Istanbul to Izmir is an itinerary in Turkey.

The cities of Istanbul and Izmir, in ancient times called Byzantium or Constantinople and Smyrna, are the largest and 3rd-largest cities by population in Turkey today. There is frequent travel between these cities. This article explores several options for this trip.

The easiest direction to start this trip is from Istanbul, so see options for getting there in the "Get in" section of the Istanbul article, or read the Istanbul Airport article if you will be traveling to Turkey by plane.

39°39′0″N 28°18′0″E

There are over 30 flights from Istanbul to Izmir daily. Flights are operated by Turkish Airlines, Anadolujet and Pegasus Airlines. All the flights are operated from both airports in Istanbul (the new one and Sabiha Gökçen). Prices are good enough and flight time is only about an hour. However, this is the most boring option.

This is a very popular route, with daily departures numbering perhaps in the range of hundreds, so you will have no trouble finding a seat on the direct bus from Istanbul to Izmir. Buses depart from Esenler Otogar, the main bus station of Istanbul, at least every hour. Major bus companies serving on this route include Metro Turizm, Pamukkale Turizm, Uludağ and Kamil Koç.

Journey time ranges from seven to nine hours depending on the departure time (due to traffic conditions when leaving Istanbul) and the stops along the way on the selected bus services. Pamukkale Turizm and Kamil Koç tend to offer the shortest journey options.

All buses offer comfortable airline-style seats with individual entertainment systems and charging points for phones. There is also a conductor shuttle service on all buses that offers free hot and cold drinks and small snacks at intervals throughout the journey.

However, although you will see scenery for a greater amount of time during this method of travel than by taking a short flight, the most interesting way to do it would be to break up the journey with stopovers in different towns along the way.

If you like train travel, you can travel from Istanbul to Izmir using the Turkish rail network. However, as there is no direct rail line between the two cities, you will have to follow a somewhat winding route. First, take the high-speed train from Istanbul to Eskişehir, 11 services a day, taking three hours. If you take the morning shuttle, you will have time to explore Eskişehir.

• 39.77666730.5205561 Eskişehir. With numerous museums, a beautiful old town, many riverside cafes, large parks, and plenty of artwork along its streets, you won't go short of attractions during your layover in Eskişehir.  

Izmir Blue Train leaves at 23:15 from Eskişehir central station, to chug to Izmir's Basmane station. The trip takes 11.5 hours. Since this is an overnight service, you can choose a regular seat ticket in a bunk bed or a more expensive sleeper ticket.

There is also another rail route involving a ferry ride across the Sea of Marmara to Bandırma, see below.

There are three possible itineraries by car, in increasing order of length and interest.

The fastest route through Bursa is about 480 kilometers via the O-5 and will take approximately five hours without interruption. However, a number of towns and cities on or just off the route are worth visiting.

• 40.42888929.7194441 İznik (40 km east of Orhangazi; 140 km from Istanbul, 415 km to Izmir). The sleepy lakeside town of present day was the site of the Councils of Nicaea of early Christianity, and a major Byzantine, Seljuk, and early Ottoman centre, with plenty of monuments from those eras. The town has also been famous for its attractive tilework since the 15th century.  

Bursa, about 2½–3 hours south of Istanbul, is the most logical place to break your trip. Going into the centre of Bursa instead of skirting it via the motorway makes the trip somewhat longer in distance and time, without accounting for the time of the stopover. The exit for central Bursa will briefly take you onto the O-22 East, after which you need to take the following exit onto the D575 South. Upon resuming the trip to Izmir, retrace your steps by going north on the D575 for getting back onto the O-5.

• 40.19133129.0805392 Bursa (155 km from Istanbul, 345 km to Izmir). The 4th-largest city in Turkey was the earliest Ottoman capital, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site well worth your while to visit. While the most central attractions can be hastily done in a few hours, allow at least a night, preferably two, to take in the whole atmosphere.  

Some other places worth considering to stray off the main route in the surrounding countryside include:

• 40.0705329.222013 Uludağ (30 km south of Bursa; 190 km from Istanbul, 370 km to Izmir). You go up this lush mountain to feast on grilled meat, and then burn excess calories along hiking trails or skiing tracks according to the season.  
• 40.39274528.7962244 Tirilye (approach via Mudanya: 40 km north of Bursa or 45 km west of Gemlik; 160 km from Istanbul, 330 km to Izmir). A pleasant seaside village with much Ottoman Greek architecture, as well as a couple of Byzantine churches.  
• 40.16528.6777785 Gölyazı (40 km west of Bursa; 180 km from Istanbul, 310 km to Izmir). Another village just as pleasant, this one is on a lake island connected to the mainland by a causeway.  
• 40.195327.96786 Lake Manyas (35 km west of Karacabey; 260 km from Istanbul, 280 km to Izmir). Also known as the "Bird's Paradise" (Kuş Cenneti), this national park offers a wealth of birdwatching opportunities.  

