How to go to Ephesus from Kusadasi on your own by using Public Transportation

View of Kusadasi from Starbucks at the Cruise Port

Celestyal Olympia Cruise at Kusadasi Cruise Port on January 5, 2020

Hi!
Welcome to Ephesuskusadasiguide.com 
Today we at Kusadasi Cruise Port on this wonderful winter day.
And we will try to explain how you can go to Ephesus from Kusadasi Cruise Port on your own.

We figured out that there are no direct public transportation available from Kusadasi Cruise Port that goes to Ephesus. 
So we will try to explain it in 3 Steps

Step 1

Walking out from Kusadasi Cruise Port Premises and reaching to the First Bus Stop to Catch the Bus going to the main inter-county bus stop for Ephesus. 
For this we need to walk around 4 minutes out from the Cruise Port and walk straight ahead until we see the sign D for the Bus stop. And We will wait for the Bus writing Number 5 on it. It should be complicated. Here below I explained each step with the detailed pictures. So you can see what you will be going through.
If you need to use the ATMs, Restrooms, you can do that before you leave the Port Premises.
There is an exchange office right next to the Bus Stop where you'll be waiting so you can get some Turkish Lira from there.

Walking out of Kusadasi Cruise Port

Arrivals from Cruise Ships docking at Kusadasi Cruise Port

Kusadasi Cruise Port Bus Parking Lot

Here we start from Kusadasi Cruise Port premises, passing through the Stores, Restaurants, cafe’s, souvenir stores, silver stores, once we are out from the port premises. 

Cruise Port Stores at Kusadasi (Ephesus) Turkey

Shops while going out/in from/to Kusadasi Port

This is the first view you are going to see once you walked out from the Gate of Arrivals at Kusadasi Cruise Port. 
​On the left side one Jewelry Store and straight ahead is a carpet store.

The way out from Kusadasi Cruise Port

Leather Stores on the way out from Kusadasi Cruise Port Turkey

Once you pass those two stores the walkway will split to two with a Leather Store right on the corner. You can go on either side. 
If you choose to go to the left, you will walk in front of a tour company's office, which is the only tour company located at the Cruise Port. We can make a story about how to go to Ephesus from Kusadasi cruise port with a tour company on another post.
And if you choose to go to right this path will lead you to the waterfront cafes and restaurants including Starbucks.

So we walk straight out from Kusadasi Port premises about 60 meters to get to the nearest bus stop to take a Public Minibus Number 5. There is only one public minibus line runs from this route so it is not complicated.

Starbucks at Kusadasi Cruise Port

The exit from Kusadasi Cruise Port Premises

So we choose to take the right side and walked towards the nice view of Kusadasi town with it's waterfront scenery at the porch of Starbucks.
Then continued to the exit passing in front of several restaurants including KFC.
Right at the exit, on the right side of the security  there is a Turkish Delight Store.

The street right Outside of Kusadasi Cruise Port

Kusadasi Cruise Port Turkey

you will also see the Taxi’s at the Kusadasi Cruise Port. We will also talk about going to Ephesus from Kusadasi Cruise port with a cab on another post.
​But know continue with our objective of the day, going to Ephesus from Kusadasi Port on our own with public transportation.

Walkway leading to the Closest Bus Stop 2 minutes

Closest Minibus Stop to Kusadasi Cruise Terminal

Once we cross the street, our first objective is to get to the Bus Stop, shown with the Sign D.
It is very easy to find because it is located right in front of the Main Landmark of Kusadasi, the infamous Kervansaray. This stone building that you will notice from quite a distance is where you should walk to.

The Sign 'D' Stands for DOLMUS, which is Public Minibus

The White Minibus you see in distance is going to take us

So we stopped at the D sign which is the Bus Stop. And we are waiting for Number 5.
There is no confusion here, because Number 5 is the only line that runs from this route. So there is no chance for you to miss it or get into a wrong minibus.
Mini Buses in Kusadasi, run every 15 minutes in the winter time. In the summer season they run more frequent like in every 5 minutes. 
They are not big public transportation buses like in big cities, they rather small minibuses which can have maximum 20 people. Unless it is the peak season of June, July, they hardly get full.

