Getting from Antalya Airport to the city centre is a short trip. The airport has the code AYT and lies north-east of the city, only around 20 minutes by car from the centre, and from here the AntRay tram, city buses and an airport bus all run into town.
If you’re heading on to Lara, Belek, Side, Kemer or Alanya, a taxi, transfer or hire car is the easiest option. Here you’ll find all the options with prices, journey times and where to find them in the three terminals.
Planning your trip to Antalya at the last minute? 🇹🇷
Here are some of the best things to do, plus hotels and other tips for your trip to Antalya.
🛌 Best Hotels:
1. Tuvana Hotel is a boutique hotel in a historic building with a pool and a peaceful garden
2. Bacchus Pension is an Ottoman-style guesthouse with a small pool and a great breakfast
3. Pruva Inn Hotel is a cheap and central bed and breakfast close to Hadrian's Gate
The Turkish lira fluctuates a lot, so I give most prices in euros, which are widely used in the tourist areas. You do, however, pay for the tram and bus in lira by card.
Contents
Quick overview
- The AntRay tram: from the station by Terminal 1 and the domestic terminal to the city centre in 45-50 minutes for around €1 (around 85p) in lira.
- City buses: route 600 to the Otogar bus station and route 800 via the Lara district and the city centre to Konyaaltı for around €1 to €2 (around 85p to £1.70).
- The Havaş airport bus: around 45 minutes into the city and on towards Konyaaltı for around €4 to €5 (around £3.50 to £4).
- Taxi: around €15 to €20 (around £13 to £17) to the Old Town in Kaleiçi and around €60 to €75 (around £50 to £65) to Side.
- Private transfer: from around €40 to €50 (around £35 to £40) for a car for up to four people to the nearest areas, booked in advance.
- Hire car: plenty of rental companies at the airport, and a car makes the most sense if you’re going to travel along the coast.
- Journey times by car: around 15 to 25 minutes to Lara, 20 minutes to Kaleiçi, 30 to 40 minutes to Konyaaltı and Belek, an hour to Kemer and Side and around two hours to Alanya.
Arrival: Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and the domestic terminal
Antalya Airport has two international terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and a domestic terminal. Terminal 1 and the domestic terminal are connected, so you can walk straight between them, while Terminal 2 is around 2.5 kilometres away, which is about 5 minutes by car. Which terminal you land at depends on the airline, so check your ticket.
According to the airport, a free shuttle bus runs between Terminal 2 and the other two terminals in both directions every 20 minutes. It stops in front of the departure halls, and it’s the one you need if you land at Terminal 2 and want to take the tram, which only stops at Terminal 1 and the domestic terminal.
Taxis wait outside the exits from the arrivals halls at all terminals, and the tour operators’ desks are just outside the terminal. If you’ve booked a transfer, the driver will usually be waiting with your name on a sign when you come out of the baggage hall.
If your phone supports eSIM, you can buy data before you leave home, so you can use maps and apps as soon as you land. The Turkish authorities set the entry rules, so read the official travel advice for Turkey well before you travel.
1. The AntRay tram from Antalya Airport to the city centre
Antalya’s light rail is called AntRay, and it’s the cheapest way from the airport into the city. According to the airport, the tram runs from the airport via Meydan and the city centre to the large Otogar bus station and on to the terminus at Fatih. The station is called Havalimanı and sits right by Terminal 1 and the domestic terminal, so if you land at Terminal 2, take the shuttle bus first.
The journey to the İsmetpaşa stop by Kaleiçi takes around 45 to 50 minutes, so the tram is cheap but not fast. It runs from early morning until around midnight, but check the timetable if you land late. It doesn’t go out to the beaches at Konyaaltı and Lara or to the resorts along the coast, so it’s best if you’re staying in the city centre.
Tickets and the Antalyakart
You pay at the entry gate to the station. According to Antalya Ulaşım, you can use a card from the Antalyakart system or tap a contactless bank card on the reader, and children under seven travel free with a parent.
The Antalyakart comes in several versions. According to the card types at Antalyakart, a Tam Kart can be shared by several people and allows transfers, while a contactless bank card doesn’t. There’s also a cheap disposable card for 2 or 5 journeys and a mobile card in the Antalyakart app if your phone has NFC.
There are machines at the station where you can buy and top up the card. A journey costs around €1 (around 85p) in lira and a little more by bank card, so it’s by far the cheapest option. If there are several of you, it’s easiest to buy one Tam Kart and load enough money on it for everyone.
The tram is a good choice if you’re travelling light and heading to Kaleiçi or the city centre. With large suitcases and children, a taxi is easier, as the tram makes lots of stops and can be packed at rush hour.
2. City buses from the airport: routes 600 and 800
Antalya’s city buses are called Antobüs, and according to the airport’s transport map, two routes run between the airport and the city. Route 600 runs via Aspendos Bulvarı and Yüzüncü Yıl Bulvarı to the Otogar bus station. Route 800 runs between the airport and Sarısu at the western end of Konyaaltı via the Lara district, the city centre and the coastal road Akdeniz Bulvarı.
