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If you travel outside Istanbul by bus, you’ll most likely use the Esenler Bus Terminal (Esenler Otogarı). It serves cities all over Turkey and neighboring countries.
History
Esenler Bus Terminal was built between 1987 and 1994 in the Bayrampaşa district. It has 324 platforms served by 168 different agent offices. Average traffic is one million passengers per day and 15,000 buses. The bus terminal occupies 242,000 square meters (2,600,000 square feet), making it the third largest in the world.
Central Building
In the center is a huge building full of restaurants and shops. It provides access to the M1 metro line, which runs between Yenikapı and the old Atatürk International Airport and Kirazlı. If you ride the metro to Yenikapı, you can transfer to the M2 metro line to get to Taksim Square and Istiklal Street or the Marmaray to get to Sirkeci or Üsküdar.
Finding a Bus
Esenler Bus Terminal can be overwhelming, but it’s quite easy to find a bus to your destination. When you arrive, there are men walking around asking where you’re trying to go. They’ll point you in the right direction to the bus company with the next bus departing. I’ve rarely had to stick around and wait for a bus more than an hour after arriving at Esenler.
Once you find a bus company, you’ll need your passport to buy your ticket. If you’re traveling solo, they’ll seat men with men and women with women.
Booking Early
To make your travel day smoother, you can book tickets ahead of time at a bus company office in the city. There are offices all over Istanbul, but as a tourist you’ll most likely use the ones near Taksim Square in Gümüşsuyu.
After purchasing your ticket, ask if they have a service to Esenler. The agent will tell you what time to arrive at the office on your day of travel and you’ll be whisked away to the bus terminal in style.
Note: If you plan on taking an international bus into Bulgaria or Greece, you’ll want to book early. I’ve shown up at Esenler last minute hoping to travel to those countries but was told to book and come back the following evening. For domestic destinations such as Edirne, Çanakkale, Ankara, or Izmir, I’ve never had a problem finding a seat.
Service Buses
For arriving passengers, some bus companies have free service buses into the city. For example, Metro Turizm has their own property just outside Esenler Bus Terminal. Their buses coming from other cities don’t even have to enter Esenler. Once you arrive, you can locate one of the service buses that leave every half hour or so to different parts of Istanbul. They’re parked in the lot with a sign above indicating the destination.
If the company you use arrives at the terminal, make sure you ask if they have a service bus. If not, you’ll easily be able to hop on the M1 metro line in the big central building.
