Adnan Menderes Airport

Adnan Menderes Izmir International Airport has been named after the Turkish politician and former prime minister Adnan Menderes.

Izmir's main airport (IATA Airport Code: ADB) is 18 km (11 miles) south of the city on the way to Selçuk, Ephesus and Pamukkale.

The easiest way to get there from Izmir is by Havas (HAH-vahsh) airport bus (every 20 minutes, 35 to 60 minutes) from the Turkish Airlines office.

Several trains stop at the airport terminal on their runs to and from Izmir's Basmane railway station, taking between 25 and 30 minutes to make the run. Unfortunately, there are only about six southbound trains a day, mostly in the afternoon. They tend to be rather dilapidated, but extraordinarily cheap.

Selçuk and Ephesus are 60km (37 miles) south of ADB, reachable by rental car (less than an hour's drive), or cheap, slow train (six times daily).

If you take the train, be advised that the train station is next to the International Terminal (Dis Hatlar, DUSH haht-lahr), and connected to it by a covered passageway. The Domestic Terminal (Iç Hatlar, EECH haht-lahr) is about 300 meters to the south, a five-minute walk.

Lots and lots of buses pass by on the highways on both east and west sides of the airport, but they do not enter the airport grounds, so you have to walk at least a few kilometers to get to a bus stop. This arrangement allows the region's taxi drivers to make lots of money ferrying passengers to and from the airport. (Most probably, they will refuse to shuttle you out to the highway so you can catch a bus.)

Another way to go to or from the airport is to have your hotel arrange a private transfer. The Kalehan Hotel in Selçuk, for example, will arrange one for less than the normal taxi fare.

Pamukkale is 252 km (157 miles) from ADB, a drive of about 4 hours (4–1/2 to 5 hours by bus).

Distances & Travel Times

Ankara: 618 km (384 miles) E, 6 hours
Ayvalik: 158 km (98 miles) N, 2–1/2 hours
Bergama (Pergamum): 118 km (73 miles) N, 1–3/4 hours
Bodrum: 232 km (144 miles) S, 4 hours
Çanakkale (Dardanelles): 358 km (222 miles) N, 5 hours
Ephesus (Selcuk): 65 km (41 miles) S, 1–1/4 hours
Istanbul: 628 km (390 miles) N, 8 hours
Izmir: 18 km (11 miles) N, 35 minutes
Kusadasi: 77 km (48 miles) S, 1–1/2 hours
Marmaris: 302 km (189 miles) S, 4.5 hours
Pamukkale: 252 km (157 miles) E, 4 hours
Selcuk (Ephesus): 62 km (39 miles) S, 1–1/4 hours

Airlines serving the airport

charter airlines such as MNG pax, Excel Airways and Air Berlin.

Categories: Airports of Turkey