http://www.turkeycentral.com/page/index.html/_/turkey-articles/travel-to-turkey/ Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:20:50 +0000 43200 Articles about travel in Turkey, including the public transportation system, taxis, buses, trans, and seeing Turkey. http://www.turkeycentral.com/page/index.html/_/turkey-articles/travel-to-turkey/trains-planes-and-buses-in-turkey-r48 Question: I'm in Adana and was curious about taking the trains or using the buses here.

Answer: Adana has one of the major train stations of Turkey. All of the schedules and time tables of trains to and from Adana are posted on big boards at the entrance. Railroad transportation hasn't been able to compete with buses and airplanes for the last few decades in Turkey. In fact, railroad transportation has been neglected and has become a secondary mode of transportation. In recent years, the Turkish government made some plans to modernize the railroads. As part of those efforts, fast trains now run between Ankara and Istanbul.

Although it may take some time traveling by train on a sleeper car, it is a unique experience. The restaurant car is next to the sleeper car, serving typical Turkish food and drinks. The train staff is very kind and professional, and prepares a bed at any time passengers wish. Passengers often depart in the evenings and arrive at their destination in the morning. In that way you won't have to make reservations and pay for a hotel, since you can sleep on the way.

You will need to be patient and have plenty of time if you want to go between the major cities, such as Istanbul, Ankara, and Adana. The state-run Turkish Air Lines used to have a monopoly of flying domestic routes in Turkey. More recently the government allowed private-sector airlines to fly domestically as well. Now people can fly between any major city in Turkey, however your route may take you a long way from a direct route. For example, if you were flying from Izmir to Dalaman, you may first have to go to Ankara to change planes. The new private-sector airlines have brought competition and lower prices to domestic flights, as well as more options on departure times.

More than 90 percent of passenger transportation in Turkey is done by buses. The buses running between cities are quite comfortable and reliable, and all are air-conditioned. Since there are very many bus companies, the competition between them is severe and that reflects on the quality of service and prices. buses are not allowed to exceed 90 kilometers per hour. It is strictly controlled by traffic policemen.

Every city has a central bus station. Once you go to that station, you can go to any city and town in Turkey, directly or with connections at other cities' bus stations. Smoking is not allowed on buses even on long trips. they stop and give a 20-30 minute break every three hours. Depending on the time of day, there are breaks for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and for passengers to use the rest rooms at the restaurants or facilities at the bus stops. All bus companies serve water, fruit juice or soda and hot tea or coffee and some small snacks, free of charge while on the bus.

You can purchase tickets at the bus stations or at the various bus-company offices in the city. You can also buy tickets in advance. Normally you will need to be at that company's office for a service bus to the main bus station, where you will get on a larger bus to go to your destination. In the main bus terminal, you'll see may kiosks displaying the destinations they offer, and may even hear them yelling the destination as if they're selling something in a street market. Buses leave at regular intervals, so it is possible to arrive at a bus station (even by taking a city bus to get there), then buy your ticket on the spot, then wait for the next bus to depart. The prices for bus tickets are unbeatable, far less than renting a car and driving yourself. And besides, you can get some reading done, or just take a nap while someone else does the driving.

Seating is normally assigned, since the bus will be picking up and dropping off passengers along the way, so if someone gets on the bus he or she may have a ticket with the seat number you're sitting in, if you've changed seats. Therefore the driver's assistant may ask you to return to your assigned seat, even if the one you want to sit in is empty.

Transportation between smaller cities is done by smaller companies with either full-size buses or more van-style vehicles, in smaller, covered or open air, bus terminals in the outskirts of the city. In some cases, passengers are required to buy tickets before getting on the bus. In other cases, passengers can pay cash along the way.

You may see something curious while taking a bus, that is, one of the drivers will climb into the cargo compartment and ride there. Under many buses are sleeping quarters for the alternate driver, and no, passengers can't use it!]]> Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:20:12 +0000 47d1e990583c9c67424d369f3414728e http://www.turkeycentral.com/page/index.html/_/turkey-articles/travel-to-turkey/from-mersin-to-anamur-r47
The mausoleum of the Fearless King (Mezgit Kalesi) is 12 kilometers north of Susanoglu Beach and 2.5 kilometers east of Pasli village. The mausoleum facade is eight meters high with Corinthian columns and a one-meter-high relief of Priapos on the base. It is the largest mausoleum of its time and dates back to Roman times.

