Transport is one of the five major issues in the EU accession agenda and, as the economy continues to evolve, more strain is being placed on the current network. Fortunately, an enormous amount of investment has been earmarked to improve infrastructure, and on roads in particular, where road safety and motorway design need considerable attention.

Trains: Most of Turkey’s trains are old and slow, but cheap. Expresses and Super Expresses between Ankara and Istanbul are slower than buses but offer more seating-room for less money (useful on public holidays when more people are traveling). It is recommended that tickets are purchased in advance, however.

Planes: Turkish Airlines has flights among major cities for long distance travel and Onur Air, Fly Air and Atlasjet are slowly expanding routes with lower fares. Apart from the international airports in Istanbul and Ankara, there are several smaller airports serving the Turkish coast.

Automobiles: Traffic congestion is a major problem in the cities although massive road improvements are currently underway on all major coastal routes as part of the government’s tourism plan. This congestion, particularly in cities like Istanbul, means that buses are preferable to cars as parking spaces are limited. There are plenty of cheap taxis available as well.

Ferries: Local ferries are convenient. The Sea of Marmara ferry services run between Istanbul on the north shore and Yalova and Bandirma on the south shore, and across the Dardanelles. There are also Greek Island ferry services between the Aegean islands and the Turkish mainland.