travel to gallipoli

By plane : Turkish Airlines flies to Çanakkale from Istanbul (and back) three times a week (Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday) and planes land at Çanakkale Airport (the Asian side). You can pick up a pre-booked rental car at the airport or alternative take a taxi into Çanakkale (5 minutes), followed by a ferry to Eceabat (30 minutes) and again a taxi from there.

The domestic terminal at Atatürk International airport can easily be reached on foot from the International terminal. From different points in the city there are airport buses (Havaş) and from the Sultanahmet area the airport can also be reached by underground & tram.

By coach : It is perfectly possible to travel by coach to Eceabat as there is a coach leaving Istanbul's busstation (Esenler otogar) every hour throughout the day. The coaches -all top-quality and with a non-smoking policy- cover the distance of 320 km in approximately 5 hours. Refreshments are served on board and a sanitary stop is made half-way near the city of Tekirdağ. Upon arrival in Eceabat (or in Gelibolu)you can pick up a pre-booked rental car or alternative take a taxi (10 minutes).

The Istanbul coachstation (Esenler Otogar) can be reached from the Taksim area by a free of charge “service bus”. From the Sultanahmet area and the Atatürk International airport there is an underground & tram connection.

By (rental) car : A rental car should be your first choice if you want total freedom.

Is by far the best choice because a rental car is the best way to tour the Gallipoli Peninsula. The road from Istanbul to Eceabat is duel carriageway most of the way and your itinerary is rather straighforward so you should be able to get to the hotel without any delays or getting lost. You should be able to cover the distance of 320 km in 4 to 5 hours, allowing for a short break in Tekirdağ.- The Gallipoli Peninsula, on the other hand, is the perfect place to venture out with "your own wheels" : country roads with limited traffic.
You might decide against renting one in Istanbul as the drive down (4 to 5 hours - 320 km) is not your cup of tea. It should also be noted that a coach is more econimical (unless you are 3 or more in the vehicle).

It gives you total freedom and nearly all places in the Gallipoli national park can be reached by regular car from May till October. All major car companies have an office at the modern and efficient Istanbul International airport and if you book your car in advance you should be on the road within 15 minutes.

It needs to be said that the Çanakkale car rental companies do not offer the service one might expect from a car rental company : Cars tend to be older and English is not widely spoken by their employees.

For those who are planning to rent a car but are unfamiliar with Turkey's roads a few words of advise :

- Istanbul traffic is rather chaotic. We strongly advise against driving in Istanbul with a rental car unless you have a record (experience) of driving in simular places.

-

- In general Turkish (highway) traffic is Mediterranean and might at first involve -for those not familiar with it- some white knuckle driving. Some golden rules : drive defensively, always exercising care, by ALL means avoid driving at night and don't drink and drive.
coach or plane + rental car :
For those arriving by coach or plane it is still possible to tour the peninsula with their “own wheels”. You can pick up a rental car in Gelibolu (Miller Highway service station), Eceabat (town centre) or Çanakkale (airport and towncentre).