Bus Travel

A number of bus lines serve the Aegean coast—Varan, Ulusoy, and Kamil Koç are among the bigger ones, with a range of perks such as air-conditioning, free snacks, and reserved seats. However, bus travel is not always time efficient, and can be tiring, especially with kids. Websites have online booking in English, but telephone reservations are in Turkish only, and travelers without a Turkish ID number will likely have to purchase their tickets in person anyway. The ride from Istanbul to İzmir takes around 9 hours, and from Istanbul to Bodrum about 12. There are bus lines linking İzmir, Selçuk, Kuşadası, Didyma, and Bodrum, too. Typical travel times are: İzmir to Bodrum, 3½ hours; İzmir to Çeşme, 1 hour; İzmir to Selçuk, 1½ hours; İzmir to Kuşadası, 1¼ hours; and Çeşme to Bodrum, 4½ hours.

Contacts

Kamil Koç. 444–0562; www.kamilkoc.com.tr.

Ulusoy. 444–1888; www.ulusoy.com.tr.

Varan. 850/811--1999; www.varan.com.tr.