Fez Bus
Hop On Hop Off Turkey
This Fez bus is for travellers who want to see Turkey on a shoestring. Step back in time and wander roads where Trojan, Greek, Roman and Anatolia warriors once trod. Marvel at the dramatic beauty of the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Absorb the landscape and watch villagers drying fruit on their rooftops, baking bread or riding donkeys through the main town. Live out every kid's dream and sleep in a tree house on the hillside of Zeus. Marvel at the mythical natural wonders or go underground and sleep in caves. You can do all this and more on the Fez Bus!
Fez Travel's hop-on hop-off bus (the Fez Bus) is Turkey's only hop-on hop-off bus network. It's a popular service pitched at independent budget travellers and backpackers, departing every destination every 2nd day in an anti-clockwise direction from Istanbul. All departure points and times are listed in the timetable on our
'how it works' page and departure dates can be viewed at
Fez Bus Travel Planner
Your pass is valid all season (1 July - 9 October) and is designed to cater for those wishing to see a little or a lot of Turkey, with great additional options along the way, so you're not on a bus all day!
If you need to travel a little earlier than this, make sure you check out our Fez Bus budget tours. They travel to the same places, do all the same things, stay in the same accommodation points and have all tours and activities offered on an optional basis, so that you can choose to do as much or as little as you want. The only difference is that your accommodation is included and the tours have a set itinerary (which is pretty much what most Fez Bus travellers want to do anyway)
Shoestring Turkey is available throughout April and May and we have a range of budget options available for
2010 ANZAC Day.
...we are thoroughly enjoying ourselves and the FezBus operation is fantastic.
Jason,
Aug 2008
One of the great things about the hop-on hop-off pass is that you don't have to start in Istanbul. You can start anywhere you like around the circuit. Just let us know where you want to commence your travel and we'll be there to pick you up (as long as it coincides with our schedule). You need at least 2 weeks to really enjoy your trip, however, we suggest three weeks or more!
It is possible to complete the full circuit in 9 days, however if you plan on cruising the Mediterranean on a Gulet (traditional handmade Turkish yacht), make sure you include time for this in your itinerary (we have already done this for those on Fez Bus tours). You may need to spend an extra day in a town where the gulet departs from or finishes. Check out our
'how it works' page for an example.
There are 3 different types of Fez Bus Hop-on Hop-off passes available:
- Turkish Delight pass
The Turkish Delight pass allows you to do a full loop (usually from Istanbul to Istanbul but start anywhere and finish where you started).
- Silk Trail pass
The Silk Trail pass is a great option if you are coming to Turkey from the Greek Islands, as it starts in Kusadasi/Selcuk and continues around the circuit back to Istanbul.
- Turkey Express pass
If you only have a short time in Turkey then the Turkey Express pass covers the Aegean coastline and also the magnificent wonders of Pamukkale, Egirdir and Cappadocia before returning to Istanbul.
What's included
Your Fez pass includes transport around Western Turkey with a Turkish driver and an English speaking tour leader.
Your onboard tour leader is a super knowledgeable Tour Leader, not a Tour Guide. They are there to make sure you have the time of your life and take that extra burden away from you, by helping you out with things like accommodation bookings, as well as helping you plan your trip and any optional tours or activities you may wish to do. Their job is to tell you everything that there is to do, your job is to decide how much or how little you want to do along the way.
Our Fez buses are
fully air-conditioned, non-smoking, 14 - 46 seater coaches, with onboard PA systems and stereos.
Troy tour and Pergamum tour (except ANZAC and Silk Trail passes) - entrance fees not included.
Although all passengers are
insured while onboard a Fez bus, all Fez passengers require their own personal
travel insurance, to ensure you are fully covered while not onboard a Fez bus.
What's not included
All meals, accommodation and entrance fees are at your own expense, unless otherwise stated.
Personal Travel insurance because remember, you are your own responsibility the moment you step off the bus.
How it works
No matter where around the circuit you are staying, the Fez Bus can pick you up every 2nd day at any of our designated pick up points. When you stop at a designated overnight stop (e.g. Gallipoli) you can depart with the same bus to do the next sector the following day. If however, you want to stay longer, then wait for the next bus to come through.
As long as you tell us on the bus, which bus you want to board next - your seat is guaranteed!!
