Tourists who have chosen the Mediterranean resorts of Turkey for their vacation first arrive at the international air harbor of Antalya. It is from here that their fascinating journey begins. Antalya is a popular resort, which is the unofficial capital of the entire Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The city impresses with an abundance of sights, historical monuments and well-maintained beaches.
Transport in Antalya – what you need to know?
Antalya is considered the largest transport hub connecting the southern resorts of the country. There is a large modern airport and bus station, as well as an extensive network of roads with a decent quality of coverage. You can get to Kemer by public intercity bus, minibus, taxi, rented car, as well as by passenger ferry. Each type of transport differs in cost, schedule, duration and comfort of the trip. The price for services ranges from 4 to 42 euros. The journey can take from one to three hours.
From Antalya to Kemer by city bus
Without a doubt, the most budgetary transport is the municipal bus. This is a safe, comfortable, but long way to travel. First you need to get from the airport to the Antalya intercity bus station. To do this, take bus number 600. The departure point of the route is opposite the air harbor terminal. Flights operate around the clock every 20 minutes. The bus makes numerous stops, so passengers will reach the bus station within 50 minutes. The fare will be 1 euro.
Bus service serves long-distance routes to all popular resort areas. The modern station occupies a vast territory. It is necessary to navigate by electronic scoreboards that indicate route schedules and platform numbers. Tourists who speak English can easily and quickly get the information they need from the service staff.
Regular flights depart to Kemer every half an hour from 6:00 to 23:00. The buses are equipped with air conditioning, comfortable seats, TVs and a large luggage compartment. You can pay the fare in cash to the driver. The duration of the route takes more than one hour on the way. This way of travel will be quite acceptable for tourists who are well versed in a foreign country and travel light without small children. Taking into account transfers and waiting for the bus, the journey will take about 2 hours.
Minibuses (dolmushi) Antalya – Kemer
Minibuses in Turkey are called dolmushi. These are white minibuses that travel faster and more frequently on specific routes than classic buses. They work from early morning until midnight, leaving the route every 15 minutes. Dolmushi do not run from the airport. You should use the Havas municipal bus, which connects the Antalya air harbor with the central part of the city, and get to the famous Migros shopping center. The journey takes one hour. The ticket price is 3 euros. There is a minibus boarding near the supermarket.
The main thing is to carefully read the sign on the windshield of the bus, which informs about the name of the final destination. Dolmushi will take passengers to Kemer in 30 minutes. Payment is made to the driver upon exit. The cost of the trip is 3 euros. Cars are equipped with air conditioning and comfortable chairs with high backs. In terms of comfort, trips in dolmushes do not differ much from municipal buses.
Sea bus from Antalya to Kemer
For lovers of sea cruises, there is an opportunity to get to Kemer by passenger ferry. This option will cost the tourist 4 euros for 45 minutes of travel. First you need to get from the airport for 3 euros by bus number 600 to the Kaleici area. Then walk down to the port pier. A water vessel crosses the sea route five times a day every day. The first flight of the ship is at 7:00, and the last one at 17:00.
The capacity of the sea bus is small (only 40 seats), so you may not be able to leave right away. Tickets are purchased at the box office on the waterfront only on the day of departure. The advantage of such a trip is the opportunity to get to Kemer by sea, overlooking the picturesque line of the coast. It is prohibited to be outside the cabin while the ferry is in motion. If we take into account that you still need to get to the port and you need to spend time waiting for the boat, then the total duration of the trip will be more than 3 hours.
Taxi from Antalya airport
The most reliable, fastest and most expensive way to travel from Antalya Airport to Kemer is a taxi. A car transfer is ideal for those travelers who do not want to depend on public transport schedules and spend time waiting for flights. In addition, when making transfers, you must be extremely careful, which is not always possible due to fatigue after the flight.
Licensed taxi cars lined up in front of the airport terminal. They are easily recognizable by their yellow body color and illuminated “Taksi” sign. Each such machine has a counter. A trip to Kemer will cost at least 50 euros. From midnight to six in the morning, the cost of the route will be twice as expensive as in the daytime. Some Turkish drivers may act dishonestly towards gullible tourists – they deliberately choose the longest road route, and also charge an additional fee for each passenger and luggage. Travel may incur additional costs.
To save money and get a high-quality range of services from an individual transfer, it is recommended to use the popular KiwiTaxi service. All the advantages of this method of transportation from the airport to Kemer will be especially felt by tourists with children and bulky luggage. Tourists will be taken in an hour directly to the door of the desired hotel, which will greatly facilitate the journey.
KiwiTaxi offers to pre-book a car at a favorable rate. You can place an order a few days before arrival in Turkey. On the official website of the service, you must specify the route and time of the trip, as well as select an acceptable car class, taking into account the number of passengers and the amount of luggage. After arriving at the airport, tourists will be expected by a driver who will comfortably take them to their destination. The cost of the transfer starts from $53.
Rented car
Tourists who want to travel freely and independently of public transport can go to Kemer from Antalya Airport in a rented car. Driving a car, you can quickly and excitingly get to Kemer. On the way, you have the opportunity to get acquainted with the Turkish surroundings, stopping at picturesque places. Numerous photographs and video filming will capture pleasant episodes of the trip.
Representatives of well-known rental companies, as well as local Turkish distributors, offer their services at the airport terminals. You can easily rent a car immediately upon arrival. It is enough to have a driver's license, passport and bank card. The main thing before signing the lease document is to carefully study all the terms of the contract, conduct an external and internal inspection of the vehicle for damage.
It is recommended to book a car in advance. To do this, you can use online services that sort the best deals among a large number of rental offices. The average cost of renting a car is 2,000 rubles per day. The price depends on the season, the duration of the rental, the class and configuration of the car. It is more profitable to take a small car, since one liter of gasoline will cost 1.21 euros.