You might be wondering how to get to Cappadocia, including what is the cheapest way and what is the fastest way. Luckily, getting to Cappadocia is quite easy, as this region of Turkey is well-connected from most major cities and tourist destinations in Turkey.
There are many ways to get to Cappadocia, from flights to long-distance buses and even trains. For the majority of travelers, taking a flight would be the easiest and quickest way, but some travelers who are on a budget might actually prefer a long-distance bus depending.
Regardless of your preference of transport, how you get to the Cappadocia region depends on a variety of factors, including where you’re travel from and where in Cappadocia you want to visit, as well as your budget.
Since there are many nuisances when deciding what is the best way to get to Cappadocia, we have written this guide, so you’ll know exactly how you can get to the famous region of Cappadocia!
Planning a trip to Cappadocia last-minute?
Make sure you book your tours, places to stay, and airport transfers ahead of time to ensure availability!
Here is our recommended airport transfer in Cappadocia:
- Airport Shuttle From Nevsehir Airport (NAV) or Kayseri Airport (ASR) (Super affordable!)
Here are our recommended tours in Cappadocia:
- Hot Air Balloon Flight In Cappadocia At Sunrise (A must-do In Cappadocia)
- ATV Tours At Sunset
- Green Tour In Cappadocia (Perfect for those not renting a car!)
Here are our recommended places to stay in Cappadocia:
- Koza Cave Hotel (Amazing views and great photo opportunities)
- Museum Hotel (Most luxurious hotel in Cappadocia)
- Kamelya Cave Hostel (Budget hostel with cave rooms!)
Where Is Cappadocia In Turkey Located?
Before we jump into our transportation guide, let’s take a look at where is Cappadocia and why getting there might be a challenge for some. As you can see on the map, Cappadocia is located in the middle of Turkey, pretty far from other major cities in Turkey such as Antalya, Istanbul, and Izmir.
Because Cappadocia is a region and not a singular place, it’s important to understand what is considered Cappadocia. People generally consider the region of Cappadocia to be from Kayseri West to Askaray, but its actual boundaries are not well-defined. The area of Cappadocia is around 9,883 ha, encompassing Goreme National Park, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and where the main tourist attractions of Cappadocia are located.
The center of this National Park is the town of Goreme, the most popular place to stay in Cappadocia and where the hub of tourist activities is located. However, other towns and villages in Cappadocia that are popular for tourists to stay in are Ürgüp, Uçhisar, Nevşehir, Avanos, Cavusin, and Ortahisar.
For our article, we’ll assume that you are staying in Göreme, because it’s where most people stay and it’s the easiest town to get to. It’s also the town you need to get to before connecting to other towns such as Urgup and Uchisar, where you simply get a minibus from the one bus station in the heart of the town.
Don’t Miss Out on the BEST Experience in Cappadocia!
No trip to Cappadocia is complete without taking an epic hot air balloon flight at sunrise!
Make sure you reserve your tour well in advance to avoid missing out or paying any additional fees last minute!
How To Get To Cappadocia By Flight?
For the majority of travelers, taking a domestic flight to Cappadocia will be the easiest route, especially if you are in a major city like Istanbul or Antalya
There are two airports in Cappadocia:
- Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV)
- Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR)
From Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV), it’s 37.6 km (23.4 mi) away from Goreme and takes about 37 minutes to drive.
From Kayseri Ekilet Airport (ASR), it’s 74 km (46 mi) from Goreme and takes about an hour to drive.
Which Is The Best Airport To Fly To Cappadocia?
At first glance, the Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) might be the better choice when flying to Cappadocia. Though it is closer to Goreme and the scenery along the way is more beautiful, it is not always the most practical.
Why? Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) only has incoming flights from one destination – Istanbul. Most flights also leave from Sabiha Gokcen Airport, on the Asian side of Istanbul, which is far away from the city center (though it’s easy to get to via the metro).
This means that even if you were coming from the other side of the country (like Antalya), you would still need to have a layover in Istanbul. This could make your journey much longer than it’s supposed to be, especially since there aren’t many flights going from Istanbul to Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV). The good news is the flight time from Istanbul to Cappadocia is only 1 hour 24 minutes, so even if you have to change, you don’t spend a whole lot of time on planes.
Flights to Nevsehir Airport are also almost always more expensive than flights to Kayseri Airport. You can expect to pay anywhere from 60 Euros to 120 Euros depending on where you are traveling from and what time of year you are visiting – as well as how far in advance you book.
Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR), though a little bit further away, is usually the more economical and convenient airport in Cappadocia to get to. From there, you can arrange a shuttle beforehand to take you to Goreme, which makes the extra duration of the journey negligible. We don’t recommend getting a taxi from either airport in Cappadocia because you’ll most likely get scammed.
Most budget airlines offer Cappadocia flights from major cities to both airports, but the most common airlines are Pegasus Airlines, Sun Airlines, and occasionally, Turkish Airlines.
How To Get To Cappadocia By Bus?
For budget travelers visiting Turkey, taking a bus might be the best option for you. The has many bus companies, but they are all pretty much the same in terms of quality and convenience.
Long-distance buses are comfortable and at a very affordable rate. The price for long-distance buses is usually always a fraction of the equivalent flight, usually around 25 Euros depending on where you are traveling from and what time of year you visit.
