By Air
There are direct flights to Kars from Istanbul and Ankara every day and also from Izmir regularly. The flight schedules change in winter and summer seasons.
Currently only Turkish Airlines (THY) have regular flights to Kars (except Sun Express between Kars and Izmir) It is also worth checking Atlas Jet, Onur Air and Pegasus as they schedule in flights on a seasonal basis. Flights from Kars to Istanbul take 1 hour 50 minutes and from Kars to Ankara 1 hour 15 minutes.
There are more frequent flights to Istanbul and Ankara from Erzurum which is 3 hours by road from Kars. This might be preferred by foreign visitors as the Erzurum airport is also open to international flights.
By Rail
The Eastern Express sets off from Istanbul every day at 8am and after a 38-hour journey, reaches Kars at 10pm the next day. It follows the Istanbul-Kocaeli-Bilecik-Eskisehir-Ankara- Kirikkale- Kayseri-Sivas-Erzincan-Erzurum -Kars route. The return leaves from Kars station at 7.10am. It is a long journey but pleasant for those who have time and are open to an interesting experience. The train crosses the whole of Turkey from the very western to the very eastern corner, making stops at various Anatolian cities and towns.
From Ankara, the Erzurum Express leaves every day at 1.30pm and arrives in Kars at 3.30pm the next day after a 26-hour journey. It follows the Ankara- Kayseri-Sivas- Erzincan-Erzurum-Kars route. The return from Kars to Ankara leaves at 9am from the Kars station. For more detailed information check www.tcdd.gov.tr.
Buses
There are three big bus companies – listed below - in Kars which depart to big cities in Turkey like Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir Adana, Diyarbakir and Bursa everyday from 8am to 5pm. The Artvin Express goes to Trabzon and Artvin. To Igdir and Ardahan, minibuses depart from 8am to 4pm everday.
By Car From the Black Sea, the routes to follow are
• Giresun – Tirebolu –Torul – Erzincan – Erzurum – Kars
• Trabzon – Erzurum – Kars
• Hopa – Artvin – Kars From Central Anatolia the route is
• Ankara – Yozgat – Sivas – Erzincan – Erzurum – Kars
TRANSPORTATION AROUND KARS
In order to go to neighboring towns around Kars, you need to take a bus or minibus from the old bus station. Address: Kaleici Mahallesi (Inner Castle neighbourhood), behind the Kazim Karabekir Office Blocks.
There are city buses (belediye otobusu) and also minibuses operating to and from Kagizman every hour on the hour. City buses also go back and forth to Sarikamis and Selim. There are also minibuses operating to these towns every hour on the hour. It is also possible to go to Sarikamis by train. The fast train and the eastern express go through Sarikamis at 7am and 9am. Suburban trains also operate to and from Akkaya. There are also minibus shuttles between these two destinations.
KARS - AKKAYA
AKKAYA - KARS
TRAIN TIMES
TRAIN TIMES
Departures
Arrivals
Departures
Arrivals
Kars
Akyaka
Kars
Akyaka
6am
7.02am
7.20am
8.33am
4pm
5.02pm
5.30pm
6.43pm
There are minibuses to Arpacay and Susuz every hour on the hour. A city bus also operates from Arpacay to Kars. Minibuses to Digor center and its villages also operate from Kars.To go to the villages near Kars, take the minibuses from the old bus station. These minibuses normally come to Kars in the morning and leave in the evening. They do one journey a day.
There is no public transport to Ani. It can only be visited by car or taxi. Taxis wait during your visit. But there are minibuses to and from the Ocakli Village from the old bus station. This village is within walking distance of Ani. However these minibuses come from the village in the morning and leave Kars in the afternoon, making them impractical for a day trip.
TRAVEL AGENCIES
Sinir Turizm
You can book flights and buy plane tickets from this tourism agency. Center: Ataturk Caddesi, 80 Kars Tel: 0474 212 38 38 Fax: 0474 212 38 41 Branch: Kolordu Caddesi, 3; Sarikamis Tel: 0474 413 41 49 Fax: 0474 413 41 30
