Last updated on .
Eskişehir translates to “Old City”, but that doesn’t correctly describe it. The city has been undergoing a transformation since the beginning of the 21st century that has turned a boring Anatolian university town into an innovative model of progress for the rest of Turkey.
With its charming old town full of traditional Ottoman homes, Eskişehir is an great place to spend a day and the perfect base for exploring nearby smaller towns such as Söğüt, Osmaneli, Bilecik, Seyitgazi, and the Phrygian Valley.
Bus Terminal
Both of my trips to Eskişehir were by bus. The trip took about five hours from Istanbul and three from Bursa. Eskişehir is well connected to those cities and several others throughout Turkey. I used Metro Turizm, although there are several bus companies that travel there.
Railway Station
It’s possible to travel to and from Istanbul and Ankara via a Turkish Railways High Speed Train (TCDD Yüksek Hızlı Tren). From Istanbul it takes about 2 ½ hours and from Ankara 1 ½ hours. You can catch a train at the Eskişehir Railway Station (Eskişehir Garı).
The first railway station opened on December 31, 1892, and was replaced with the current station, which opened on November 4, 1955. It was undergoing much needed upgrades at the time of my last visit in November 2019.
Getting Around
From the bus terminal, it’s very easy to get into the city center with the EsTram light rail service. Individual tickets are 15₺ (as of December 2023) and can be purchased outside each stop.
Most of the attractions in Eskişehir are easily seen on foot. During my stays, I only used the tram to get to and from the bus terminal. It’s only a short walk between the modern city center and Odunpazarı, and both are easily walkable. As far as taxis, I only used one to get to the railway station.
Arasta Konak Boutique Hotel
The best hotel I’ve stayed at in Eskişehir is the Arasta Konak Boutique Hotel. It’s located in the heart of Odunpazarı at the restored Arasta Bazaar. We were extremely happy with our stay and the quality of sleep.
The hotel is housed in a historic Ottoman mansion within walking distance of several attractions. There are a total of 24 comfortable rooms with 5 different designs. The only negative we could think of is that the toilet made a very loud noise when flushing.
The owners are wonderful people who speak excellent English, and are happy to help with whatever you need. The other staff members are also friendly, but it took a while to find them sometimes.
The Arasta Konak Boutique Hotel also has a restaurant on-site, the Sardunya Café. We didn’t have a chance to eat lunch or dinner there, but they serve an excellent Turkish breakfast that’s included in the room rate.
SRF Hotel
On my first trip to Eskişehir, I stayed at the SRF Hotel in the modern city center. It was a very nice hotel for a reasonable price. Rooms were large, comfortable, and clean. They had a very big breakfast buffet in the morning and the staff was helpful. It was only a short walk to many restaurants and shops. I enjoyed my stay there.