If you don't know when you want to be picked up, no problem, you can call our toll-free number and book via our head office. All bookings not made on the Fez Bus however, must be made at least 48 hours beforehand to guarantee a seat. Otherwise your travel on the Fez bus will be on a standby basis and will be dependant upon availability.
Your pass is valid all season, but you can only do each sector once e.g. if you have been on the bus from Istanbul to Gallipoli, you are not able to use your pass again for this part of the circuit.
You have a choice of 28 different places on the Fez Bus circuit that you can hop on or hop off, but remember that our buses have
overnight stops at the following places to give our drivers and tour leaders a well deserved rest: -
- Gallipoli
- Selcuk / Kusadasi (Ephesus)
- Koycegiz
- Fethiye / Oludeniz
- Olypmos
- Cappadocia
- Istanbul
The Fez Bus is a door to door travel network and nearly all the designated stops in each town are at our specially selected and recommended
accommodation points. We try to find the best value budget accommodation point in each town, but if budget is not your preference, then your on-board tour leader can just as easily arrange 3, 4 or 5 star accommodation and you can hop off and hop on at that door instead.
Though if you have a friend in town or somewhere special you want to stay, than that is ok as well because the Fez Bus is all about flexibility, you can stay anywhere you want, you just need to make your way from and to the pick up point for your next departure.
Fez Bus hop-on hop-off pick-up schedule
Turkish Delight pass (Sector 1-8)
Silk Trail pass (Sector 3-8)
Turkey Express pass (Sector 1-2, Link, Sector 7-8)
Fez Bus fully optional tours are available for the ANZAC period and throughout April and May.
| |
Departs every 2nd Day between |
Depart Time |
Departure /
Pick Up Place |
Arrival Time |
Arrival /
Overnight Stop |
Highlights / Options |
Sector
1 |
July 1 - October 1 |
07:00 |
Istanbul |
12:30 |
Eceabat |
Gallipoli battlefields tour |
Sector
2 |
July 2 - October 2 |
07.30 |
Eceabat |
08:30 |
Canakkale |
Troy tour
Roadside Markets
Carpet Association
Pergamum Tour
Pamukkale Tour
Ephesus Tour
Kusadasi - Samos Ferry
|
| 08:30 |
Canakkale |
09:30 |
Troy |
| 11:00 |
Troy |
11:30 |
Ezine (*Bozcaada) |
| 11:30 |
Ezine |
12:00 |
Ayvacik (*Assos) |
| 12:00 |
Ayvacik |
13:00 |
Ayvalik (*Lesbos) |
| 13:00 |
Ayvalik |
14:30 |
Bergama |
| 17:00 |
Bergama |
20:00 |
Selcuk |
| 20:00 |
Selcuk |
20:30 |
Kusadasi |
Sector
3 |
July 3 - October 3 |
09:00 |
Kusadasi |
09:30 |
Selcuk |
Koycegiz Waterfall
Koycegiz Lake Cruise
Gulet cruises
Marmaris - Rhodes ferry
|
| 11:30 |
Selcuk |
14:00 |
Yatagan (*Bodrum) |
| 14:00 |
Yatagan |
15:00 |
Marmaris |
| 15:00 |
Marmaris |
16:30 |
Koycegiz |
Sector
4 |
July 4 - October 4 |
09:00 |
Koycegiz |
09:45 |
Dalaman (*Airport) |
Saklikent Gorge
Gulets Cruises
Paragliding/Diving
Day Cruises
|
| 09:45 |
Dalaman |
13:00 |
Saklikent Gorge |
| 17:00 |
Saklikent Gorge |
18:30 |
Oludeniz |
| 18:30 |
Oludeniz |
19:00 |
Fethiye |
Sector
5 |
July 5- October 5 |
09:00 |
Fethiye |
09:30 |
Oludeniz |
Kapatas Beach
Kekova Sea Kayaking
Demre (Santa Claus)
Adventure Activities
Chimera Flames
|
| 09:30 |
Oludeniz |
10:30 |
Patara |
| 10:30 |
Patara |
11:00 |
Kalkan |
| 11:00 |
Kalkan |
12:30 |
Kas |
| 14:30 |
Kas |
17:30 |
Olympos |
Sector
6
Overnight Bus |
July 6 - October 6 |
21:00 |
Olympos |
22:30 |
Antalya (*Airport) |
Antalya Day Tours
Turkish Night
Hot Air Balloons
Cappadocia Tours
Mt. Nemrut Tour
|
| 22:30 |
Antalya |
03:00 |
Konya |
| 03:00 |
Konya |
07:00 |
Cappadocia |
Sector
7 |
July 8 - October 8 |
09:00 |
Cappadocia |
12:30 |
Ankara |
Salt Lake
Ancient Civilisations Museum
Ataturk Mausoleum
Istanbul Tours
Airport transfers
|
| 14:30 |
Ankara |
20:30 |
Istanbul |
| Turkey Express Link |
July 3 - October 7 |
Mon/ |
08:00 |
Kusadasi |
08:30 |
Selcuk |
Pamukkale Tour |
| Thurs/Sat |
08:30 |
Selcuk |
12:00 |
Pamukkale |
**Daily
Public Bus |
19:00 |
Selcuk |
07:00 |
Cappadocia |
Turkish Night
Hot Air Balloons
Cappadocia Tours
Mt. Nemrut Tour
|
| 20:00 |
Pamukkale |
* - Closest drop off point for this destination. Tour leader will assist with onward travel.
