Turkish airlines link all major cities, including the busy Ä°stanbul-Ankara corridor. Buses go everywhere in Turkey frequently, cheaply and usually comfortably. Trains have a hard time competing with long-distance buses for speed and comfort, but the sleeping-car trains linking Ä°stanbul, Izmir and Ankara are good value. If you’re driving around Turkey, you’ll find mechanical service easy to find and relatively cheap but dealing with psycho drivers may be more of a problem. Driving in cities should be altogether avoided - traffic is terrible and parking impossible.

Private dolmuÅŸes (shared taxis) are a good option for short trips. Car ferries can save you days of driving and offer the opportunity to take a mini-cruise along the Turkish coasts. Ferries operate from Ä°stanbul to Izmir, from Ä°stanbul to Trabzon (June to September only) and there’s a hydrofoil from Ä°stanbul to Yalova, for Bursa.