Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second-largest city, home to around 5.8 million people in the metropolitan area. Founded as the Republic's capital in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Ankara replaced Istanbul as the seat of government and grew rapidly throughout the 20th century. The city blends its ancient Hittite and Roman heritage with modernist Republican architecture and a vibrant contemporary urban scene. Anıtkabir — Atatürk's mausoleum — is the defining landmark, while the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations ranks among the world's finest archaeological collections. Ankara sits on the central Anatolian plateau at roughly 850 metres above sea level, giving it a continental climate with hot dry summers and cold snowy winters.
Ankara has one of Turkey's best urban transit networks outside Istanbul. Four metro lines plus the Ankaray light rail cover the key visitor zones: M1 from AŞTİ bus terminal to Ulus and Kızılay, M2 south to Çankaya. The Ankara Kart (16 TRY per ride, ~$0.50 USD) works across all public transport. EGO bus covers the rest of the city. Taxis are widely available but always insist on the meter. BiTaksi and Uber operate city-wide with price transparency.
Transport at a glance
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Airport
- Esenboğa International Airport (ESB)
- Distance
- 28 km north of city centre
- Items
- {'mode': 'Havaş Airport Bus', 'cost': '120 TRY (~$3.60)', 'duration': '35–55 minutes', 'route': 'ESB → Kızılay; departs every 30 minutes 05:30–midnight from arrivals hall exit', 'booking': 'Buy ticket at kiosk inside terminal or pay driver; no advance booking needed'}, {'mode': 'Belko Air Shuttle', 'cost': '100 TRY (~$3.00)', 'duration': '45–60 minutes', 'route': 'ESB → hotels in Çankaya and Kavaklıdere', 'booking': 'Book in advance at belkoair.com.tr or call +90 312 444 0 487'}, {'mode': 'Metered Taxi', 'cost': '350–450 TRY (~$10.60–13.60)', 'duration': '25–45 minutes', 'route': 'ESB → city centre', 'booking': 'Official taxi rank outside arrivals; insist on meter use (taksimetre açın)'}, {'mode': 'Uber / BiTaksi', 'cost': '280–380 TRY (~$8.50–11.50)', 'duration': '25–45 minutes', 'route': 'ESB → any destination; price shown before booking', 'booking': 'Download Uber or BiTaksi app before arriving; available at the airport'}
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Overview
Ankara has four metro lines, the Ankaray light rail, 300+ EGO bus routes, shared dolmuş minibuses, and city-wide taxi/ride-hail coverage. The Ankara Kart transit card (16 TRY / ~$0.50 per ride) works on all public transport.
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Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Overview
- Metered taxis (taksi) are widely available across Ankara. Always insist the driver starts the meter (taksimetre açın). Night tariff (gece tarifesi) applies midnight–06:00 and is 50% higher. For price transparency use BiTaksi or Uber.
- Items
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Overview
Ankara is a major hub for intercity travel with excellent bus, high-speed rail, and air connections. AŞTİ bus terminal (M1 metro: AŞTİ station) and Ankara Train Station (Ulus) are the main hubs.
Items
- Destination
- Istanbul
- Mode
- High-speed train (YHT)
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Cost
- 200–400 TRY (~$6–12)
- Booking
- Book at tcdd.gov.tr; sells out — book 1–2 weeks ahead
- Destination
- Istanbul
- Mode
- Bus from AŞTİ
- Duration
- 5–6 hours
- Cost
- 200–350 TRY (~$6–10.60)
- Booking
- Buy at terminal or via Metro, Kamil Koç, or FlixBus websites
- Destination
- Cappadocia (Nevşehir)
- Mode
- Bus from AŞTİ
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Cost
- 150–250 TRY (~$4.50–7.60)
- Booking
- Multiple daily departures; no advance booking needed for most services
- Destination
- Konya
- Mode
- Bus or high-speed train
- Duration
- 2.5–3 hours bus / 2 hours YHT
- Cost
- 120–200 TRY (~$3.60–6) bus; 150 TRY (~$4.50) YHT
- Booking
- AŞTİ for bus; tcdd.gov.tr for train
- Destination
- Izmir
- Mode
- Bus from AŞTİ (overnight available)
- Duration
- 7–8 hours
- Cost
- 250–400 TRY (~$7.60–12)
- Booking
- Buy at terminal; overnight buses save accommodation cost
- Destination
- Antalya
- Mode
- Bus from AŞTİ
- Duration
- 7 hours
- Cost
- 300–450 TRY (~$9–13.60)
- Booking
- Multiple daily departures from AŞTİ terminal
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Buy an Ankara Kart immediately on arrival at the metro station — single rides cost 16 TRY (~$0.50 USD) with the card vs 20 TRY cash.
The Havaş bus from Esenboğa Airport to Kızılay costs 120 TRY (~$3.60 USD) and runs every 30 minutes — far cheaper than a taxi.
In taxis: always say 'Taksimetre açın lütfen' (please start the meter) before departure. Night tariff (gece) from midnight to 06:00 is 50% higher.
The central Ulus attractions (Citadel, Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Temple of Augustus, Column of Julian) are all within 15 minutes' walk of each other.
M1 metro stop 'Tandoğan' is the nearest to Anıtkabir (10-minute walk); the site is not served by direct metro.
EGO bus 136 goes from city centre to Atatürk Forest Farm (AOÇ); bus 157 goes to Eymir and Mogan lakes.
Intercity buses depart from AŞTİ (Ankara Şehirlerarası Terminal İşletmesi) — take the M1 metro to AŞTİ station.