** - Public Bus departure times may vary throughout season.
Travel planning
You may find our travel planner at
Fez Bus Travel Planner helpful in planning your trip.
Remember to check your departure times as well as your departure date. Some of our departure times have been organised to allow you enough time to see the major attractions of the area, without the need to stay extra nights. For example our departure from Olympos is not till 13:00, allowing you the whole morning to experience the beach and it surrounding ruins.
Also don't forget that our last sector is an overnight bus, saving you time and money.
If you are sailing on a gulet, then consider the gulet departure dates when planning your trip. You may not necessarily be able to depart on your gulet trip the day after you arrive in Fethiye.
In the following example, the Fez Bus arrives in Fethiye on the
Thursday June 12, however, the next
'Mediterranean Dreaming' gulet departure is not until
Saturday June 14, finishing on the
Tuesday June 17. So you would need to spend a full day in Fethiye before your cruise departs. Not really a problem as there is plenty to do. Why not try paragliding (Oludeniz is the best place in the world) or diving, just ask your on-board tour leader as they can arrange everything for you. Your cruise will finish in Olympos in the late afternoon of
Tuesday June 17. In this case, the next Fez bus to depart from Olympos is Bus No. 6 on
Wednesday June 18, so you will have a night in Olympos to check out the flames of Chimera if you want.
| From |
Istanbul |
Gallipoli |
Ephesus |
Koycegiz |
Fethiye |
Olympos |
Egirdir |
* Cappadocia |
| To |
Gallipoli |
Ephesus |
Koycegiz |
Fethiye |
Olympos |
Egirdir |
Cappadocia |
Istanbul |
| 4 |
Sat |
07/06/2008 |
Sun |
08/06/2008 |
Mon |
09/06/2008 |
Tue |
10/06/2008 |
Wed |
11/06/2008 |
Thu |
12/06/2008 |
Fri |
13/06/2008 |
Sat |
14/06/2008 |
| 5 |
Mon |
09/06/2008 |
Tue |
10/06/2008 |
Wed |
11/06/2008 |
Thu |
12/06/2008 |
Fri |
13/06/2008 |
Sat |
14/06/2008 |
Sun |
15/06/2008 |
Mon |
16/06/2008 |
| Gulet --> Sat 14/06- Tues 17/06 |
| 6 |
Wed |
11/06/2008 |
Thu |
12/06/2008 |
Fri |
13/06/2008 |
Sat |
14/06/2008 |
Sun |
15/06/2008 |
Mon |
16/06/2008 |
Tue |
17/06/2008 |
Wed |
18/06/2008 |
| 7 |
Fri |
13/06/2008 |
Sat |
14/06/2008 |
Sun |
15/06/2008 |
Mon |
16/06/2008 |
Tue |
17/06/2008 |
Wed |
18/06/2008 |
Thu |
19/06/2008 |
Fri |
20/06/2008 |
| 8 |
Sun |
15/06/2008 |
Sat |
16/06/2008 |
Mon |
17/06/2008 |
Tue |
18/06/2008 |
Wed |
19/06/2008 |
Thu |
20/06/2008 |
Fri |
21/06/2008 |
Sat |
22/06/2008 |
Please Note:-Your departure date AND departure point MUST be advised to Fez at least 48 hours before departure and may be amended any time up until 48 hours before departure.
