Public Buses & Minibuses
If you don't use a Havaş airport bus for a trip to Marmaris or Fethiye, you may want to take a publuc bus to another destination.
Dalaman's Otogar (bus station) is near the center of the town, 6 km (3.7 miles) north of Dalaman Airport (map). To go between the airport and the town you must take an expensive taxi.
The main coastal highway is another 6 km north of the town center.
Local Minibuses
Minibuses run frequently along the highway connecting the Dalaman Otogar with the nearby towns of Ortaca and Dalyan, and with farther points such as Köyceğiz and Marmaris to the west, and Göcek and Fethiye to the east. No advance reservations are needed.
Intercity Distances & Buses
The distances below are from Dalaman Town center. Add 6 km (3.7 miles) for Dalaman Airport distances.
Antalya
334 km (208 miles) E, 6.5 hours via the coast road, 4.5 hours via the yayla yolu (mountain road). Pamukkale Turizm has departures at 11:45, 13:00 (1 pm) and 01:45 (1:45 am) via the yayla yolu (over the mountains—faster than the coastal route), with the 13:00 departure continuing to Alanya. Otherwise, take a minibus (see above) to Fethiye and catch an Antalya-bound bus from there. At Antalya you can connect to buses going everywhere in Turkey. To reserve seats on Pamukkalebuses, you must contact the company—not an easy task if you don't speak Turkish, so just go to the bus station and see what's available.
Cappadocia
Yes! Tokat Yıldızı has a direct bus daily at 15:00 (3 pm) to Nevşehir (change for Ürgüp and Göreme), Kayseri and beyond, but you can also take a bus to Antalya (see above) and connect there for buses to Konya and Cappadocia.
Dalyan
23 km (15 miles) NW, 35 minutes
Frequent minibuses during daylight hours by Ortaca Fethiye Marmaris Otobüs İşletmesi.
Fethiye
38 km (24 miles) W, 45 minutes
Frequent minibuses during daylight hours by Ortaca Fethiye Marmaris Otobüs İşletmesi. Several big buses also make this trip.
Göcek
23 km (15 miles) E, 25 minutes
Frequent minibuses during daylight hours by Ortaca Fethiye Marmaris Otobüs İşletmesi.
Istanbul
Metro Turizm (tel +90 (252) 697 6034, 697 6044, 697 1625) has a night bus departing at 19:15 (7:15 pm) stopping at Kütahya and Izmit along the way. Metro's 17:45 (5:45 pm) departure goes to Izmir, Manisa, Bursaand Yalova, whence you can take a fast catamaran ferry to Istanbul. Telephone for reservations, and perhaps you'll get someone who speaks some English.
İsmail Ayaz has a similar departure at 13:15 (1:15 pm).
Istanbul Seyahat may have additional departures. You can also take a bus to Izmir (see below) and change there for a bus to Istanbul (very frequent).
İzmir
Pamukkale Turizm (tel +90 (252) 697 5558) runs a dozen buses to Izmir daily, departing Dalaman at 05:45, 06:45, 07:45, 08:45, 09:45, 11:00, 12:45 pm, 14:45 (2:45 pm), 16:45 (4:45 pm), 18:45 (6:45 pm), 00:45 (12:45 am) and 01:30 (1:30 am). So many departures—no reservation necessary.
Kâmil Koç buses depart at 06:10, 08:10, 09:40, 10:40, 11:40, 13:40 (1:40 pm), 15:40 (3:40 pm), 16:40 (4:40 pm) and 00:45 (12:45 am). So many departures—no reservation necessary.
Metro Turizm has a departure at 17:45 (5:45 pm). Several other lines may have one or two additional departures.
Kaş
149 km (93 miles) SE, 3 hours
Seacoast-route buses to Antalya may stop at Kaş. Check with the bus company.
Köyceğiz
33 km (21 miles) NW, 45 minutes
Frequent minibuses during daylight hours by Ortaca Fethiye Marmaris Otobüs İşletmesi.
Marmaris
119 km (74 miles) W, 1.5 hours
Frequent minibuses during daylight hours by Ortaca Fethiye Marmaris Otobüs İşletmesi.
Muğla
99 km (62 miles) NW, 2 hours
—by Tom Brosnahan
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