If you are on a cruise and are planning a trip to Ephesus, you don’t necessarily have to book a guided tour or spend a lot of money on a taxi. It is easy to visit the famous ancient site on your own – and very cheaply! Here you can find out how to get from Kusadasi to Ephesus on your own.
The Dolmus: Comfortable and inexpensive to Ephesus
From the center of Kusadasi, there is a regular dolmus, a small minibus, that takes you right near Ephesus. The center is easily accessible on foot from the cruise port. These dolmuses head towards Selçuk, and on the way they stop at the entrance to the Ephesus car park. From there, it is only about a 10-minute walk to the entrance of the ancient site.
The dolmus costs just 70 Turkish lira (as of October 2024) and runs approximately every 15-20 minutes. This is a convenient and inexpensive way to reach Ephesus. Once you have visited Ephesus, you can take the dolmus directly to Selçuk, where you can board a dolmus towards Kusadasi at the central bus station. The dolmus from Ephesus to Selcuk costs 20 Turkish lira (as of October 2024). The bus station in Selcuk can be found at the following address: Atatürk, Kızılay Cd. No:17, 35920 Selçuk/İzmir, Turkey
This means that with the dolmus you can get from Kusadasi to Ephesus and back for a total of 160 Turkish lira per person, which is the equivalent of around €4.25.
I would recommend that you visit the Ephesus Museum in Selcuk. There are numerous objects here that were found during excavations in Ephesus. The entrance fee is €10 per person. You can also visit the Temple of Artemis in Sulcuk. This is one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, although apart from one column there is not much left to see.
Alternative: Taxi or guided tours
If you don’t want to rely on public transport or just want to be more comfortable, you can also take a taxi. A trip from Kusadasi to Ephesus costs around 30-40 euros each way, so around 60-80 euros round trip. This is ideal if you want to be flexible and travel without time pressure. However, I recommend negotiating the price with the taxi driver in advance.
Alternatively, I can recommend booking a guided tour with GetYourGuide. Here you don’t have to worry about anything and you also have a guide who will lead you through Ephesus.
Summary
Whether you choose the cheap dolmus, a comfortable taxi, or a guided tour – a trip to Ephesus is an absolute must when you dock in Kusadasi. With the options described, you can plan your day individually and explore ancient Ephesus on your own.