A flight from Istanbul to Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) takes about 1.5 hrs and is undoubtedly the fastest way to access Cappadocia. But if you’re like me and prefer the scenic route (and minimising your carbon footprint), then going by road is also a fine option. Here’s how to do it.
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Step 1: Go to Söğütlüçeşme Station on Istanbul’s Asian side
The first step in getting from Istanbul to Cappadocia is to head to Söğütlüçeşme Station. Located across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district, the station can be accessed by either the metrobus or Marmaray.
The metrobus is most convenient if you are coming from Istanbul Airport (IST). For most though, taking the Marmaray from Sirkeci Station near the historical centre is more likely.
If you are feeling particularly adventurous, you can also take the ferry from Eminönü to Kadıköy and then bus/taxi to the station.
Step 2: Take the YHT (high-speed train) to Ankara
Book tickets online for the Yüksek Hızlı Tren (high-speed train) on the official TCDD website, up to 30 days in advance. You can board the train with the digital ticket, no exchange required. Of course, you can also buy tickets on the day if there are still seats available. But I wouldn’t risk it.
Make sure you arrive at least 15 minutes before departure as there are X-ray baggage and ID checks. On the day, the staff didn’t even look at my printed ticket but asked to see my passport instead. Went through with no issues.
The high-speed train purportedly reaches speeds of up to 250 km/h, but don’t expect anything like the Japanese Shinkansen experience. The train crawled through all the stops in Istanbul, and while it finally picked up speed after leaving the city, it rarely came anywhere close to 200 km/h.
The journey is said to take around 4.5 hours, but due to the various meanderings above my train rolled into Ankara an hour late. It departed Istanbul on time, but I have no idea why it travelled so slowly at times.
Another thing that was baffling to me is how people would take random seats despite all seating supposedly being assigned. At one point, I got up to use the toilet and upon my return found a woman in my seat. WTH? Thankfully, when I conveyed that it was my seat she got up and left without a fuss. Which means she knew she wasn’t supposed to be sitting there. I’m just wondering how people get on the YHT without reserving their own seats? And if they have seats, why sit somewhere else?
The first carriage is a dining car, but it is nothing fancy. More like a canteen to buy sandwiches, pastries and other snacks.
Scenery-wise, a feast for the eyes. The landscape changed from city to green fields to arid karsts back to city again.
Step 3: Take highway bus from Ankara to Göreme
The high-speed train will arrive at Ankara Gar (Station). From there, you will need to get to the bus terminal, known as ASTI. This is simple thanks to the metro system. Ankara Station is close by Maltepe Station on the green metro line, which is just a few stops (15 mins) from ASTI on the same line.
After reading various reviews online, I opted to take a Kamil Koç bus to Göreme as opposed to Metro Turizm. Buses from both companies leave multiple times a day. Tickets can be bought in advance on Obilet or Flixbus. The 3.5 hour bus journey was pleasant enough, but nothing to write home about. The onboard Wi-Fi could not be used unless you have a Turkish phone number. I had a spare seat next to me and the seats could recline rather far back, so I had a nice nap.
There are no toilets onboard but the bus made a stop at a gas station around 2 hours into the journey. Of course, many people also took this as a cigarette break. While the bus is supposedly non-smoking, I’m pretty sure somebody briefly continued their death stick on the bus after it resumed motion.
It was exciting to see the rocky landscapes and the famous fairy chimneys come into view as the bus pulled into Göreme. The bus will drop you at the bus terminal in the center of the town. Given the town is quite compact, almost all the cave suites and other lodgings are within walking distance.
Can Istanbul to Cappadocia by land be done in a day?
Yes, if you leave Istanbul early and time your bus connection well. However, spending 8-9 hours on the road seemed a bit tedious to me, so I chose to split the journey over two days by staying a night in Ankara. I thought it would also be a good opportunity to explore the Turkish capital city along the way. But things didn’t go as planned as I found Ankara rather unfriendly to foreigners and most of the historical sights closed by 6pm.
Thankfully I had booked a 4-star hotel by the station, so had a much-needed night in after days of walking around Istanbul.
Another option, albeit more pricey, is to book a private transfer from Ankara to Goreme. If you have a small group it could be worth it but for solo travellers, the bus is the best option.
There is also an overnight train from Istanbul to Ankara, so those wanting to save on hotel costs can consider this option. The sleeper leaves Istanbul (Söğütlüçeşme) at around 11pm and arrives in Ankara the next morning at around 7am. As usual, The Man in Seat 61 offers a wealth of information on train travel in Turkey.
What is the total cost vs. flying?
| One-way YHT ticket Istanbul to Ankara | 540 TL |
| One-way metro ticket Maltepe to ASTI | 15 TL |
| One-way bus ticket Ankara to Goreme | 450 TL~ (*fluctuates) |
| TOTAL | 1,005 TL |
If you chose to stay overnight in Ankara like I did, you would also need to factor in the hotel cost.
In comparison, a flight between Istanbul and Cappadocia costs around 2,500 TL one-way, although this also fluctuates based on the season. If you take a sleeper or decide to “bullet travel” to Cappadocia via land, it does work out cheaper. But if you stay overnight somewhere along the way, it probably won’t make much difference cost-wise. So don’t take the scenic route with the aim of saving money, but for the experience itself! If you are pressed for time, definitely fly.
Side notes
- Cappadocia is not a city in itself but rather a collection of cities, towns and valleys in the heart of the central Anatolian region. Göreme is the main town of Cappadocia and by far the most happening place. You can explore nearby sights like Uçhisar, Avanos, and the Derinkuyu/Kaymakli underground cities on day tours.
- I took the flight back to Istanbul from Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport. There are around 5-7 flights per day. It takes around 40 minutes to get to the airport from Goreme, with shuttles costing around €10. You can also access Goreme from Kayseri Airport (ASR), with the journey taking around an hour.
- As public transport in Ankara is completely cashless, I spent a few frantic hours trying to find where I could buy an Ankarakart. Unlike Istanbul, where you can easily get an Istanbulkart from machines at metro stations, the one for Ankara was very elusive. Apparently you can only buy them from a handful of official Ankarakart centers, most of which were closed when I Googled, or far from walking distance. I was later informed I could just tap on with my credit card. Lifesaver. While the cost is probably slightly higher than paying by Ankarakart, it is well worth it for the convenience. I tested that it works for both the buses and metro.
For more adventures travelling from Istanbul to Cappadocia, you can also read my first experience hot air ballooning.