Getting around · Cappadocia · Turkey
Getting around Cappadocia
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The main towns are spread over about 20 km, linked by municipal buses and minibuses, while many sights are within walking distance of Göreme. Organised day tours, usually sold as a 'Red Tour' to the northern sights and a 'Green Tour' to the south, are popular, but a hire car gives the most freedom. Not essential if you stay in Göreme and use tours, buses and walks.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- ASR, NAV
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- Müzekart
Ways to get around
Walking
From Göreme you can hike to the Open-Air Museum and through Rose, Red, Love and Pigeon valleys on marked and unmarked trails.
Download offline maps; signposting is patchy and trails branch frequently.
Bus
Municipal buses and minibuses connect Göreme, Uçhisar, Avanos, Ürgüp and Nevşehir during the day, and buses run to the underground cities from Nevşehir. Frequencies vary by season.
Car
Renting a car makes it easy to combine underground cities, Soğanlı, Ihlara and the quieter villages. Roads are generally good and parking is easy outside Göreme's centre.
Taxi
Taxis wait in each town and are useful for short hops between villages and to sunset viewpoints; agree a price or use the meter.
Scooter
Scooters and ATVs are widely rented in Göreme for exploring the valleys, but some routes are rough and accidents happen.
Wear a helmet and avoid riding on walking trails.
Tickets and passes
Müzekart
Turkey's museum pass, sold in versions for foreign visitors, covers state sites including the Göreme Open-Air Museum, Zelve and the underground cities; compare it with single tickets.
From the airport
Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) is about 40 km from Göreme, around 45 minutes by road, and Kayseri Airport (ASR) is about 75 km away, around 1 hour 15 minutes. Shared shuttle buses timed to flights can be booked through hotels, and taxis are available at both airports.
Do you need a car?
Not essential if you stay in Göreme and use tours, buses and walks. A car for a day or two is the easiest way to visit underground cities, Ihlara, Soğanlı and the quieter villages at your own pace.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery | About 1 hour 30 minutes by car | Car or Green Tour |
| Soğanlı Valley | About 1 hour by car | Car or private tour |
| Gülşehir | About 35 minutes by car | Car or bus via Nevşehir |
| Kayseri | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car or bus | Car or intercity bus |
| Mount Erciyes | About 1 hour 30 minutes by car | Car or tour |
| Konya | About 3 hours by car | Car or intercity bus |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Cappadocia?
Not essential if you stay in Göreme and use tours, buses and walks. A car for a day or two is the easiest way to visit underground cities, Ihlara, Soğanlı and the quieter villages at your own pace.
+How do you get from the airport to Cappadocia?
Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) is about 40 km from Göreme, around 45 minutes by road, and Kayseri Airport (ASR) is about 75 km away, around 1 hour 15 minutes. Shared shuttle buses timed to flights can be booked through hotels, and taxis are available at both airports.
+What is the best way to get around Cappadocia?
Walking: From Göreme you can hike to the Open-Air Museum and through Rose, Red, Love and Pigeon valleys on marked and unmarked trails.