Istanbul To Cappadocia

Istanbul To Cappadocia; While most of the Cappadocia region, which is among the most important touristic centers of Turkey, is located in Nevşehir, some parts are within the provincial borders of Kayseri, Niğde, Kırşehir and Aksaray. This region, which has a fairy-tale atmosphere with its natural beauties and historical ruins, is located right in the middle of Anatolia. The journey from Istanbul to Cappadocia, which is approximately 760 km from Istanbul, takes about 8 hours by car. If you travel by intercity bus, this time may take up to 11 hours. If you prefer to travel between Istanbul and Cappadocia by plane, the flight time takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.

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Nevşehir, which is the main center of the Cappadocia region, is located in the middle of the Central Anatolia Region and is at a very easy point in terms of transportation. You can reach Nevşehir with your private car, bus or plane. It is possible to reach the Cappadocia region in a connecting way by taking a train journey with a little effort. In the continuation of our article, you can find the details of transportation alternatives from Istanbul to Cappadocia.

How To Get Cappadocia From Istanbul?

The Cappadocia region is very advantageous in terms of transportation, both due to its location and its popularity. You have more than one alternative for transportation from Istanbul to Cappadocia. Now, let’s talk about each transportation alternative in detail.

Istanbul To Cappadocia By Flight

There are two different alternatives for transportation from Istanbul to Cappadocia by plane. The first of these is “Cappadocia Airport” in Nevşehir and the other is “Kayseri Airport” in Kayseri. Cappadocia Airport is approximately 30 km from Nevşehir city center. The distance from Kayseri Airport to Nevşehir city center is approximately 100 km. From this point of view, it would be more logical to choose Nevşehir Airport.

The Cappadocia region is very advantageous in terms of transportation, both due to its location and its popularity. You have more than one alternative for transportation from Istanbul to Cappadocia.

Cappadocia Guide

There are direct flights to Cappadocia from both airports in Istanbul (Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport). At this point, it should be noted that there are no direct flights to Cappadocia other than Istanbul. Companies that offer flights to Cappadocia are Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines and Anadolu Jet. The flight time from Istanbul to Cappadocia is approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.

There are no municipal buses serving the city center or the Cappadocia region at Nevşehir Cappadocia Airport. Airport shuttles are the most used transportation service at Nevşehir Cappadocia Airport. Since the city center and the ruins are close to each other, these shuttles take you to many places in Nevşehir Region for an affordable fee. Since the airport traffic is not very busy, the shuttles operate according to the flight times. In addition, Turkish Airlines and Anadolu Jet have their own shuttles to Nevşehir city center and Ürgüp.

For those who want to rent a car for a more flexible travel schedule, there are two companies that have offices at Nevşehir Airport. One of them is “Avis” and the other is “Çacacı Rent a Car”. You can easily see the offices of companies in this airport, which is not very big anyway.

There are taxis waiting at the airport according to the flight times. Taxis have fixed prices according to the location you are going to, and you can see these taxis and their price schedule at the exit of the airport. Although it is a bit expensive compared to other transportation alternatives, it is a reasonable alternative for crowded groups who do not want to wait for the shuttle.

Istanbul To Cappadocia By Bus

It is possible to reach the Cappadocia Region by intercity bus, not only from Istanbul but also from almost anywhere in Turkey. Bus ticket prices from Istanbul to Cappadocia are around 300 TL (20 €). The bus journey from Istanbul to Cappadocia takes about 10 hours. 

When buying your bus ticket, do not query for “Cappadocia” for your destination. Because, as we mentioned before, Cappadocia is a region. Buy your ticket for the district in which your house or hotel is located (Ürgüp, Göreme, Avanos, Nevşehir city center etc).

Istanbul To Cappadocia By Car

You can continue on the highway from Istanbul to Ankara, and on the double-lane roads from Ankara to the Cappadocia region. The road distance is about 730 km and takes 8-9 hours. After arriving in Ankara, there are two alternative routes. When you choose the Konya road, this road reaches Gölbaşı – Koçhisar – Aksaray and finally Nevşehir. It is safer and more comfortable to use this road, especially in winter conditions. When you follow this route, you can see Salt Lake closely and visit Ihlara.

The second option is to follow the Samsun road, Kırıkkale, Kırşehir – Mucur – Hacıbektaş – Nevşehir road. This alternative is more secluded and shorter than the other. This route will also give you the opportunity to stop by the Tomb of Hacı Bektaşi Veli on the way.

Istanbul To Cappadocia By Train

Transportation to Cappadocia by train is via Kayseri province. However, if you prefer the train journey, there is direct transportation from only some cities to Kayseri, and there is no Istanbul among these cities. But if you have a special sympathy for train travel and you want to travel by train, you can use the high-speed train, which was put into service in 2015 and makes a trip to Istanbul-Konya. After arriving in Konya with this high-speed train, you can travel 270 km to reach Cappadocia.