How to go to Ephesus?

Ephesus from İzmir

If you are staying in Izmir, a professional tour guide and a driver will pick you up and after a 45-mins drive, you arrive in the town of Selcuk where is home to the ruins of Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary, The Basilica of St John, The Village of Sirince and The Temple of Artemis and start your tour. Hotel/airport/Cruise port pickup and drop-off, private tour led by a professional tour guide,transport by a private vehicle are all included in the tour. Many people visiting Ephesus arrive by tour vehicles or car rentals.

If you are willing yo use the public transportation, there ara both buses and trains to Selcuk from Izmir.

What is the distance between Izmir and Ephesus?

The distance between Izmir and Ephesus is about 53 miles (85 kms).

How to get from Izmir to Ephesus by train?

 Turkish Railways (TCDD) operates a train from Izmir Basmane to Selçuk every 4 hours. First thing to do is heading to the Basmane Train Railway Station that is located at the heart of Izmir. Here, you need to take the Basmane-Denizli Train to the town of Selcuk where Ephesus is. The train journey takes about 80 mins to Selcuk. After arriving, you need to go to the Selcuk Bus Station that is 5 mins walking distance to Selcuk Railway Station. You can find minibuses running regularly and frequently going to Ephesus at the Selcuk Bus Station. Minibuses are called ''dolmus'' in Turkey. You can also find taxis waiting to help you (at a price to be negotiated).

How to get from Izmir to Ephesus by bus?

There are several bus companies that have regular and frequent buses from Izmir Bus Station to Selcuk.

Ephesus from Kuşadası

If you are staying in a hotel in Kusadasi;

Your guide from Private Ephesus Tours can come and pick you up from the hotel that you stay in Kusadasi to go to Ephesus tour. But if you like to use public transportation, as a first you have to learn the way to go to Friday Market Avenue or Kusadasi bus station from your hotel to catch a minibus to go to Selcuk. In Kusadasi there are white mini-buses, also called dolmuses which pass from almost each hotels’ front. Selcuk minibuses leave every half hour from Kusadasi and the ride takes about 30 minutes. When you arrive Selcuk bus station you should take another mini-bus to the entrance of Ephesus which takes about 10 minutes ride. If you don’t mind to walk you can request to driver to stop near the lower gate of Ephesus on the way of Selcuk.

Ephesus from İstanbul

If you are in Istanbul and like to visit Ephesus:

There are numerous flights to Izmir from Istanbul during the day and very reasonably priced. Izmir has the nearest airport to Ephesus and in 1 hour planes can arrive there from Istanbul. Izmir airport doesn't have much of a public transport option but some airlines provide free shuttle between Izmir airport and Selcuk. You can meet with your guide to go to Ephesus in Izmir Airport or in Selcuk which costs less. Private Ephesus Tours arranges a pickup service from both places for Ephesus tours. If you like to visit Ephesus by yourself from Selcuk you can catch a taxi to go to Ephesus or you can walk from town centre to Ephesus in 30 minutes.

There are no trains between Istanbul and Selcuk but there are intercity buses which are quite comfortable and frequent but it takes almost 10 hours. It is also possible to take a ferry from Istanbul to Bandirma, transfer to the train till Izmir and then take another train to Selcuk but both ways will be a very long and also exhausting day.

Traveling by Cruise

If your cruise ship docks in Kusadasi harbor or Izmir harbor you can easily visit Ephesus. It takes 20 minutes driving to Ephesus from Kusadasi port; 1 hour 15 minutes from Izmir port. Private Ephesus Tours can welcome you in both harbors to go the Ephesus but if you like to go by yourself you can catch a taxi from both ports but before you jump into one of the taxis you should agree on a price.

Public transportation can take long time and can be confusing. Cruisers have limited time in ports so instead of spending all your day with waiting minibuses to arrive there, it’s better to arrange a private tour to Ephesus from local travel agencies before you come, latest one day ago..

Private Ephesus Tour

%100 satisfaction guarantee