Antalya Airport to Olympos and Çıralı: Transfer, Bus and Chimaera

Olympos and Çıralı sit in the same wooded valley on the Lycian coast, below the main road south of Kemer. Between them they have a ruined Lycian city, a long pebble beach, the burning rocks of the Chimaera and very little traffic. They are also a long way down a winding road, which makes the choice of transport from Antalya Airport matter more than it does for the resorts near the city.

Antalya Airport to Olympos and Çıralı: Options at a Glance

*Road times depend on traffic through Antalya and along the coast, which gets busy in peak summer. Our transfer price is per vehicle, not per person, and the exact price for your date and time is shown before you pay. Taxi and public-transport costs are not fixed and vary by season.

Olympos or Çıralı: Which One?

The two places share a valley but not a road. From the main coastal road (the D400) there are two separate turn-offs, about 1 km apart, and drivers and travellers do mix them up. Olympos village is about 12 km from the main road, and the Çıralı turn-off leads to Çıralı. Check which one your accommodation is on before you travel.

• Olympos is the name of both the village and the ancient city. The ruins lie along the banks of a river among the trees.
• Çıralı is the beach village, and the nearest base for the Chimaera, whose car park is a few kilometres from the village.

Administratively the ruins belong to Kumluca and Çıralı to Kemer, which is why you will see both names on signs and maps. If you are heading further along the coast to Adrasan, the price from the airport is the same as to Olympos and Çıralı. For Kaş and Kalkan, read our guide to Antalya Airport to Kaş and Kalkan.

Option 1: Private Transfer

Your driver tracks your flight and waits just outside the arrivals exit. After you land, they send the exact meeting point and a short video on WhatsApp, so you know where to walk. Drivers speak English. The ride goes straight to your pension, bungalow or villa, including the last few kilometres down the valley road that coaches do not take. The price is per vehicle, shown before you pay, and there is no extra charge for traffic or flight delays.

A Mercedes Vito takes up to 6 passengers with luggage; a Mercedes V-Class VIP and a Sprinter for larger groups are also available, and child seats are on request. The transfer is private, for your party only. See the current price on our Antalya Airport to Çıralı page, or for the next bay along, Antalya Airport to Adrasan. If you would like to see Phaselis or another place on the way, ask us on WhatsApp before booking.

Option 2: Taxi

Taxis wait outside arrivals at all hours. Airport taxis use the central Antalya tariff, a start charge of ₺40, ₺50 per kilometre and a minimum fare of ₺200, with no night rate. Over about 92 km that adds up to roughly €82–90 (₺4,550–5,000) to Olympos or Çıralı by our estimate. Insist on the meter rather than accepting a fixed price offered on the spot, and keep some cash, as not every driver accepts cards. Our Antalya Airport taxi prices guide explains the tariff in full.

Option 3: Tram, Coach and Minibus

There is no direct public transport, and the city's municipal network has no line to Olympos or Çıralı. The usual chain is:

1. Buy an Antalyakart at the machines by the airport tram stop, or tap a contactless bank card. Details are in our Antalya Airport bus and tram guide.
2. Take the AntRay tram (about 50 minutes, ≈€0.75 / ₺42 with an Antalyakart) or bus 600 to Antalya's main bus station (Otogar).
3. At the Otogar, take an intercity coach along the coast towards Kumluca or Kaş and ask to be dropped at the Olympos or Çıralı turn-off. Check the turn-off with the driver, since the two are so close together.
4. From the junction, continue by minibus (these run mainly in season) or by taxi. Olympos village is about 12 km from the main road.

Local guides name minibuses for Kemer, Phaselis, Olympos and Çıralı that leave from the Otogar and from a stop on Dumlupınar Bulvarı, but there is no official timetable or fare, so ask at the Otogar on the day. A 2025 university guide put the Otogar to Olympos run at about 1.5 to 2 hours. Add the tram, and a daytime arrival with light luggage is the only case where this works. Coaches thin out in the evening, and the last leg after dark is unreliable.

Olympos Ancient City: Hours and Tickets

Olympos was founded in the 3rd century BC and held three votes in the Lycian League. In the 1st century BC it was a base for pirates under the leader Zeniketes, until it was taken by the Roman commander Servilius Isauricus. The ruins line both banks of a river that was once canalised, with remains of the acropolis, walls, theatre and a bridge.