Lara on the bus sign is the district east of the city centre, not the resort coast at Kundu, where the big all-inclusive hotels are. For those, a taxi or transfer is the right choice.
The buses stop both at Terminal 2 and at the domestic terminal and Terminal 1, and you pay with an Antalyakart or a contactless bank card, just as on the tram. They run less often than the tram, so check the departures in the Antalyakart app, which the airport itself recommends. Expect to pay around €1 to €2 (around 85p to £1.70) and allow about an hour to Otogar or Konyaaltı.
To be honest, the city bus is only a good choice if you have plenty of time and not much luggage. These are ordinary city buses that stop in lots of places along the way.
3. The Havaş airport bus
The Havaş airport buses run between Antalya Airport and the city centre, and the journey normally takes around 45 minutes. According to the airport’s transport map, the bus runs via the Otogar bus station and Akdeniz University to the 5M Migros shopping centre in the Arapsuyu district, around a kilometre from the beach at Konyaaltı.
You can get off at several places along the way, including at the bus station and at the stop for the Kemer buses. Towards the airport, the bus leaves from the car park at 5M Migros roughly once an hour from early morning until the evening.
A ticket costs around €4 to €5 (around £3.50 to £4) in lira. The bus is a good choice for Konyaaltı and the western part of the city, but it doesn’t go to Kaleiçi. If there are two or more of you, a taxi to Konyaaltı doesn’t cost much more and takes you right to the door.
4. Taxi from Antalya Airport
The taxi ranks are in front of the arrivals hall exits at all three terminals. According to the airport, all drivers carry a special airport ID card, and there is a board at the rank showing the fares to the most common destinations, so have a look at it before you get in.
The taxis use meters based on the municipal tariff, which is made up of a starting fee and a price per kilometre. On the long journeys to the resorts, it’s common to agree the fare before you set off. Ask whether you can pay by card as well, and otherwise have cash ready. The Foreign Office advises using only licensed taxis.
Here are approximate fares for a whole car from the airport. They depend on the time of day, the traffic and exactly where you’re going.
- Kaleiçi and the Old Town: around 15 to 20 euros (around £13 to £17) and about 20 minutes.
- Lara and Kundu: around 10 to 20 euros (around £8 to £17) and 15 to 25 minutes.
- Konyaaltı: around 20 to 30 euros (around £17 to £25) and 30 to 40 minutes.
- Belek: around 40 to 50 euros (around £35 to £40) and 30 to 40 minutes.
- Kemer: around 55 to 70 euros (around £45 to £60) and about an hour.
- Side: around 60 to 75 euros (around £50 to £65) and an hour or a little more.
- Alanya: around 100 to 130 euros (around £85 to £110) and about two hours for the roughly 125 kilometres.
A taxi is the easiest choice for Kaleiçi, Lara and Konyaaltı, especially if there are several of you or you land late. For Side, Kemer and Alanya, a pre-booked transfer often costs the same or less.
5. Private transfer and shuttle
A private transfer is a pre-booked car with a driver who waits for you in the arrivals hall with your name on a sign and drives you straight to your hotel. On GetYourGuide, the popular transfer I link to below starts at around 40 to 50 euros (around £35 to £40) for a car for up to four people, and it goes to places including Lara, Kundu, Belek, Side, Kemer and Alanya. The price rises with distance.
Book a private transfer from Antalya Airport here.
A transfer is a particularly good choice if you’re travelling with children, landing late or heading to Side, Kemer or Alanya. Book well in advance and add your flight number when you book, so the driver can keep track if your flight is delayed.
There are also shared shuttle buses, where you pay per person and share the bus with other travellers. They’re cheaper for one or two people, but the bus usually stops at several hotels, so the journey to Side or Alanya can take considerably longer.
6. Hotel pick-up and package holiday transfers
If you’ve booked a package holiday, the transfer is usually included. According to the airport, the tour operators’ desks are just outside the terminal, and this is where you’ll be told which coach to take. On your way home, the tour operator picks you up from your hotel.
The coaches stop at several hotels, so if you’re going to Side or Alanya, the journey can take quite a bit longer than by taxi. If you’ve booked your hotel yourself, many hotels offer a paid pick-up, so ask the hotel about the price and compare it with a private transfer.
7. Car hire at Antalya Airport
According to the airport, many car hire companies have desks at the airport, and a hire car is the easiest option if you want to explore the coast, its ruins, mountains and beaches. Compare prices on car hire at Booking.com before you travel, and check your confirmation to see where to collect the car.
The airport is on the D400 main road. From here you drive east towards Belek, Side and Alanya, and for Kemer you drive west around Antalya and then south along the coast. The drive takes about 30 to 40 minutes to Belek, about an hour to Side and Kemer, and about two hours to Alanya.
The Foreign Office advises taking great care on the roads, especially in the big cities, and avoiding driving outside towns after dark. In Kaleiçi, the streets are narrow and parking is difficult, so if you’re staying in the Old Town for the first few nights, it’s worth collecting the car when you leave the city.
