We are completing the Best of Turkey in 13 Days tour on a Saturday in April and realize the tour will provide a bus to the Izmir airport around 8 a.m. after breakfast. However, has anyone taken an earlier trip to the airport to make a 10 a.m. flight to Istanbul and, if so, how did you travel? Private car hire or what and how did that work out? Appreciate any insights.
Posted by
13 posts
The hotel arranged for a private car to take 3 of us to the airport for an earlier flight and it worked out fine. I don’t remember the cost but it was very reasonable.
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
2353 posts
I did this tour in late September. I had a later flight so didn't take the the tour bus and instead arranged a private driver through Welcome Pickups. It was about $40, and I split the cost with some tourmates who were on the same Amsterdam flight as me. I used the same company to pick me up in Istanbul and take me to my pre-tour hotel. The Izmir driver was a little less communicative than my Istanbul driver, and was a few minutes past scheduled pick up time, but all was well in the end. The drive to the Izmir airport was just about an hour.
BTW, the guide will come through the bus a couple days before the tour is over and ask when people are needing to leave. Our tour bus left about 8:15 a.m. because that worked for the biggest number, but I think there were some who ended up sharing a taxi or driver because of their earlier flights. Since you're flying to Istanbul, you'll use a different terminal than I experienced (the international terminal in Izmir is TINY). On the other hand, the Istanbul airport (IST, not SAW) is ENORMOUS and so if you're hoping to catch an international flight home on that day, make sure you have some cushion.
Posted by
OP
Florida
7 posts
Thank you for the replies. Very much appreciated.
Posted by
Noblesville, Indiana, USA
1371 posts
A train runs from Selcuk to Izmir airport and takes about 1:15. It's only a couple of dollars per person and is comfortable. We took it about a month ago. Not sure the best way to get from Kusadasi to the Selcuk train station. There are inexpensive buses that run between Kusadasi and Selcuk and the latter's bus station is only a short walk from the train station. I'm not sure where to find schedules but they're probably online.