Past Karacabey, the route aligns itself southwards on its approach to Izmir.

• 39.9136128.157787 Susurluk (240 km from Istanbul, 250 km to Izmir). The town, noted for its local toasted cheese sandwich and ayran, has long been a popular stopover on this route for its roadside restaurants. However, this entails leaving the motorway, as the businesses are yet to catch up with the 2019 opening of the bypassing motorway and establish branches along it.  
• 38.48833328.0402788 Sardis (65 km south of Akhisar or 40 km east of Turgutlu; 450 km from Istanbul, 90 km to Izmir). This little-visited archaeological site features extensive ruins of the capital of pre-Roman Lydians.  

However, even if you do not choose to visit any of the above, it would be logical to deviate from the highway in Soma (about 350 km and 4 hours and 10 minutes from Istanbul) and take the D240 about 45 km and 40 minutes to the west to visit the Roman ruins of Pergamon in Bergama along the way and then continue south to Izmir on the E87 / D-550 or O-33 (about 110 km and 1½ hours), basically following the route below from that point on. This will make the total length of the trip about 500 kilometers, which is still very doable in one day. However, in order not to rush to explore Bergama, you should set off early in the morning.

This is a more circuitous route if you want to drive about 700 km along the Marmara and Aegean coastlines for a few days. Overnight stops could be Çanakkale and Ayvalık.

Take any highway leading west (O-7, O-3 / E80, D-100) from Istanbul into the European side of Turkey (Thrace), to join D-110 / E84 west near Marmara Ereğlisi.

• 40.98333327.5166671 Tekirdağ (145 km from Istanbul, 550 km to Izmir). About two hours from Istanbul, and known for its local meatballs, this city is a serious candidate for a lunch stop.  

Near Malkara, Google Maps suggests turning off into a route through the villages of Balabancık and Evreşe. However, as of 2021 this road is full of potholes, some extremely large, with no signs of getting resurfaced anytime soon. So keep driving west on D-110 / E84 to take the flyover ramp onto D-550 / E87 / E90 south in Keşan.

• 40.66388926.6313892 Gökçetepe Nature Park (30 km south of Keşan; 260 km from Istanbul, 455 km to Izmir). A shingle beach set along an attractive cove with a pine forest growing right from the coastline, this is among the most scenic parts of the Saros Gulf coast, lined by low-key resorts. Bungalows and campgrounds are available.  
• 40.41388926.6702783 Gelibolu (300 km from Istanbul, 380 km to Izmir). Another good candidate for a lunch break, this lovely town is at the point the Sea of Marmara narrows into the Strait of Dardanelles, commemorating its seafaring past with many museums and monuments.  
• 40.18416726.35754 Eceabat (340 km from Istanbul, 335 km to Izmir). This is the service town for visiting the Gallipoli landing sites of World War I, as well as a port for ferries crossing the Dardanelles to Asia. Also nearby is the 15th-century Kilitbahir Castle, sitting at the narrowest section of the strait.  
• 40.1526.45 Çanakkale (345 km from Istanbul, 330 km to Izmir). The chief city of the area has a lively old town / bazaar area with many restaurants and cafes converted from old houses, as well as a beautiful waterfront along the Dardanelles.  
• 39.957526.2388896 Troy (5 km west of the highway; 375 km from Istanbul, 305 km to Izmir). The site of the legendary Trojan War.  

An alternative to speeding down D-550 / E87 is to take the side road along the Troad Coast, past beach resorts, traditional villages, archaeological sites, Ottoman citadels, and a striking, unworldly landscape of boulders and dryland vegetation in perfect contrast with the deep blue of the Aegean. This road branches off D-550 / E87 about 5 km south of the turn-off for Troy, and rejoins it near Küçükkuyu, east of Assos.

