Transfers vs. Other Ways to Get from Milas-Bodrum Airport
Milas-Bodrum is an international airport in Turkey located 36 km away from the city of Bodrum and 16 km away from the city of Milas. The air hub has two terminals: one for domestic flights, and the other for international ones. Annually, it serves more than 2.5 million passengers. As a rule, tourists come for holidays either to Bodrum itself or to beaches of the following resorts: Torba, Gumbet, Marmaris, Turgutreis, Kusadasi, Didim, and Altinkum. The peak tourist season is from April to October.
How to get from Milas-Bodrum Airport to Bodrum city center or the other way round
Some hotels offer shuttles from the airport for their guests. If this option doesn’t suit you, there are three other ways to get to the city:
- by Havas buses. They depart within 20–30 minutes after Turkish Airlines flights from Istanbul arrive. The bus stop can be found near the domestic terminal, and tickets can be bought from the driver;
- by taxi. It can be taken on the spot or booked via the app on your smartphone;
- by transfer. You book it online in advance.
It is more comfortable to go to the city (especially at nighttime) by taxi or transfer.
Transfer vs. Taxi from Bodrum Airport taken on the spot or ordered via the app
Advantages of a private transfer
You don’t waste your time looking for the Internet. Milas-Bodrum Airport doesn’t offer free Wi-Fi. You will have to buy something in a cafe in order to get a password or purchase a local SIM-card. A transfer is booked by you at home without any hustle.
You don’t waste your time waiting for a car. A trip to the city will take you at least 40 minutes, and waiting for a taxi (both at a rank and in an app) will take you some time more. The transfer driver comes to the airport in advance, so you go to your hotel immediately after you receive your baggage.
No risk of paying according to a night tariff at daytime. Taxi trips are 50% more expensive from midnight till 6 a.m. — in order to show this, they use a special lamp in the cabin of a car. Some drivers take advantage of the fact that tourists don’t know about this and turn on the night tariff at daytime. Transfer prices are fixed and don’t depend on the time of day.
Disadvantages of a private transfer
6–10 euros more expensive. A taxi will take you from the airport to Bodrum for 80–100 Turkish lira (around 20–24 euros), and a transfer — for 30 euros. By the way, Uber in Bodrum has only one vehicle class — UberXL (6-seater cars). This travel option will cost you 125 lira (~30 euros). A transfer for 7 passengers costs 40 euros.
Transfer from Bodrum Airport vs. Bus
Advantages of a private transfer
You don’t depend on the Turkish Airlines flight timetable. The departure of buses is related to the arrival of Turkish Airlines flights. So first, you need to wait for any plane from Istanbul to arrive, and then you need to wait for another 20–30 minutes for your bus to depart. With Kiwitaxi, you leave the airport at the time you want.
No changes on the way. Havas buses run only to the bus station in the center of Bodrum. In order to reach your hotel, you will have to change to a dolmus share taxi.
You won’t stay at the city bus station at night. If you are arriving after midnight, you will still have a chance to get from the airport to the city by bus, however, dolmus share taxis stop operating from about 00:00 to 05:00. A transfer will take you from Bodrum Airport directly to your hotel at any time of day.
Much more comfortable. From other countries, you will arrive at the international terminal. The distance between it and the bus stop is about 1 km. And that’s just the start of your journey with suitcases in your hands: then, you will have at least one change, a trip in a cramped share taxi, and walking on foot to your hotel. The transfer driver will meet you right at the airport, help you with your baggage, and take you to your hotel door with comfort.
Disadvantages of a private transfer
18 euros more expensive in case you are traveling in a group of four. One ticket for the bus to Bodrum city center costs 10 Turkish lira (about 3 euros). The price for an Economy-class transfer for 4 passengers is 30 euros. Also, Kiwitaxi offers shuttles to hotels (10 euros for a seat).
