Arriving in Ankara at Night: What Still Runs from Esenboğa

Esenboğa lies about 30 km north-east of Kızılay and has no train or metro link, so after dark your choices are the airport coaches, bus 442, a taxi or a pre-booked car. Below: what runs in each part of the night and what it costs, how to carry on from Kızılay, Ulus or AŞTİ once the metro has stopped, what stays open at the airport, and tips for a late check-in and a safe ride.

What runs at night, hour by hour

Times are departures from the airport, except for the metro and night buses in the city. AnkaraAir and Havaş leave from numbered columns just outside the arrivals exits, bus 442 from the arrivals level, and taxis from the rank outside both exits.

Coach and bus fares are per person, one way (October 2026). The taxi fare is a meter estimate in normal traffic. Check the last metro times with EGO (ego.gov.tr or the EGO CEP'TE app) before relying on them. The transfer price is per vehicle (Mercedes Vito, up to 6 passengers); the exact price for your date and pickup time is shown before you pay.

Sources — checked on 15 October 2026: Esenboğa Airport transport · Esenboğa Airport services · AnkaraAir FAQ · Havaş · EGO bus 442 timetable · EGO night lines · EGO fares · EGO FAQ · Uber at Esenboğa · UK travel advice
Euro amounts at €1 = ₺55.6.

Airport coaches at night: AnkaraAir and Havaş

Both coaches stop just outside the arrivals exits: AnkaraAir at columns 20–21 outside international arrivals and 1–2 outside domestic arrivals, Havaş at columns 22–23 and 3–5. Flying in from abroad via Istanbul with your bags checked through? You land on the domestic side, but the airport sends you to international arrivals for baggage claim and customs, so you come out of the international exit.

AnkaraAir: 24/7 to Kızılay and AŞTİ

AnkaraAir, formerly BelkoAir, is the only airport coach through the city centre, and it runs all night. From the airport there is no timetable: staff wait at the platform 24/7 and coaches leave according to demand, so AnkaraAir doesn't say how long you may wait. Pay the staff at the platform or buy online by card; the fare is ≈€4.50 (₺250) either way and doesn't change at night. The coach calls at Pursaklar, Aydınlıkevler, AKM (the nearest stop to Ulus), Eski Tren Garı (opposite the old railway station), Kızılay (opposite Güvenpark) and AŞTİ, which it reaches in about an hour on average. Its call centre, 444 9 312, answers 24/7.

Havaş: a coach to AŞTİ for every arriving flight

Havaş runs a service for every flight that lands at Esenboğa, however late. It goes only to AŞTİ, Ankara's intercity bus station (platforms 129–130), via Pursaklar and the Ankamall shopping centre, in about 45 minutes, for ≈€4.50 (₺250); it doesn't stop in Kızılay or Ulus. Havaş's passenger rules allow payment by bank card (cardholder only), and travellers report paying cash or card when boarding, so carry both. Havaş: 0850 222 0 487.

Which coach? For Kızılay, Ulus (get off at AKM) or Çankaya (a short taxi ride from Kızılay), take AnkaraAir. For AŞTİ, Havaş is the quicker of the two. Neither drops you at your door, so plan the last stretch (see below). Every stop and the daytime timetables are in our Ankara Airport bus guide.

Bus 442 at night: 00:01, 02:00 and 04:00

EGO city bus 442 is the cheapest way in, at ≈€2.50 (₺150), and the only public transport to Ulus, but at night it leaves the airport only at 00:01, 02:00 and 04:00. The next bus is at 06:20, then every 25 minutes until 23:00, plus 23:30; the timetable is the same every day. Land at 00:30 and you could wait until 02:00. The bus runs via Ulus (İlk Meclis), Ankara Tren Garı and Güvenpark in Kızılay to AŞTİ, and takes roughly an hour to Kızılay.

Paying: reports conflict. The airport operator says cash and credit cards are accepted on 442 buses, EGO itself doesn't say, and some travellers were asked for a Başkent Kart, Ankara's transport card, which isn't sold at the airport. Carry some lira in cash and a contactless bank card; if neither works, the AnkaraAir staff at the platform sell coach tickets all night.

Getting around Ankara after midnight

The coaches and bus 442 leave you at Kızılay, AKM, Ulus or AŞTİ, so plan the last stretch to your hotel in advance.

Metro and Ankaray: last trains around midnight

Ankara's metro lines and the Ankaray don't run all night: the last trains leave around midnight, depending on the line. Check the exact times on ego.gov.tr or in the EGO CEP'TE app before you count on one. After that, EGO says, night transport is by bus.

EGO night buses from Kızılay and Ulus

More than 20 EGO night lines, numbered with a "-6" ending, leave Kızılay or Ulus at 00:00, 01:30, 03:00 and 04:30, and head back from the suburbs at 00:30, 02:00, 03:30 and 05:00. Examples: 253-6 Kızılay–İncirli–Atapark, 403-6 via Kızılay and Atakule to Birlik Mahallesi, 439-6 Pursaklar–Ulus–Kızılay and 107-6 Ulus–Gölbaşı. The EGO CEP'TE app (Android and iPhone) shows live bus times by stop number and has a journey planner.