Silifke is 90 kilometers west of Mersin and is slightly inland. It is spread out at the foot of a hill. You will see a citadel at the top of the hill which was formerly the acropolis of ancient Cilician Selucia. A roman bridge dating to 77 A.D crosses over the ancient Calicadnos River. Ruins of a Roman temple and a 200 A.D. theater can also be seen in Silifke.

Drive up the mountains after Silifke to visit the magnificent ancient site of Diocaesarea (Uzuncaburc). The remains of the impressive Temple of Zeus Olbius from the Hellenistic Period, the Temple of Tyche, the God of fortune, a monumental arch, a theater built in 180 A.D., a Byzantine church, and a tower are all outstanding things to see. Four kilometers to the east of that site is Olba (Ura), another ancient site with Roman aqueducts, a theater and a fountain. These two sites are not well known since they are inland and the road is quite mountainous.

Twelve miles west of Silifke is Tasucu. Tasucu is a resort town with sandy beaches, good hotels, and a harbor. A regular sea bus and ferry boat connect the town with Cyprus.

The coastal road between Tasucu and Anamur is picturesque, with many hair-pin turns. Anamur is located in the mountains with banana plantations surrounding it. The ruins of ancient Anamurium with its double ramparts, theater, Odeon, bath, and necropolis are on a beautiful beach. The Mamure Castle, built in the 12th century on the shore between two curving beaches is the best-preserved castle and one of the largest castles in Turkey.

If you decide to camp at one of the small villages or resorts, make sure that the Jandarma (Turkish paramilitary police responsible for law enforcement in rural areas) knows you are camping in the area.]]> Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:10:59 +0000 8d5e957f297893487bd98fa830fa6413 http://www.turkeycentral.com/page/index.html/_/turkey-articles/travel-to-turkey/kiz-kalesi-castle-by-the-sea-r46 in the sea is better known. There are actually two castles; one by the sea and one in the sea. The castles were part of the ancient city of Korykos. It is about 60 km west of Mersin on the way to Antalya. You do not even need directions if you're on the coastal road to Antalya from Mersin, the castle in the sea will be very obvious to you as you go by it.

Today, the castle in the castle, Maiden Castle, or Kiz Kalesi in Turkish gives its name to the area and town nearby. Besides the two castles, you can see the cistern, aqueducts, Byzantine basilicas and the necropolis, cemetery of ancient towns, in the area. The city has lived through the Roman and Byzantine eras.

The castle by the sea was originally built by the Romans as a sea gate. Various additions were made during the Byzantine era. The fortress is rectangular, and is made up of an outer and inner wall. Access to the fortress was achieved by a mobile bridge which doesn't exist today. The inner courtyard of the fortress contains a large hall, basilicas of various sizes, and a cistern.

The castle in the sea, or Maiden Castle, was built by the Byzantine admiral Eustathios in 1104, and is situated on a small island at the entrance of the old harbor. It's about 200 yards offshore and was originally connected to the mainland by a causeway. There are watch towers on the walls, a cistern, and a Byzantine basilica in the courtyard. Just like most of the castles in Turkey, Kiz Kalesi has an interesting tale.

One day a fortune teller told the king of Korykos that his sole and much-beloved daughter would be killed by a snake bite. In order to prevent that, the king built the castle in the sea and made his daughter live there. But even a king cannot change destiny. A snake brought onto the island in a basket of fruit bit his daughter, and she died. Exactly the same tale is told for the Kiz Kalesi, or Maiden Tower, in Istanbul which was built on the Bosphorus as a light house to guide ships.

Kiz Kalesi is a holiday resort with fine sandy beaches, motels, hotels, nice sea food restaurants, bars and camp sites. If you go there, it's a good idea to bring an ice chest for cold beverages. There is an entrance fee for each castle. You can go to the castle in the sea by boat. The boatmen charge a fee per person, or you can rent paddle-boats to go there. You can also rent jet-skis at Kiz Kalesi. However you decide to go, the coastal drive is worth the trip, it's a must-see if you're in the Adana, Mersin, or Incirlik Air Base area.]]> Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:04:25 +0000 a5e00132373a7031000fd987a3c9f87b