Izmir



Izmir is the third biggest city in Turkey, situated on Aegean (western) coast.

From the north, Çanakkale
From the Aliağa and Menemen ilçes of Izmir (70 and 40 km north of downtown) there is a suburban train (subway actually) to most locations in the center, including Alsancak. You need to ask somebody who has a kentkart to pay for you and give him the money. The price may vary, however full ticket is like 1.95 TL. Otherwise you can buy a ticket for 3 passes for 6.5 TL.

Hitchhiking out
Konak Meydanı Square is the most central part of the city, known for its iconic clock tower. Following descriptions take it as the start point.

Northeast towards Manisa, Balikesir, Bursa, Istanbul
Take the metro from Konak Square. Ride it until Bornova, the last station on the line. Upon exiting the station, you'll come across a street with an overpass on, which is the ring road around the city. You'll see an access road to that near the station. After following the ringroad about two-three hundred metres or so down the motorway, you'll come across a junction. The left side, as can also be seen from Manisa-Istanbul signs, is heading northeast. Shortly after the junction, there is a nice spot to hitch.

North towards Bulgaria
If you are going from Izmir to Bulgaria, crossing the Bosphorus at Çanakkale could save four google map hours and the hassle of Istanbul.

North towards Çanakkale
From Konak take a ferry to Karşıyaka and from there take a metro to "Aliağa" - the last stop on the line. That town is directly at the road to Çanakkale - almost 60 km north of Izmir already - and the road to Çanakkale passes very close to the metro station. cyclebear hitched from here in may 2013 and found it very easy to get a lift.
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South towards Selcuk (Efes), Kuşadası, Bodrum, Muğla, Marmaris, Fethiye
Taylor tried to hitch south of Izmir from the metro at Bornova. Walked out to the freeway to find a mess of on ramps and exits. Managed to find a way to Bodrum but do not recommend going this way. Find a better access to the motorway than from Bornova.

Another way to head southern outskirts of the city is to take public bus (ESHOT) #508 (Konak-Menderes line). It departs from the bus stops at Konak Square in the city centre (from the clock tower, walk past the metro station entrance and the cactus garden on the side of the square, then cross the street. You'll arrive at bus stops, #508 departs from the stop that is the furthest one, you can also see which line departs from which stop on the signs located around stops), and heads for the town of Menderes past the airport, about 30 km south of downtown Izmir on the motorway to Kuşadası. It costs 3 TL/person (~EUR 1.50; no tickets needed, you can pay it to the driver) and takes about 40 minutes to get to Menderes. Once in Menderes, bus will quit the motorway and will turn left into the town centre, get off at the first stop and walk back to the motorway (which is not far). There is a junction with traffic lights (from which bus turns left), and a wide-enough shoulder. You'll be picked up almost in no time.

If you want to go Antalya use the road through Aydın en Denizli. You will go faster and you will change fewer cars.

East towards Afyon, Ankara
Take the metro to reach Bornova station. Here you can either walk on the road towards Turgutlu and Ankara (it will take a while) or take a bus (#317) to Kavaklidere (outskirts of the city).

Public Transport
Check Izmir website for more details: http://www.izmir.bel.tr/en/Ulasim.asp

Find out a bus stop on a map on a web-map then go to the nearest bus stop and ask people which bus goes there. Or ask directly from drivers.

Sleeping
Ege University has a large campus in Bornova. Either try the benches or put up a tent in a discrete spot hidden with bushes. Also, there are many members of hospitality networks.

isin: Turkey

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