For bus schedules and booking tickets, we highly recommend using busbud.com. You can also double-check the schedules and prices with the Turkish official site obilet.com, but we’ve struggled to purchase tickets with foreign credit cards.
❗Make sure you are searching for buses to Goreme, and not Cappadocia (unless you decided not to stay in Goreme)!
One of the best things about traveling to Cappadocia by bus is that it can drop you off directly in the center of Goreme. From there, you can simply walk to your hotel or hostels. You do not need to get an additional transfer like you would when getting a flight.
If you don’t plan to stay in Goreme, you can get a minibus from the same bus station that the coach drops you off at to one of the other destinations.
The most common bus routes to Cappadocia are from Istanbul and Antalya.
Both of these routes take around 10 hours, which makes it the perfect night bus journey. Nightly buses are common and are direct, allowing you to get to Cappadocia without a hassle and without needing to wake up. You can even save a night of accommodation by doing so, which makes this way to get to Cappadocia very affordable.
Here are some of the bus companies in Turkey we recommend for this journey:
- Metro Turizm
- Kamil Koc
- Nevsehir Sayahat
How To Get To Cappadocia By Train?
It is also possible to get to Cappadocia by high-speed train, depending on where you are coming from. The closest railway station from Cappadocia is the Kayseri Railway Station. The train system in Turkey isn’t as developed as in some of the countries in Europe so it is not as simple – it’s also very slow.
At the moment, you can take a train to Kayseri from Ankara, but the journey takes about 8 hours. Technically, you could also take a train from Istanbul to Cappadocia, but that involves taking a train from Istanbul to Ankara, switching to a different train, then going from Ankara to Kayseri, and then finding getting transport to Goreme.
Because it is inconvenient and usually much more time-consuming, taking a train to Cappadocia is generally not recommended. It can be quite a nice experience if you enjoy a train ride, and not in a hurry. Trains are also very affordable in Turkey, so it would be another cost-effective way to get to Cappadocia, but not much cheaper than a bus.
The scenery can be quite beautiful, especially if you are visiting Cappadocia in the winter.
There are also no trains that go from Antalya to Cappadocia.
How to Get to Cappadocia by Tour?
Finally, a popular way to get to Cappadocia is by guided tour. Since Cappadocia is a popular destination, there are tours from most major cities. This is a good way to get to Cappadocia for those who don’t like planning or are only in Turkey for a short time. You can find tours from Istanbul, Antalya, Pamukkale, or Izmir.
Cappadocia tours are usually only one or two days, allowing you to visit some of the main attractions such as Goreme Open Air Museum, Derinkuyu Underground City, and a couple of the valleys – plus, if weather permits, go on a hot air balloon ride.
We would only recommend this option if your Turkey itinerary is short and you don’t want to plan, since it doesn’t allow you a lot of time in Cappadocia. You do get to see the cave dwellings and rock formations, but it may feel rushed.
📚 Read more: The Ultimate Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale Itinerary
When Is The Best Time To Visit Cappadocia?
The best time to visit Cappadocia is generally summer. That is when rain is the least frequent and the hot air balloons take off regularly. However, the summer is also one of the hottest times of the year to visit Cappadocia, and visitors might not be able to enjoy the outdoors comfortably. It is important that you stay hydrated and out of the sun as much as possible. After all, Cappadocia is one big desert.
Our favorite time to visit Cappadocia is the fall, notably late September and the whole of October. This month of the year is still quite dry, so hot air balloons depart frequently. The weather during the day is warm enough to go hiking in Cappadocia or go on a horseback riding tour.
Winter is quite desolate in Cappadocia. Not only is it cold, but it also has a lot of rain and snow. Hot air balloons do not take off regularly during the winter.
Spring is a decent time to visit. The spring blossoms in the valleys of Cappadocia are beautiful, but spring brings showers that could interrupt the hot air balloon takeoffs. For that reason, we prefer fall over spring in Cappadocia.
📚 Read More: Complete Hot Air Balloon Guide In Cappadocia – All Questions Answered
Getting To Cappadocia FAQs
Are There Direct Flights To Cappadocia?
Yes, there are two airports in Cappadocia located within an hour of the historic center, allowing travelers to fly directly to Cappadocia and get to the heart of the action quickly.
How Many Days In Cappadocia To Spend?
We recommend spending at least 3 full days in Cappadocia to experience the best this historic region of Turkey has to offer. You might want to consider spending an extra day if you are not visiting in the summer, just in case the hot air balloons cancel.
Is Cappadocia Worth Visiting?
Definitely, Cappadocia is so much more than the hot air balloons you see on Instagram. It is a historic region with ancient underground cities, epic fairy chimneys, and a stunning landscape that is unlike anywhere else in the world!
So, What Is The Best Way To Get To Cappadocia?
As you can see, though there are a few ways to get to Cappadocia, but there are actually only two practical ways we would recommend – plane or bus.
If you don’t mind a little bit of discomfort and a long travel time, taking a long-distance bus is the cheapest way to get to Cappadocia, especially when taking a night bus. Taking a flight is expensive, but it is no doubt the quickest way to get to Cappadocia.
We hope this guide gave you some ideas on the best way to get to this iconic region for you and helped you plan your Cappadocia itinerary.