• 39.81666726.057 Bozcaada (the mainland ferry harbour at Geyikli: 20 km west of the highway; 400 km from Istanbul, 300 km to Izmir). A charming island with a millenia-old winemaking tradition.  
• 39.49055626.3366678 Assos (20 km south of the highway; 430 km from Istanbul, 260 km to Izmir). The historic village is the site of a hilltop Temple of Athena with impressive views over the Aegean, while the stately old warehouses down on the coast are repurposed as hotels and restaurants.  
• 39.58583326.9238899 Edremit Gulf (successively Küçükkuyu, Altınoluk, Güre, Akçay, Edremit, and Burhaniye) (480 km from Istanbul, 200 km to Izmir). A resort area quite popular in the domestic market, this is a large conglomeration of summer houses encompassing both sides of the gulf, although the heavily forested foothills of the Mt Kaz, dotted by hot springs and waterfalls, and endless olive groves are just inland. Some of the towns have their historic cores intact, and there is a smattering of archaeological sites. A quick seaside refreshment is never too far away.  
• 39.31666726.710 Ayvalık (520 km from Istanbul, 155 km to Izmir). A very pretty old town with postcard-beauty stone houses and little churches heavily influenced by 19th-century neoclassicism lining its cobbled streets.  
• 39.11915427.1777311 Bergama (10 km east of the highway; 580 km from Istanbul, 110 km to Izmir). The extensive ruins of Pergamon, a World Heritage site, are not to be missed, nor is a visit to one of many carpet shops.  
• 38.66878926.75291912 Foça (30 km west of the highway; 650 km from Istanbul, 75 km to Izmir). Another old town with much Ottoman Greek architecture, and a scenic waterfront.  

While the direct ferries between the two port cities were discontinued in the first decade of the 2000s, you can still take a ferry (along with your car) from Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara to Bandırma.

• 40.35416727.97251 Bandırma. Modern and industrial, Bandırma isn't exactly the paradise on earth. However, its plaza on the waterfront is nice enough, and there are a number of interesting early 20th-century buildings in the vicinity.  

From Bandırma, you have the options of boarding a train (two departures daily), taking a bus (at least once every hour morning to evening, and a few more nighttime services) or driving (295 km, follow D-565 south to join the route described as "Fastest" above near Susurluk).

If you have time to spare, you may also opt to visit nearby 40.39861127.7930562 Erdek, a resort and the main town of the Kapıdağ Peninsula, with an abundance of lonely beaches and wild Mediterranean landscapes, as well as the 40.587527.5552783 Marmara Islands scattered off the northwestern coast of the peninsula.

Another, rather short, ferry line is across the Gulf of İzmit between Eskihisar and Topçular (near Yalova), which can be taken instead of driving the Osman Gazi Bridge just to the east.

• 40.771229.43394 Eskihisar. Named after its ancient citadel, this village could be a good choice for a break if it weren't just an hour out of Istanbul. There are no queues for the ferry since the bridge went up, even though the fare is cheaper than the bridge toll. The ferry offers an opportunity for the driver to rest, while still covering the distance.  

On the other side of the gulf, you can check out Yalova before heading south towards Bursa.

• 40.65555629.2755 Yalova. While nothing to write home about since much of it was levelled during a 1999 earthquake, Yalova has some sights from the early days of the Turkish Republic (it was Kemal Atatürk's favourite summer resort), along with hot springs and waterfalls dotting its verdant, mountainous hinterland.  

Yalova also receives direct fast ferries from Istanbul: Yenikapı is the main harbour in the European Side, while Kartal and Pendik are those in the Asian Side.

If you are driving O-5, which has a wide alignment throughout and long straight sections, be on the watch for road fatigue. It's also very easy to overspeed without even noticing, especially in the emptier sections south of Bursa.

In some exceptional winters, heavy snowfall can occur especially in the inland areas between Bursa and Manisa, catching the authorities off-guard, and leading to hours-long closures. If there is any such possibility indicated by meteorological reports, bringing along some food supplies and warm clothing is never a bad idea.

Once you've reached Izmir, your options to continue your trip are almost unlimited.

• Çeşme is a town in the west, seamlessly combining elements of a historic town and a beach resort.
• The Greek island of Chios is just across from Çeşme, with frequent ferries.
• Selçuk is the service town for visiting Ephesus — one of the best preserved ancient ruins anywhere on the Mediterranean.
• Tire and Birgi are both traditional towns with medieval heritage in the Küçükmenderes Valley in the southeast.
• Kuşadası is a major resort further to the south.
• Bodrum, Turkey's partying capital, is further down the line.
• And so is the rest of the Southern Aegean coast.