How to Travel to Turkey From UK: All You Need to Know
Turkey is a bucket list destination, and there are plenty of reasons why. Whether you are heading there for medical tourism reasons, such as dental treatment or cosmetic surgery in Turkey, or if you’re simply going to enjoy the culture and scenes – perhaps even both – you are bound to have a great time.
Before you set off, it’s important to know the best ways to get there. The good news is that there are several travel options from the UK to Turkey. Therefore, you will be able to plan your trip in a manner that is most suitable for you. If you are looking for some advice on how to do so, this blog covers a lot of what you need to know.
Traveling to Turkey from UK By Air
The most direct and efficient way to travel from UK to Turkey is by air. The flight time is approximately 3 hours on a non-stop direct flight which is quick! Given the number of airports in Turkey, there should be no problem flying in and out of the country. Turkey boasts 55 major airports! Of these, 35 are dedicated to international travel. Here are a handful of the most popular:
Antalya Airport
Is one of the most popular Turkish airports for air travel to Turkey from the UK. During the summer season, Jet2, Ryanair, TUI, Wizzair, Easyjet, and THY have direct flights to Antalya. In fact, this airport sees over 27 million passengers pass through its terminals each year with considerable increases over the summer months. There are many reasons why this is one of the more popular airports. Mainly, its proximity of just 13km to the city center and being the third largest airport in Turkey. Consequently, it is more than capable of dealing with all its visitors and is a convenient location for traveling straight into the city and other regions.
Istanbul airport
Is considered the main international airport in the country for traveling to Turkey from the UK. Around 65 million travelers pass through here annually. Consequently, there should be no problem finding a direct flight from the UK. Though it is further from Istanbul’s city center, there should be no issues regarding travel once you’re in Turkey – it simply might just take longer.
The capital of Turkey, Ankara, is a popular spot for tourists traveling to Turkey from the UK. If this is where you are going, then flying into Ankara Esenboğa Airport will provide you with the easiest and safest route. The other great thing about this airport is that it is home to around 20 different airlines.
Further options for traveling by air include:
- Izmir Airport (Adnan Menderes Airport)
- Adana Airport (Şakirpaşa Airport)
- Dalaman Airport
- Trabzon Airport
Other Modes of Transport to Travel from UK To Turkey
Though the quickest way to travel from UK to Turkey is via air, it is not the only option. It is also possible to take a train or bus to Turkey as well. These options can be cheaper and have less of a carbon footprint if you’re looking for more sustainable travel options. As you can imagine, though, this journey will be longer and require a few transfers along the way.
If you wish to use the public transport system, then the bus is often the easiest way to get about. If you are traveling from Northern Ireland or Scotland, you will first have to travel to the London Victoria Station. It is only from there that you will be able to move to the Bulgarian city of Sofia. From here, you can travel to Istanbul.
In total, you can expect this trip to take between two to three days. If you are traveling from London to Turkey by bus, then the fare may be cheaper than air travel. However, if your starting point is either Scotland or Ireland, itç will cost less for you to travel by air.
Traveling to Turkey by train is slow and expensive. It only makes sense if you want to make a bigger trip from it and visit several other countries en route. The best route from the UK begins with the Eurostar service from London Waterloo to Paris, then an overnight sleeper to Munich, followed by a daytime Euro-City departure to Budapest, and finally two more nights aboard a sleeper to Istanbul (including a change of engine in Bucharest), making a total journey of five days and four nights.
Best Time to Travel from UK To Turkey
Turkey is a great destination to head to all year round. However, certain times of the year are particularly good for traveling. If you want to visit Istanbul or The European portion of Turkey, then you should consider going during either the spring or autumn months.
The spring months last from April to May, while autumn reigns from September to mid-November. During these periods, the temperatures are moderate and most of the cities experience clear skies. If you would like to experience warm summers or mild winters, then you should head over to the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts.
It should be noted that the further east you travel in Turkey, the more extreme the temperatures and climates can become. As such, the summers will be incredibly hot and the winters cold. It isn’t uncommon to experience snow during the winter in these regions too!