|
You have a choice of ways to travel
the 730 km (454 miles) from Istanbul to
Cappadocia,
in central
Anatolia (map).
Fastest, though not easiest or cheapest,
there are daily (morning and afternoon)
nonstop flights from
Istanbul to Kayseri's Erkilet
Airport (ASR) on Turkish
Airlines, Onur
Airand Pegasus
Airlines.
There are fewer flights, mostly by
Turkish
Airlines, from Istanbul to Nevşehir's Kapadokya
Airport (NEV) at
Tuzköy, but they tend to be cheaper
and less crowded.
Shuttle vans operated
by Argeus
Tourism and others can
take you from both airports directly
to your Cappadocian
hotel (More...) The entire journey
from your Istanbul
hotel to your Cappadocian
hotel can be done in 4 to 5 hours,
if all goes well. Here's
more on Kayseri transport.
If you're arriving from abroad and
you plan to visit both Istanbul and
Cappadocia, consider leaving
your Istanbul visit until the end of
your trip. Arrive
at Istanbul's Atatürk
Airport International Terminal
on your international flight, walk
underground to the Domestic Terminal,
and catch
a flight directly to Cappadocia (if
the connection timing works.) You'll
save yourself a back-and-forth transfer
from the airport and an unpacking and
repacking at your Istanbul
hotel.
Turkish domestic flights are often
much more expensive if
purchased outside of Turkey, so you
should consider having a good
Turkish travel agent make your
internal flight reservations. They
can help with any other arrangements
(private
guides, hotels, rental
cars,
yacht
cruises) you may need as well. More...
A night bus from Istanbul
to Cappadocia is usually the cheapest
way to go (about TL50),
but it's a long ride—730
km (454 miles, 10 to 12 hours). Still,
if you can sleep on buses, this may
be your favored way. Several companies
run nightly buses, including Metro
Turizm and
Nevşehir
Seyahat.
Here's how to buy bus tickets
in Turkey.
The most efficient way is
to ask your hotel to help you
reserve your seat. Leaving
from Istanbul, board your bus at the
Harem
Bus Terminal if possible. Your
journey will be almost an hour shorter
than if you board at the main
bus terminal (Büyük
Otogar) in Bayrampaşa.
It's a long drive (730
km/454 miles, 11 or 12 hours), and
it only makes economic sense if several
people share the car and the fuel
expense.
Use the otoyol (expressway)
between Istanbul and Ankara to
save time (here's
how to pay
the tolls),
then follow the E-90
highway south from
Ankara to Aksaray,
then go east along the ancient Silk
Road
to Nevşehir.
Leaving Istanbul is a traffic
nightmare,
but the otoyol then goes through
some mountain scenery. The countryside
south of Ankara is more monotonous.
By Train
Because intercity train traffic
between Istanbul and Arifiye has
been suspended so the rail line can be upgraded for
high-speed
service, traveling by train
from Istanbul to Cappadocia is no longer
an option.
|