Minibus to Our Second Location

Here it comes our Number 5 Minibus, this is supposed to take us to the Main Town Center Bus Stop where inter-county busses are located. 
We get into Number 5 and say ‘CELL - CHECK’  (sounding - meaning ‘SELCUK’ in Turkish) is the name of the town we should be going to for Ephesus.

The main Market and Shopping Area next to the Bus Stop

So our driver on Number 5 knows where he is dropping us off. The ride from Kusadasi Cruise Port to town’s center must take 10 minutes tops.  And we pay straight to the driver, it should cost 50C. in euros. Don’t worry if you do not carry Turkish Lira, you can pay minibus drivers in Euros. 

Google Map Route from Kusadasi Cruise Terminal to Ephesus Bus Stop

How it looks where you wait for the Minibus

Kervansaray Building is the Landmark for you where to wait for the Bus

So we drive along the Coastal road for couple of minutes, drive passing the Old Town of Kusadasi on our right side, the main landmark Kervansaray, and the Town Hall. 

Where you get of from your first Minibus

Need to Turn Left and Cross the Street for the Second Minibus to Ephesus

Then the bus turns right from the junction and continues a little more to inland towards the City’s Council (Municipality Building), from that junction it turns to left and we are getting ready to get off from our first minibus Number 5. 

Step 2

Kusadasi Central Inter County Bus Stop

Crossing the Street for the Bus to Selcuk (Ephesus)

Once Number 5 droppes us off at the roundabout where the inter-country Bus stop is, we will find our 2nd Minibus, that writes ‘SELCUK’ in it’s front. We need to cross the street to get to where Busses or Selcuk are located. 

Bus Stop to Selcuk (Ephesus) from Kusadasi - No Signs at All!

Bus to Aydin, Don't Get confused. There are 2 other bus Lines Stop here. Yours is SELCUK

Minibuses to Selcuk run every 20-25 minutes in the winter time, in the summer time almost in every 10-15 minutes. ​
Here there can be a confusion. Because SELCUK (Ephesus) bus is not the only one that comes to the Stop. So there are 2-3 more lines. Don't get confused. You are looking for the One that writes SELCUK on it.

Bus to Ephesus - Saying SELCUK with big Letters and EPHESUS with Small

Bus to Selcuk (Ephesus) from Kusadasi

So as we found our Second transportation from Kusadasi Town Center to Selcuk, we can get in our minibus.

This ride will take roughly 20 minutes from Kusadasi to Ephesus, stopping at some of the hotels on the coast right outside of Kusadasi. 

When we hand the money to the driver, it is supposed to be around 1,5 Euros, 
we say ‘E F E S’,   (EPHESUS), they would understand when you say it as you say it in English like Ephesus, but we can practice a little Turkish here…

Google Map View from Kusadasi Bus Stop to Ephesus bus Stop on the Main Road

So our SELCUK minibus from Kusadasi to Ephesus leaves the Bus Stop, trying to get out from the rather ugly parts of the town, and gets to the main road that connects Kusadasi to Izmir. 

The Way Out from Kusadasi to Ephesus

As it drives around 2 kilometers you will see you are in the higher ground looking over to the Cruise Port of Kusadasi and to your ship, on your left side. 

Pass the border between two Provinces Aydin and Izmir

Turning Left to Pamucak direction

After another 2 kilometers later, residential areas will end and you will start driving down to see level one more time, and from the junction driver will turn left to Pamucak Beach where the hotels start.

Drive along Beautiful Pine forests

Driving down to Sea Level near Ephesus

This coastal drive is joyful as well, after drive passing the hotels, water parks you will again incline from see level and when you reach the top, you will see Pamucak Beach from the top. A long sandy beach lies around 12 kms.

There are 3 hotels on the beach and a Water Park that you will drive pass in a minute. 
This point is actually a border between the two provinces Izmir and Aydin. From here on we will be within the borders of Izmir Province.

