Urban Transportation: İzmir

When you find yourself in a new city, it’s common to feel out of place — but one of the best ways to get acclimated is to find out how to get around. Keep reading — especially if you’re a first-time visitor to Izmir — to find out how to navigate this lovely seaside city!

As a large urban center and a popular tourist destination, Izmir has a well-developed public transportation network covering much of the city.

The İzmirim Card

Izmir’s Izmirim Card covers fares for the city’s public buses and ferries, as well as the metro and the suburban line IZBAN. The Izmirim Card is also available in a digital form via the mobile app. You can get an Izmirim Card at the card application centers in Konak, Üçyol, Fahrettin Altay, Bornova, Bostanlı, Şirinyer, Torbalı and Menemen; you can also recharge your card balance with the mobile application. If you’re in Izmir for a visit, you can purchase transportation cards valid for three, five or 10 trips.

Intercity and district municipality transportation via ESHOT buses

Operated by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, ESHOT buses furnish transportation services within the city of Izmir and to surrounding districts and popular tourist destinations. The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality offers a mobile app that provides access to line-stop and route information, transportation times, and additional features. The same information is also available on the municipality’s website.

Subway transportation in İzmir

The Izmir metro operates transportation services across a total of 24 stations. The stations on the 20-kilometer metro network include Narlıdere Kaymakamlık, 100. Yıl Cumhuriyet Şehitlik, Narlıdere Fire Department, Güzel Sanatlar, DEÜ Hospital, Çağdaş, Balçova, Fahrettin Altay, Poligon, Göztepe, İzmirspor, Hatay, Üçyol, Konak, Çankaya, Basmane, Ege University, Evka-3, Hilal, Halkapınar, Stadyum, Sanayi, Bölgesi and Bornova. The Izmir metro trains operate from 06:00 to 00:20, with an average frequency of five minutes.

Tram transportation in İzmir

Trams are another transportation option in Izmir, with three tram lines serving the city. The first line operates in the Karşıyaka-Mavişehir area, with tram stops conveniently located near Karşıyaka and Bostanlı Pier.

Another choice for tram transportation in Izmir is the Konak line. The Konak line operates from Halkapınar, serving as the transfer station for the intercity bus terminal, city bus and metro services, all the way to the F.Altay (Üçkuyular) line.

The newly inaugurated Çiğli tram line includes the following stops: Ataşehir Kavşağı, Nazım Hikmet Ran, Nihat Karakartal, Kemal Baysak, İAOSB Müdürlüğü, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Bulvarı, İAOSB Nedim Uysal Lisesi, Evka-5, Ata Sanayi, Çiğli Bölge Hastanesi, Yenimahalle, Eski Havaalanı, and Semra Aksu.

Suburban train transportation in İzmir

Izmir has a suburban train (IZBAN) network as well. The suburban train line covers a distance of 136 kilometers between Aliağa and Selçuk, making stops at 41 stations along the way.

İzmir sea transportation: Ferry services

One of the most delightful and relaxing ways to travel around Izmir is by water. Several ferry services operate daily from the piers of Bostanlı, Karşıyaka, Alsancak, Pasaport, Konak, Karantina, Göztepe and Üçkuyular in the inner gulf. Izmir’s sea transportation system extends even further in the summer season, when ferries operate between the piers of Güzelbahçe, Urla, Mordoğan and Foça in the outer gulf.

Bisim: Eco-friendly bicycle rental in İzmir

By renting a bicycle, you can navigate Izmir in an eco-conscious, economical and active way. The municipality’s bicycle rental system, Bisim, offers rental points at numerous locations along the coastline, stretching from Sahilevleri to the Bird Sanctuary. You can rent Bisim bicycles with either an Izmirim Card or a credit card.

İzmir airport transportation

Adnan Menderes Airport, in the south of Izmir, is accessible by bus, subway and suburban train (IZBAN). Municipality buses numbered 200, 202 and 204 go to the airport; you can also reach Adnan Menderes Airport from the Hilal and Halkapınar subway stations by transferring to IZBAN via the south line of the suburban direction.