Getting Around

By Car

Driving through Turkey is a great way to travel independently with the utmost of freedom. This is even more the case now that the road conditions have improved dramatically in recent years. Turkey has been pouring investment into road infrastructure, including the establishment of the multilane toll roads around Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir and the widening of major provincial thoroughfares. In fact, except for the road signs (which on the toll collection booths are now also in English), you'll almost think you were driving in Europe.

But getting to a destination is different than being there. Cities are increasingly implementing one-way traffic systems, and the traffic police are becoming unmistakably enthusiastic over performing their jobs. The shortage of parking makes these one-way roads even more of a challenge; think about arriving, overshooting your destination, and getting ushered all the way back out to the main road into town.

Avis (tel. 800/230-4898, 800/272-5871 in Canada; www.avis.com) has locations in all major cities, at most airports, and at select hotels and resorts. If you reserve a car before you go, you can take advantage of their On Call program (tel. 800/297-4447 in advance of your trip for access numbers in Turkey; have your confirmation or reservation number ready), which provides 24-hour, toll-free assistance for physicians, lost baggage, prescriptions from home, and mechanical problems. National Car Rental (tel. 800/227-7368; www.nationalcar.com) has outlets pretty much everywhere, too, with rates comparable to those of Avis. Other options are Budget (tel. 800/527-0700, 800/268-8900 in Canada; www.budget.com), with limited outlets in Turkey, and Sixt (tel. 0216/318-9040 in Turkey; www.sunrent.com), with 20 locations throughout Turkey.

A Note on Distances -- The concept of precision is a foreign one in Turkey. "Not far" is a relative term and "just over there" indicates a point in the distance as the crow flies. Similarly, when comparing the travel literature on distances between towns, you'll notice a glaring absence of consistency. Please note that although all distances in this guide have been confirmed using official maps and brochures, you might be looking at a different source than the one I got the mileage from.

By Plane

After one too many 12-hour hauls on a non-air-conditioned bus with unrelenting piped-in ethnic music and the pungent odors of lemon cologne and BO, you may prefer to spend your next full day of travel waiting around an airport cafe rather than in a bus seat. Turkish Airlines (tel. 800/874-8875 in the U.S., 207-766-9300 in London, 0212/663-6300 in Istanbul; www.turkishairlines.com) provides regular domestic service within Turkey, with major hubs in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. The recent arrival of Onur Air (tel. 0212/663-9176 in Istanbul; www.onurair.com.tr) and Fly Air (tel. 0212/444-4359 in Istanbul; www.flyair.com.tr) has created some healthy competition in Turkey's domestic air transportation industry. Onur Air flies from Istanbul to Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, and Kayseri, to name just a few destinations, while Fly Air flies from Istanbul to Izmir and Bodrum. One-way domestic fares on Onur Air or Fly Air will cost around $60, while passage on Turkish Airlines will cost you slightly more, around $79. You can book flights last-minute at one of the airline offices or through an officially recognized travel agent. These days, with flights into Istanbul consistently full, it's a good idea to plan ahead. Although it's still possible to fly last-minute, try to book your domestic seats as much in advance as possible, especially if your travel falls during one of the bayrams (religious holidays).

Those with more of a jet-setting mentality can charter domestic flights through Marinair (tel. 0212/663-1829; , in Turkish only), providing service from Istanbul to Bodrum/Türkbükü, Çesme, Dalaman, Göcek, and Kas. Travel time is approximately 1 1/2 hours, and fares hover around $2,500 to $3,000.

By Train

In the years leading up to World War I, Turkey's railroads developed thanks to the "generosity" of German and British government-supported ventures sucking up to an as-yet neutral potential ally. These entrepreneurs recognized the value of old stone, making not-so-convenient detours in the track-laying to valuable archaeological sites. The result was a uselessly meandering system highly efficient at carting away priceless archaeological finds, enriching both foreign museums and the pockets of these "part-time engineers." The Pergamum Altar is now in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin; King Priam's treasures were whisked out of Troy, passing through Berlin's Hermitage Museum and on to Moscow's Pushkin Museum, while many treasures from the Temple of Artemis are now housed in the British Museum. The only exception to an across-the-board recommendation to stick to the buses is with regard to the night train from Istanbul to Ankara. Although the bus is faster by about 3 to 4 hours, skyrocketing bus fares are making the train the choice of many. Besides cheaper fares, a bunk on the sleeper car will have you arriving fresh and ready to go on arrival (minus the shower; the cars come with sink only). For information on timetables and fares, log on to www.tcdd.gov.tr.

By Bus

Traveling by bus brings up images of greasy-haired, guitar-toting rebels lifted from the pages of a Jack Kerouac novel. Turkey has taken the grungy image of bus travel and brought it to new heights of comfort and respectability. There are several categories of bus travel: municipal buses, the local dolmus, long-distance buses, and short-distance minibuses.

