The capital of Turkey, and the country’s second largest city, Ankara is situated right in the heart of Turkey. Proclaimed the capital of the country by Atatürk in 1923, Ankara is actually an ancient city that’s a great destination for history buffs who are happy to look beyond the modern façade. From here, a trip to Cappadocia is very popular with tourists. One of Turkey’s best known and loved natural attractions, Cappadocia offers an intriguing natural rock landscape of “fairy chimneys” that has been used since ancient times for homes and dwellings giving visitors cultural, natural and historical attractions all wrapped up in one region. Traveling from Ankara to Cappadocia is a popular tourist route with several different transport options that we will detail below.
| Transport | Time | Price | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankara to Cappadocia by Bus | 4 h | $15 | Book Online |
| Ankara to Cappadocia by Train | 6 h+ | $2+ | Book Online |
| Driving from Ankara to Cappadocia | 3.5 h | $110 | Book Online |
Options for Travel from Ankara to Cappadocia
If you’re hoping to travel from Ankara to Cappadocia, the first important point to note is that there is not a town or city called Cappadocia, it is actually an entire region that has this name. Within the Cappadocia region there are numerous towns and villages, and within them are many cultural and historical sights of interest, while the landscape of the region is best known for its rock formations, fondly known as fairy chimneys. Many of the most popular attractions are centered around the village of Goreme, which is a popular place to stay, or the nearby towns of Uchisar and Nevsehir are good places to stay too. If you’re wanting a big city experience as well as all that Cappadocia has to offer, head to the city of Kayseri instead.
If we take Goreme as the destination, the shortest road distance from Ankara to Cappadocia is 300 kilometers (187 miles). There are plenty of buses traveling between Ankara and Cappadocia every day, making this the most popular transportation, but going by train is another option, while renting a car and driving yourself can also be a great option for the more independent traveler. Flying is not a sensible option as there are no direct flights from Ankara to Cappadocia; you would have to fly via Istanbul, making this a more expensive and time-consuming method of transport.
Ankara to Cappadocia by Bus
Time – 4 h
Price – $15
Comfort – 4/5
There are many private bus companies in Turkey so there will usually be at least a few different choices of buses, depending on the route you are traveling. Ankara to Cappadocia is a popular route so some of the country’s largest bus companies as well as a few smaller, regional ones are available, with most charging around the same price. Not all buses will take you all the way into Goreme as they will tend to stick to the major roads, so the bus you catch may ultimately be going to Nevsehir, Urgup or Kayseri, however, if you purchase a ticket to Goreme itself, either the main bus will take you to Goreme Bus Station, or they will provide a minibus transfer from somewhere like Nevsehir. So, you may want to double check on this when booking if this is an important point for you.
Kamil Koc is one of Turkey’s larger bus companies and they have buses from Ankara to Cappadocia departing about every two hours, as does Nevsehir Seyahat. With lots of departures throughout the day, these two bus companies are a good choice if you want to just arrive at Ankara’s main bus terminal (known as Ankara Asti) and buy a ticket for the next available bus; perfect if you’re not sure of your plans or decide to visit Cappadocia as a last minute thing. These buses will take somewhere between 3.5 and 4.5 hours, depending on the time of day you’re traveling and how much traffic there is. Included in this is usually a rest stop for tea and bathrooms. Metro Turizm is another that has a few departures per day as another option.
If you prefer to make your plans in advance and book a bus from Ankara to Cappadocia, this is no problem using an online travel booking website such as 12Go. They offer bus tickets with a few other companies and have a range of arrival points including Goreme Bus Station, Urgup Bus Station, and Avanos Bus Station in Kayseri.
There are three departure times per day, with the first two being early morning. This is nice as you arrive in Cappadocia before lunch and can spend extra time enjoying the region. The first departure is at 05:30 with Oncu Seyahat and they do offer a ticket right to Goreme, taking 4 hours. They also have a departure at 06:30 which takes 4.5 hours to Goreme. This is probably a longer scheduled journey time to account for the extra traffic in the Ankara area.
Nevsehirlilir is the second bus company that you can book through 12Go. They have one departure at 13:00 which is scheduled to take 3 hours and 37 minutes to Goreme Bus Station. The price for the bus from Ankara to Cappadocia is essentially the same with these two companies, with Nevsehirliler usually being very slightly cheaper.
Train from Ankara to Cappadocia
Time – 6 h 15 min plus extra Taxi ride.
Price – $2-$5
Comfort – 4/5
Trains in Turkey are notoriously slow, even when they’re called ‘Express’ Trains! Traveling by train is not the most convenient way to travel from Ankara to Cappadocia, not least because it takes double the time a bus journey takes. It also appears that the Ankara to Cappadocia train only runs three times per week, so the train schedule may not align with your own schedule.
Having said all this, if you’re taking your time and you want to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery, taking a train from Ankara to Cappadocia is a far more relaxing experience than the bus. Turkish roads can be very manic, with fast speeds and overtaking maneuvers that you often wouldn’t see in Western countries, so the train is far more laid-back!
The train arrives at Himmetdede, which is about 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of Goreme. So, from here you will need to take a taxi to Goreme itself.
Driving from Ankara to Cappadocia
Time – 3.5 h
Price – $50 per day and $60 for extra drop off fee.
Comfort – 5/5
If you like to be more independent and want to see as much of Turkey as possible, renting a car and driving from Ankara to Cappadocia could be a great option. The biggest challenge will be getting out of Ankara because it is a very busy city and if you’re not used to such busy roads and you don’t know exactly where you are going, it can be quite a nerve-wracking experience!
Once you have made your way out of the city, the roads are far more open and you can take your time. The landscape is quite barren but you will pass through a number of towns and villages along the way. Driving yourself means you can stop whenever you want to and look around, and it gives you the option to stay in Nevsehir, Uchisar, or Goreme, while being able to head out to the attractions whenever you want to.
RentalCars.com can offer good pre-booking options when it comes to hire cars in Turkey. Average daily rates for an economy vehicle are around $50 per day with extra fees of around $60 on top if you intend to pick up in Ankara and drop off in to Cappadocia.
So, even though a train and driving yourself are feasible options for traveling from Ankara to Cappadocia, the majority of travelers opt for the bus because it is cheap and reliable and you can buy tickets to get you all the way to Goreme.
Renting a car in Ankara cost from $50 per day and it will be an extra drop off fee $60 for leaving it in Cappadocia.
The bus trip from Ankara takes around 4 hours. The shortest bus route can be found at 300 kilometers (187 miles) depending where in Cappadocia you want to arrive. With the average price of a bus ticket being $15 online.
The cheapest way to get from Antalya to Fethiye is by direct bus. There are several daily buses that run between the two cities, and the journey takes approximately 4 hours. The fastest way is by taxi or rental car at about 3 hours 30 minutes. If you want to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery, taking a train from Ankara to Cappadocia is a far more relaxing experience than the bus. But the train ride is 6 hours 15 minutes and arrives at Himmetdede.
No, the train arrives at Himmetdede, which is about 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of Goreme (in Cappadocia). So, from here you will need to take a taxi to your final destination in Cappadocia itself.
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