Getting Around Fethiye
There are many ways of getting around Fethiye including taxis, the city bus, private transport and walking. But for quick, easy and cheap travel, the best and most popular option is the dolmuş / local bus.
What Is A Dolmuş?
A dolmuş is a minibus that carries people to and from destinations via a specified route for a very reasonable price. There are regular dolmuş running between all the main local areas such as Fethiye, Çalış and Ovacik. Plus more far reaching destinations such as Seydikemer, Saklikent and Nif.
How Do You Use One?
Getting around on the bus…………….
In days gone by you could simply wave down a dolmuş anywhere along their route, get on, state your destination and pay by cash. Often, on crowded dolmuş, you’d see passengers passing their money to other passengers to give to the driver. Equally, you could ask the driver to stop anywhere along their route for you to alight.
Nowadays, things are a little different. Although the dolmuş routes have stayed the same, they will now only stop at designated stops. However, these stops are usually very close to each other so you’d rarely have to walk far.
Another change is that you can no longer pay cash. You now have to use the ‘Kentkart’ which was introduced a couple of years ago and acts as a pre paid travel card. You can also use your credit card.
To find out times of the dolmuş click here, and to find out the fare of your chosen journey please click here.
HES Code
A more recent change, brought about by Covid 19, is that your HES code needs to be linked to your travel card. Anyone travelling to Turkey from overseas will be issued with an HES code when they fill out their Passenger Locator Form.
If you are already in Turkey you can request a code via the ‘My HES Codes’ button on the Hayat Eve Sigar (Life Fits Into Home) app which you can download here.
Where Can I Get A Kentkart?
You can purchase a Kentkart at multiple places – mainly local small supermarkets. You can also put money on them in the same places. Click here to get a full list of purchase and refill points. You’ll also come across one or two of these kiosks:
You pay a small fee for the card itself and then add money to it as and when you need it. The cards do not expire. Simply purchase a card and keep it for future visits.
The Kentkart App
Getting around with a kent card
If you are likely to be a frequent user and wish to have all the above information at your finger tips there is also an app called the Muğla Kart. You can download it here. As well as the route information, you can also see how much you have left on your card, top it up and add your HES code. Another benefit of the app is that it pinpoints your location so can give you information relating to where you are at that moment in time.
The Dolmuş Stations
Each dolmuş route has a designated ‘bus station’ at the end of its route. However, there is also a main bus station near the centre of Fethiye where all the dolmuş ultimately start from. This can be found on the right hand side, behind three petrol garages, as you leave Fethiye on the one way system. This is not to be confused with the main bus station; the ‘Otogar’. This is on the outskirts of Fethiye and serves the long distance coaches and airport shuttles.
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