Getting to Ephesus from İzmir

By train

The suburban line runs south from İzmir to Selçuk and on to Tepeköy. From Basmane it takes about ninety minutes, costs almost nothing, and runs regularly through the day. It is a normal commuter train, air conditioned, and it drops you in the middle of Selçuk about ten minutes from the museum.

From Selçuk station, take a dolmuş or a taxi to the Lower Gate — see getting there from Selçuk.

This is the right answer for anyone travelling alone or as a pair without a car. It is slow, it is cheap, and nothing can go wrong with it.

By car

Take the O-31 and then the D550 south. Around 75 minutes without traffic, longer on a summer Friday. Both gates have car parks; if you are driving yourself, be aware that the site is a one-way walk and your car will be at the wrong end — see which gate.

By bus

Intercity coaches from İzmir otogar run to Selçuk, but the otogar is out at Bornova and getting there from the city centre eats the time advantage. The train is better unless you are already near the bus station.

From the airport

Adnan Menderes is on the same rail line and roughly halfway, which makes Ephesus an unusually easy day from a flight: about 55 minutes by road, or an hour or so on the train to Selçuk.

A long layover in İzmir is enough for it — allow five hours door to door for the site itself, and do not cut the return margin fine.

As a day trip

İzmir to Ephesus and back in a day works, and is what most people do. The efficient version leaves the city by eight, is at the Upper Gate before ten, and is back by mid-afternoon. Add the Ephesus Museum or Şirince if you have a car.