In big cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Antalya, municipal buses provide a cheap way to get around, if you can actually figure out how. Destinations are posted on the windshield, but it's always a good idea to ask the driver if he's going your way before getting on. Getting on in the middle of a bus route can be confusing, but there's always the ubiquitous good Samaritan there to steer you in the right direction. In Istanbul the modern green buses are for commuters with debit tokens only, while the used-up old orange buses are for everybody else; tickets can be purchased from the cashier onboard.

Another popular and economic way of getting around is the dolmus, essentially a minivan with passenger seats. The best description of these little group taxis is in the translation: dolmus in English means "stuffed." The dolmus follows a set route, stopping and starting to pick up passengers until no one else will fit in it. The main stops are posted on the windshield and you pay according to the distance that you go, usually under 75¢. This system works well in and around small towns; drivers will politely honk as they drive to see if you want to get on, and routes are direct to the places you want to go. Dolmuses do run on Sunday, so don't let those crafty taxi drivers convince you otherwise.

In major metropolitan areas such as Istanbul, the process is a bit more complicated, even for the locals. The best way to avoid an inner-city trip to nowhere is to board at one of the dolmus stands marked by a blue "D" and take it to the final destination (preferably the same destination as yours). Fares are usually posted and rarely exceed 3.50YTL ($3.05/£1.40) per ride. It's also acceptable to pay the driver before you get off, so you can enjoy a bit of spontaneity as well. Dolmuses stop running in the early evening, so in the outlying areas, make sure you've got a way back to the hotel.

Long-distance buses are an integral part of the Turkish culture, probably because there are often few alternatives for inter-city travel other than renting a car.

The major bus companies in Turkey (Note: Phone numbers beginning with 444 are national toll-free numbers and can be dialed from anywhere in Turkey) are Ulusoy (tel. 444-1888; www.ulusoy.com.tr/eng), Varan (tel. 0212/251-7474; www.varanturizm.com), Kamil Koç (tel. 444-0562; www.kamilkoc.com.tr), Uludag (tel. 0212/245-2795), Metro (tel. 444-3455), and Pamukkale (tel. 444-3535; www.pamukkaleturizm.com.tr), with the first two costing nearly double the other companies.

All have counters at the local bus station (otogar) as well as offices conveniently located around town. The better bus companies offer free shuttle service between the ticket office and your bus at the otogar.

If you're on a more relaxed timetable, it's just as easy to show up at the otogar; with competition stiff for your business, the bus companies that provide service to your destination will most certainly find you. Take your time and don't be bullied into buying a ticket from the first guy who hooks you in, because his bus may not be the first one to leave for your destination.

If you're like me, you believe it should take approximately 3 hours to cover 322km (200 miles). Gauge at least 40% more time on the bus than what you figure it would take you to get there by car.

Water and soft drinks are served on the bus; if you're lucky, you'll get a little kid-size breakfast cake to tide you over until the next feeding. A sprinkle of cologne is part of the Turkish culture, but better the brand that smells of baby oil and talcum powder than the one that stinks like Lemon Pledge. Rest stops are made at erratic intervals, but there's usually enough time at one of the pickup and drop-off points for a quick dash to the Turkish toilet. (Let the man onboard know you'll be right back!)

Except on rare occasions (and in my case, total cluelessness), unacquainted men and women do not sit together on the bus. My grievance with this tradition is more practical than unprogressive: Old Turkish ladies tend to be hefty and spill out onto the adjacent seat, while it is common practice for Turkish mothers to save a bus fare by seating her 6-year-old son on her lap for the 6-hour trip.

Don't Let Taxi Drivers Take You for a Ride

There is a certain amount of control you give up when entering a taxi in a strange city. Your safest bet is to have your hotel concierge phone for the taxi rather than you flagging it down. (In Istanbul, under no circumstances should you hire a taxi off the street in front of the Ayasofya.) Some hotels and taxi companies have agreements that award the company repeat business in exchange for honesty and accountability at no extra charge to the passenger. Still, the risk that absolute ignorance of a location will be rewarded with a circuitous route is fairly high. Knowing in advance that there's nothing you can do about it is usually enough to let you sit back and relax. But there still are a few things to look out for to avoid being scammed.

Check to see that the meter is running, and that the correct rate applies. The less expensive day rate (gunduz) alternately flashes with the metered fare and applies from 7am to midnight, but crafty taxi drivers will push the night (gece) rate button to increase the fare. If you've caught a driver in the act, threaten to summon the police, or get out of the cab.

Beware of the "bait and switch" routine, whereby the driver takes your 10YTL banknote (worth about $8.70/£4) and accuses you of having given him a 1YTL note. You can avoid this by holding on to the banknote until you've received your change. Also, note that 1YTL notes are blue-toned and 10YTL notes are orange.

For longer distances or drives outside of the city limits, taxis usually have a list of set rates. Be sure you've discussed these in advance, as you may be able to negotiate a discount (though it's doubtful). A final word: Don't get into a cab expecting bad things to happen. Just be a smart customer.