Travel tips and city guides
Getting to Aksaray: A Transport Guide
Aksaray Guide ·
Aksaray sits at an important road junction in the middle of Central Anatolia, between Ankara, Konya, Nevşehir and Niğde. A meeting point of caravan routes throughout history, it is still easy to reach by road from every direction.
In this guide we explain how to get to Aksaray, how to get around town and how to reach the nearby sights without a car. Distances and times are approximate.
Getting to Aksaray by air
Aksaray has no airport. The nearest is Cappadocia (Nevşehir) Airport (NAV), about 60 km away. Kayseri and Konya airports are alternatives; from either you continue to Aksaray by road.
Transfers from the airport are by hire car or taxi. Contact us when you book and we will help you plan a transfer around your flight times.
Getting to Aksaray by bus
Aksaray bus station (otogar) has regular coaches from Istanbul, Ankara, Konya, Kayseri, Adana and other major cities. Aksaray has no passenger railway, so rail travellers usually continue by bus from Konya or Kayseri.
From the bus station, city buses and taxis reach the centre quickly. Neva Apart is in the city centre; a taxi from the bus station is the most practical option.
Getting to Aksaray by car
Aksaray lies where the main Ankara–Adana route crosses the Konya–Kayseri road. It is about 225 km from Ankara, about 150 km from Konya and about 75 km from Nevşehir. These roads follow the medieval caravan route known as the Long Road; caravanserais such as Sultanhanı on the Konya road and Ağzıkarahan on the Nevşehir road stand right beside them.
With your own car, every nearby sight is an easy day trip. Ask our reception about parking.
Getting around town
The Zinciriye Madrasa, the Grand Mosque, the Crooked Minaret and Umbrella Street are within walking distance of Neva Apart. The Aksaray Museum, Nora City mall and Kılıçarslan Park are a few minutes away by city bus or taxi.
Public transport and tours to the sights
According to Kültür Portalı, there is hourly public transport from Aksaray city centre to Ihlara. Minibuses also run at set times to Kızılkaya village, home of Aşıklı Höyük. If you hike the Ihlara Valley one way, arrange a taxi or shuttle back from the valley exit.
For more scattered sights such as Sultanhanı, Güzelyurt and the caravanserais, a hire car, taxi or day tour is the most practical choice. To fit several stops into one day, see our 1-, 2- and 3-day Aksaray itineraries.
- Ihlara Valley: ~40 km, 40–45 min by car, hourly public transport
- Aşıklı Höyük: ~25 km, 25–30 min by car
- Sultanhanı: ~42 km, 40–45 min by car
- Güzelyurt: ~45 km, 45–50 min by car
- Ağzıkarahan: ~15 km, 15 min by car
Continuing to Cappadocia
Aksaray is the western gateway to Cappadocia. Göreme, Ürgüp and Avanos in Nevşehir province are about 1–1.5 hours away. You can still follow the road Evliya Çelebi took in the 17th century from Aksaray via Saratlı to Ürgüp and Kayseri, passing the Saratlı Kırkgöz Underground City and Seljuk inns on the way.
Staying in Aksaray and visiting Cappadocia on day trips gives you a quieter base and easy access to less crowded places such as Ihlara and Güzelyurt.
Where to stay in Aksaray
Neva Apart offers fully equipped serviced apartments with kitchens in Aksaray city centre, a few minutes’ walk from the Zinciriye Madrasa and the Grand Mosque. It is an ideal base for day trips to Ihlara, Selime, Güzelyurt and the Seljuk caravanserais.
Browse our apartments, read guest reviews or contact us for bookings and route tips. Every stop is listed on our things to do in Aksaray page.
Sources
Image credits
- Aksaray city with the 3,253-metre Mount Hasan in the background – Sonse, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The ashlar façade and towers of the Sultanhanı Caravanserai – José Luis Filpo Cabana, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Clock Tower on Aksaray’s main square – NuriCanY, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Green canyon and tuff cliffs along the Melendiz stream in Ihlara Valley – Andrada Boldis, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons