of bus companies or aggregators, such as Obilet.com. It is convenient to choose a seat, pay by card, and sometimes refunds are available.
In agencies or from drivers in smaller towns. However, this method is less reliable.

How buses and trips are organized

Intercity buses in Turkey

Seating is strictly according to the numbering of seats. It is better to book in advance.
Inside the bus, there are comfortable seats, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, USB sockets, and TVs. Wi-Fi is available on most routes, and you can ask the flight attendant for the password.
On many flights, there are stewards who serve tea, cookies, and water.
The bus stops every 2-3 hours at gas stations or cafes with restrooms.
There is a steward on the bus who checks the boarding after stops, serves drinks, and helps with any questions.
The seating arrangement is usually 2+1, with two seats on one side of the aisle and one on the other. If you are traveling alone, it is better to choose a single seat.

The seating arrangement on Turkish buses is usually 2+1

Separate seating by gender

On intercity flights, there is a rule that men and women cannot sit together unless they are related or a couple. This is especially strictly observed if the ticket was purchased online and you did not specify that you were traveling together.

Choosing a seat for men and women when purchasing a ticket in Turkey

This rule is in place for the comfort and respect of personal boundaries. It only applies to intercity buses and does not apply to urban transportation (subways, dolmushis, and minibuses).

If you are traveling with your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend, be sure to specify this when booking. Most services have a special check mark or comment box.

Features and useful details

Frequent flights. On popular routes (for example, Istanbul — Ankara, Antalya — Izmir) buses run every 30-60 minutes.
Night flights allow you to save on hotel costs and not waste a day on transportation.
Luggage is included in the price. Turkish companies are very loyal: three suitcases and a snowboard are no problem. They even manage to load mopeds into the luggage compartment. In my years of travel, I have only been asked to pay an additional fee once.
Flexible terms. Tickets can be exchanged or returned, often with minimal fees.

Life hacks and tips

Tickets for holidays (Bayram, New Year, etc.) are better to buy 2-3 days in advance — at this time the buses are almost always full.
Come to the bus station in advance — 15-20 minutes before departure. Check out which platform (peron) your bus goes from. Some bus stations, such as the one in Ankara, have two levels.
If you don’t speak Turkish, it’s easier to buy a ticket online or ask an English-speaking employee at the ticket office. Often, instead of a regular ticket, you’ll be given a piece of paper with your seat number and platform. This is normal. Keep the receipt if you paid with a card.
You can drink water as much as you want, as it’s available in the refrigerator near the middle door.
When getting off at stops, do not leave your valuables.
Fasten your seat belt — even if no one else is fastened. This is important for your safety.
Avoid the first three rows — they are the most vulnerable in accidents.
Ask the steward how long the stop will be — do not hesitate to use a translator.
According to observations, the most reliable and disciplined drivers work for Metro, Best Van, and Deniz Turizm. Some regional companies (especially in the east) are less careful, so choose responsibly.

You can get drinking water from these refrigerators near the middle door.

If your city is not displayed in the system, what should you do?

Sometimes you won’t find the desired small town in the ticket sales system. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t get there. You just need to know a trick.

Let’s say you want to travel from Alanya to Kizkalesi (Mersin Province). The system may not have direct tickets or available flights. The solution is to purchase a ticket for the nearest bus stationafter the desired town, such as Erdemli.

When boarding, make sure to tell the driver or flight attendant that you want to get off at Kyzkalesi. They will drop you off without any problems, and this is a normal practice. It is important to:

inform them in advance so that they do not forget about you,
ask them to place your luggage on the sidewalk side so that it is easy for you to get off.

Sometimes, this ticket can be even cheaper than the ticket to the desired village.

How to make your trip comfortable

If you have a long journey ahead of you (for example, from Mersin to Antalya, about 10 hours), prepare yourself:

Take a neck pillow, earplugs, sleep mask, as in the plane.
Prepare a snack, water, charging.
Check the availability of Wi-Fi and the password with the flight attendant.

Why is a bus in Turkey convenient

The bus station (otogar) is almost always located within the city limits, making it easily accessible.
No restrictions like in airplanes: no need to declare liquids or go through security checks.
Flexibility and affordability: it is possible to buy a ticket even on the day of the trip, change the route, take more luggage.

Traveling around Turkey by bus is convenient, affordable and comfortable. The main thing is to know a few simple rules, to be attentive to the boarding and not be afraid to ask the driver or accompanying any details. Turkish carriers in general are very customer-oriented and ready to help.