• Hours: 08:00 to 19:00 daily, with the ticket office closing at 18:30. The ministry's portal lists winter hours (1 November to 30 April) of 08:00 to 17:00, with the ticket office closing at 16:30. Winter hours are usually shorter, so check the official site before you go.
• Entry for foreign visitors: 10 euros in 2026, rising to 11 euros from 1 April 2027. Children aged 0 to 8 are free; visitors aged 8 to 18 pay the adult price.
• The beach: the Olympos beach is reached through the ticketed site, so expect to show a ticket on the way to the sea.

The area lies within the Beydağları Coastal National Park, but the ruins ticket is a Ministry of Culture and Tourism ticket.

The Chimaera (Yanartaş) After Dark

On the hillside above Çıralı, small flames burn out of the rock. This is the Chimaera, called Yanartaş (burning stone) in Turkish. The most popular time to go is around sunset and after dark, when the flames are easiest to see. Do not confuse it with the "Olympos Teleferik", which is the Tahtalı cable car near Kemer, a different place entirely.

• The walk: about 1 km up a stepped, rocky path from the car park. Guides give 20 to 40 minutes on the way up and 1.5 to 2 hours for the whole visit. The path is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers.
• What to bring: closed shoes with a good grip and a torch, as the path is unlit.
• The fee: the national-parks tariff for 2026 lists the Çıralı Yanartaş stop at ₺95 per person (₺285 for a car). A contracted operator may charge foreigners a different price, so ask at the entrance.
• Hours: no opening hours are published. Ask your accommodation before you set off.
• Getting there: the car park is a few kilometres from Çıralı village. Ask your accommodation about a lift or a local taxi, particularly for the return after dark.

Phaselis on the Way

Phaselis is a ruined port city near Tekirova, roughly 70 km from the airport and on the road to Çıralı. It was founded in the 7th century BC and had three harbours: North, Central (also called the War harbour) and South. The theatre held about 1,500 people. It works as a break in the journey, or as a half-day from Çıralı, which is roughly 25 km away.

• Hours: 08:00 to 19:00 daily, ticket office closing at 18:30; the portal lists 08:00 to 17:00 in winter (1 November to 30 April). Winter hours are usually shorter, so check the official site.
• Entry for foreign visitors: 10 euros in 2026, 11 euros from 1 April 2027.
• By public transport: city bus TA08 runs from Antalya Otogar via Kemer to the Tekirova junction.

For the resorts just before it, see Antalya Airport to Kemer.

Çıralı Beach and the Turtle Nesting Season

Çıralı beach is one of the nesting beaches of the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtle, and the village takes this seriously. Press reports said more than 100 nests had been counted on the beach by July 2026, and local businesses sponsor nests in some years.

During the nesting season (May to September) the beach is closed at night. Press reports give 20:00 to 08:00 for 1 May to the end of September, and say that fires, barbecues, tents and vehicles are banned on the beach, with heavy fines for individuals. The reported hours vary slightly between sources, so go by the notices posted at the beach. In practice: keep evening plans off the sand and follow the signs.

Getting Back to the Airport

Work backwards from your flight time, allow a generous buffer for the winding road and for traffic into Antalya in summer, and remember that public transport out of the valley thins out in the evening. You can book the return together with your arrival, or see the price from Çıralı to Antalya Airport. If you also want a day among ruins near the city, our guide to Termessos from Antalya covers another ancient site.

Sources — checked on 25 October 2026: Ministry of Culture and Tourism: Olympos · Ministry of Culture and Tourism: Phaselis · turkishmuseums.com: Olympos · turkishmuseums.com: Phaselis · DKMP protected-area tariff 2026 · Antalya municipal transport timetables · 2027 museum tariff (published via alomaliye.com) · Turkey Travel Planner: Olympos transport
Euro amounts at €1 = ₺55.6.

Related guides: Antalya Airport to Kaş and Kalkan · Antalya Airport to Kemer · Antalya Airport bus and tram · Antalya Airport taxi prices · Termessos from Antalya · Meeting your driver at Antalya Airport

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