From the airport to the Old Town in Kaleiçi
Kaleiçi is Antalya’s Old Town, with narrow cobbled streets and the old harbour. On the tram, get off at İsmetpaşa, and from here it’s about 400 metres or a 5-minute walk to Hadrian’s Gate, where you enter the Old Town. Line 800 also passes the Old Town along Atatürk Caddesi, and a taxi takes about 20 minutes.
The streets of Kaleiçi are narrow and steep in places, and cars can’t get right up to every hotel. If you have a heavy suitcase, ask your hotel where the taxi can drop you off.
If you’d like to stay right by the tram, the four-star Best Western Plus Khan Hotel is about 250 metres from İsmetpaşa, with a rooftop pool and a short walk to Hadrian’s Gate. That way you avoid dragging your suitcase over the cobbles.
From the airport to Konyaaltı and Lara
Konyaaltı: The long city beach lies west of the centre, so you have to cross the whole city to get here. Line 800 runs along the seafront road Akdeniz Bulvarı, the Havaş bus terminates at 5M Migros, and a taxi takes 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic.
In the Arapsuyu district, the aparthotel Stile Suite Marine Hotel is less than a kilometre from the beach, with a seasonal pool and family rooms. It’s a good choice if you want space and to stay close to both the beach and the Havaş bus terminus.
Lara: The resorts at Kundu are close to the airport, so the journey takes just 15 to 25 minutes by car. City buses don’t go out to the hotels here, so a taxi or transfer is the obvious choice, and with children the short journey is a real advantage.
On the beach at Kundu, the five-star Liberty Hotels Lara has a private beach and a water park, so you can be by the pool shortly after landing.
Onwards to Belek, Side, Kemer and Alanya
Antalya’s resorts are spread out along the coast. Belek lies east of the airport, Side is about an hour away and Alanya about two hours away, while Kemer lies south-west of Antalya, where the mountains run right down to the sea.
If you’re not sure where along the coast to stay, read my guide to the best areas in Antalya, where I go through Kaleiçi, Konyaaltı, Lara, Belek, Side and Kemer with hotels in several price ranges.
By bus from the Otogar bus station
If you want to do it cheaply, take the tram or line 600 to the Otogar bus station. From here, regional buses and minibuses run to places such as Manavgat, Alanya and Kemer, and for Side you change in Manavgat to the local minibus for the final stretch.
Expect to pay around 3 euros (around £2.50) to Kemer and around 7 to 8 euros (around £6 to £7) to Alanya. According to the airport, the minibuses to Kemer also leave from the stop for the Kemer buses west of the centre, where the Havaş bus stops.
To be honest, it’s a long detour with luggage. You first ride into the city and then all the way back out again, so for Belek, Side and Alanya a taxi or transfer can easily save you an hour or more.
Alanya and Gazipaşa Airport
If you’re only going to Alanya, also check flights to Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport, code GZP. It lies around 40 kilometres from Alanya, whereas Antalya Airport is around 125 kilometres away.
Gazipaşa has fewer routes than Antalya, but the drive to Alanya takes only around 40 minutes, and Havaş also runs buses between the airport and central Alanya. If you land in Antalya, a transfer or hire car is the easiest option for the roughly two-hour journey.
The journey back to Antalya Airport
First check whether your flight leaves from Terminal 1, Terminal 2 or the domestic terminal. The tram only stops at Terminal 1 and the domestic terminal, so if you’re flying from Terminal 2, take the shuttle bus for the last stretch.
The Havaş bus runs from 5M Migros roughly once an hour from early morning, and a taxi from Kaleiçi takes around 20 minutes without traffic. If you’re on a package holiday, the tour operator will pick you up at your hotel. In high season there can be long queues at check-in and security, so arrive in plenty of time.
If you’re flying on domestically, for example to Istanbul or Cappadocia, head to the domestic terminal. If you land at Istanbul Airport, you’ll find the metro, bus and taxi options in my guide to Istanbul Airport to the city centre, and the hotels in the guide to the districts of Istanbul. For the hot-air balloons, you can read about the hotels in Cappadocia.
Antalya Airport to the city centre: which option should you choose?
Here’s my recommendation based on where you’re staying:
Kaleiçi and the Old Town: Take the tram to İsmetpaşa for about 1 euro (around 85p) if you’re travelling light, otherwise a taxi for around 15 to 20 euros (around £13 to £17).
Konyaaltı: Take line 800 or the Havaş bus, or take a taxi for around 20 to 30 euros (around £17 to £25).
Lara and Kundu: Take a taxi or transfer. The journey is short, and with suitcases it’s much easier than changing buses to reach the resorts.
Belek: Taxi or transfer, especially with children and lots of luggage.
Side and Kemer: Private transfer, or pick up a hire car if you want to explore the coast.
Alanya: Check flights to Gazipaşa. If you land in Antalya, a transfer or hire car is the easiest option.
If you land late: Taxi or a pre-booked transfer, as the tram and buses don’t run all night.
If you land at Terminal 2: If you want to take the tram, catch the free shuttle bus to Terminal 1 first.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?