Travel to & from Pamukkale & Denizli, Turkey

Almost all transport to and from Pamukkale is via the nearby city of Denizli which has a large and active bus terminal, train station and airport.

Here’s how to travel between Pamukkale and Cappadocia.

Here’s how to go by train from Selçuk (Ephesus) to Denizli and Pamukkale, see the sights, and return by train all in one day. More…

Bus

The Denizli Metropolitan Bus Terminal (Denizli Büyükşehir Otobüs Terminali), called the Denizli Otogar, is a grand, well-designed facility in the center of Denizli 18 km (11 miles) south of Pamukkale (map).

There is an Emanetçi (Left Luggage/Baggage Check) on the lower (minibus) level.

Numerous bus companies operate between Denizli and İzmir(every half hour!), Antalya, Konya, Cappadocia (Nevşehir and Kayseri), and Istanbul. You should have no problem finding a good departure to any of those destinations, and indeed many others.

To Selçuk (for Ephesus), there are 3 daily buses that take 4 hours. The train (see below) is preferable: faster, cheaper and more comfortable. Otherwise, you can travel via İzmir to Selçuk, which is longer in both time and distance.

Denizli Metropolitan Bus Terminal, Denizli, Turkey

Denizli’s grand new bus terminal (Otogar) impressive, and easy to use…

Train

Denizli Gar (railway station) a few minutes’ walk west from the Denizli bus terminal on the other side of the highway, is served by six good daily trains from İzmir‘s Basmane Gar via Adnan Menderes Airport, Selçuk (Ephesus), Aydın and Nazilli. Train is the preferred transport method on this route: cheaper than the bus, in similar or faster times, and more comfortable.

The journey between Denizli and Selçuk (Ephesus) takes a little over 3 hours. More…

You can ride the train from Ephesus to Pamukkale and back in one day if you do it just right. More…

Pamukkale Ekspresi: Denizli – Eskişehir

The Pamukkale Ekspresi is a daytime train between Denizli and Eskişehir via Afyon and Kütahya. At Eskişehir it meets the High-Speed Train to Istanbul. More…

Plane

Denizli Çardak Airport (DNZ) is 64 km (40 miles) east of Denizli city center, 71 km (44 miles) east of Pamukkale (map), past Bozkurt then south of the D320 highway. More…

Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines have several daily one-hour nonstop flights between Istanbul.

Airport buses carry airline passengers from Denizli Bus Terminal, and sometimes from Pamukkale and Karahayıt, to Denizli Çardak Airport for each flight, departing for the airport 2-1/4 hours before flight time. There are only three buses daily to the airport, and three buses returning, timed to the Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Air flights.

From Denizli to Laodicea & Pamukkale

Minibuses shuttle between Peron (Gate) 76 on the lower level (beneath the intercity bus gates) of the Denizli Otogar, and Laodicea, Pamukkale and Karahayıt every 15 to 20 minutes all day long. More…