Izmir has a well-developed railway system serving both regional and intercity destinations. Taking the railway is the cheapest way to travel, and the city has multiple train lines: the Izban, Metro, Tram, and numerous train routes departing from Basmane Garı and Alsancak Garı (train stations).
If you want to travel outside of Izmir, you will need to take the Izban or Söke Güzergahı Trains from the Basmane Train Station located in the Konak district of Izmir.
For information on inter-city transport, read this article (maps).
Train Lines for Traveling Outside of Izmir
Izban
The Izban stretches from Aliğa (in the Karşıyaka district of Izmir) to Selçuk (Ephesus), departing every 10-15 minutes. There are Izban stations throughout the city. If you are staying far from an Izban stop, it can be easily accessed from other modes of transport, such as the ferry, bus, or metro stations. The Izban trains are the easiest and most frequent mode of transportation when traveling to Adnan Menderes Airport and some locations outside the city. It is mostly used for reaching Selçuk, known as Ephesus.
To reach Selçuk, you will get on the Izban from your starting point in Izmir. Be sure to stand on the güney (south) side of the Izban to catch the train that heads south. To reach Selçuk specifically, you will have to get off at Tepeköy, and take a different train via the same station to Selçuk. Trains depart from Tepeköy to Selçuk approximately every hour. The journey from Izmir is about 3 or 3.5 hours via the Izban train.
Note that if you arrive at Tepeköy long before the train departs and do not want to wait at the station, you could take a 25-minute taxi to Selçuk to shorten your travel day.
Söke Train Line (Basmane Train Station)
Izmir also has an official train station called Basmane Gar. It is located in Konak, a central subsection of the city. From Izmir’s Basmane Gar, there are several daily trains to major cities. While the departure times vary, generally, the first trains leave at around 7 AM, and the last trains depart at around 3:00 PM.
The official website will show accurate departure times for all trains departing from Izmir to each location. Under the link to their site, departure times are listed under “Bölgesel Trenler” (regional trains). Though the website is in Turkish, it should be easy to read since the most important links are labeled with the departure and arrival cities.
To reach Denizli (for Pamukkale) and Ephesus from Basmane Train Station, you will need to get on the Söke Güzergahı(train route). Keep in mind that traveling from Izmir to Denizli will require changing trains at Nazilli. Transit from Izmir to Nazilli takes about 3.5 hours. There should be a train that leaves immediately upon arrival in Nazilli, connecting passengers from Izmir to Denizli. And this transit from Nazilli to Denizli takes just over an hour. So, the whole trip via train should take around 5 hours.
The trains are comfortable and quiet. Each seat reclines and there is adequate legroom. Some seats have access to power outlets. The route passes through villages and vineyards along the way, making for lovely window views along the way.
Izmir Trains
Izmir has a well-developed railway system with many different train lines serving thousands of people daily. To travel from Izmir to destinations outside the municipality, you must use the Izban or the Söke Train Route (departing from Basmane Train Station.)
The trains are comfortable with many amenities, and the whole trip is pleasant. Make sure to glimpse outside your window to witness the beautiful scenery of the Aegean region.
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