As we continue driving, we get back to sea level one last time, and pass the hotels on our left side, another 2 kilometers later, we turned right and driving inland towards Selcuk. 
This will take another 4 kilometers of drive until Ephesus City. 
As the driver drops us off on the side of the main road that connects Selcuk to Kusadasi.

This is where you get off from the Minibus

Sign saying 1 kms. to Ephesus

Step 3

Walking to Ephesus from the Main Road.

Taxis take people to Upper Gate from the Main Road

Taxi Stop at the Main Road

The walk from the Main Road to the Lower Entrance of Ephesus

First thing you may realize is the Taxi that parked on the corner. The reason is, Ephesus has two entrance gates.

The taxis over here are there to take visitors to the Upper Gate with a certain fee. So Visitors can start at the top gate and walk their way down to the lower gate of the city. 

Path to Ephesus from the Main Road

It will be a 15 minute walk from Here to Ephesus

Since our objective is to get to Ephesus on our own with public transportation. We will continue walking to the Entrance of Ephesus Ancient City. 

The walk is another 400 meters in less than 10 minutes we hope to be there. It can be considered more or less a walk on a even surface with a slight incline in the middle. ​

No Curbs or Sidewalks

Security Check on the Side of the Road for Vehicles

You need to know that there are no curbs or sidewalks for pedestrians so you will walk on the side of the road where the tour busses and cars use. 

After the first 100 meters you will realize the Security Checkpoint by the Genderma local police on the right side of the road. 

The Junction - You need to Walk Straight

The Brown Sign Saying Ephesus to Right is for the Vehicles - You can walk Straight

You can walk pass them and you will realize a junction, and the ruins on your left, so you need to walk straight from there following the inclining slope.
Do not turn right where the Brown sign says Ephesus. Because that is for the vehicles that go to Ephesus. You should walk straight up the slope.

A Little Slope up from Here

This is the slope you will walk all the way until the Parking Lot of Ephesus. There are no curbs or sidewalks again so you need to be careful because there will be big buses coming towards you from the Parking lot, who already finished their walking their tours of Ephesus and leaving the site.

then Slope down

Ephesus Parking Lot

after 50 meters you will start seeing more ruins once you walked up the slope, then you will start walking down the slope and see the Parking Lot. ​​This is where all the tour busses and vans drive down and park here after dropping their passengers on the upper gate who take  either bus group tours or private Ephesus Tours. 

2nd option to Take You to the Upper Gate - Horse Chariots - Phytoons

Another option to go to the Upper Gate of Ephesus are these Horse Chariots that are waiting at the Parking Lot of the Lower Gate of Ephesus. 
I asked the price to Mehmet who owns one of these chariots and it is 80 Turkish Lira. And they take you 5kms. up to the upper gate and drop you off at the Upper Entrance, so that you can walk your way down through the attractions at Ephesus and end up at the Lower Gate. 

Taxis for the upper Gate

Then You will walk another 100 meters walking through the Parking lot and you will realize a pedestrian walkway with shops on both sides of the alley. 

Shops at the Lower Gate of Ephesus

Lower Entrance Ticket Office Ephesus

This alley will lead you to the lower entrance ticket office of Ephesus Ancient city after another 100 meters of walk. You are at Ephesus Ancient City, Congratulations, you made it. ​

Ticket Office and the turnstiles at the Lower Entrance of ephesus

Security Control at the Entrance

So we started at around 11:20, We walked 3 minutes outside to our first bus stop. 
We waited 2 minutes over there. We had an 8 minute ride to our second Bus Stop, We arrived in there at 11:35.

We waited at our Second Bus Stop for 15 minutes, Our Minibus to Selcuk arrived at 11:50
And we waited another 10 minutes before we set off at 12:00
So the Total waiting time 25 minutes at the second bus stop.
​We arrived at Ephesus Bus Stop at 12:25

And we walked 15 minutes to Ephesus arriving at the site at 12:40
So overall this journey took 1 hour 20 minutes From Kusadasi Cruise Port to Ephesus Ancient city by using the public transportation.

So overall walking duration was roughly 20 minutes
​Overall bus waiting time was 27 minutes.
Overall minibus journey was 33 minutes.