There's nowhere at the airport to buy a Başkent Kart, so on a night bus or the last metro tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard instead: ≈€0.85 (₺46) a ride, with no discount when you change. See our Başkent Kart guide.

The last stretch by taxi

With luggage, a taxi from the coach stop is usually simpler. Uber and BiTaksi both work in Ankara; Uber calls licensed yellow taxis, which run on the meter. A short ride costs at least ≈€3.50 (₺200), and 10 km comes to about €8.50 (₺465) in free-flowing traffic.

Going back to the airport at night

Nothing leaves the city for the airport between about 23:00 and 01:00: the last evening departures are Havaş from AŞTİ at 22:00, AnkaraAir from Kızılay at 22:10 and bus 442 from AŞTİ at 22:55. After that, AnkaraAir leaves Kızılay at 01:00, 03:00, 04:00 and 05:05, Havaş leaves AŞTİ at 01:00, 02:00, 03:00, 04:00 and 04:30, and bus 442 leaves AŞTİ at 01:00, 03:00 and 05:00. In between, take a taxi or book a transfer; see Getting to Ankara Airport.

Taxis at night: there is no night rate

Taxis wait 24/7 just outside the arrivals exits of both the international and the domestic section; follow the "Taksi" signs and take the car at the front of the queue. If none is waiting, call the airport taxi line on +90 312 398 08 97. Ankara taxis run on the meter and there is no night rate: ≈€1.15 (₺65) to start, ≈€0.70 (₺40) per km and ≈€0.15 (₺7) a minute when standing or crawling in traffic, with a minimum fare of ≈€3.50 (₺200). This tariff has applied since 1 March 2026. On empty roads at night, expect the lower end of these estimates:

Meter estimates per car: the start fee plus the per-km rate over the usual road, with a margin for the route taken; every minute in slow traffic adds ≈€0.15 (₺7). Transfer prices are per vehicle (Mercedes Vito, up to 6 passengers); the exact price for your date and pickup time is shown before you pay.

Apps: Uber takes requests from Esenboğa 24/7 and says its taxi rides from the airport cost ≈€25 (₺1,410) on average, for a typical 31-minute trip. BiTaksi also covers Ankara and takes foreign Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards in the app. App taxis come from the city, so at the airport the rank is usually quicker.

Paying: from 16 November 2026 every taxi in Turkey must have a card device linked to the meter. Until card payment is standard, ask before you get in and carry enough lira; the Travelex office on international arrivals is open 24 hours.

Groups: a standard taxi takes up to 4 passengers and usually 2–3 suitcases, so five or six people with bags need two taxis, about €41–50 (₺2,300–2,800) to Kızılay for both. More fares and tips in Ankara Airport taxi prices.

What's open at Esenboğa at night

Esenboğa has one terminal building with an international (Dış Hatlar) and a domestic (İç Hatlar) section, each with its own arrivals exit on the ground floor. Here is what you'll find at night, with the hours the airport publishes:

Locations and hours as listed by the airport operator, TAV, on 15 October 2026. Travelex doesn't publish its rates, so change only what you need; at an ATM, choose to be charged in lira.

Free Wi-Fi: connect to "Airport_Free_Wifi". Without a Turkish phone number, scan your passport at one of the Wi-Fi kiosks, which are in both sections before and after security, to get a password. Then you can message your hotel or book a taxi through an app. If your bag hasn't arrived, report it at your airline's handling office in the baggage claim area before you leave.

Late hotel check-in: tips

• Book from the night before. If you land at 01:00 on the 15th, book the room from the 14th: a booking that starts on the 15th usually means the room isn't yours until that afternoon.
• Tell the hotel when you'll arrive. Send your flight number and expected arrival time, and ask them to confirm that someone will be at reception or how to get in late.
• Keep your passport to hand. You'll need it at check-in, and UK government advice notes that it's illegal not to carry photo ID in Turkey.
• Save the address and a map pin. The coaches stop at Kızılay and AŞTİ, not at your door, so have the full address ready to show a taxi driver and follow the route on your map app.
• Have lira for the last stretch. A short city taxi ride costs at least ≈€3.50 (₺200); Travelex at the airport is open all night.
• Rather wait for morning? With 24-hour cafés on both sides of arrivals and 24/7 left luggage on domestic arrivals, you can wait for the 06:20 bus 442 or daylight.

Staying safe on a late arrival

• Use the official rank or an app. Ignore offers of a ride from people approaching you in the terminal. UK government advice says that accepting lifts from unofficial taxis is highly risky, and that app-based and pre-booked taxis are widely available.
• Note the plate and check the meter. Photograph the number plate before you get in and make sure the meter is running from ≈€1.15 (₺65). The rank operator says no fare may be charged outside the meter, so if a driver quotes a flat fare instead, take the next taxi.
• Keep valuables with you. Passport, phone and wallet stay with you, not in the boot; check the seats before you get out.
• Carry photo ID. It's illegal not to carry some form of photographic ID in Turkey, so keep your passport on you.
• Save 112, Turkey's emergency number.
• Problem with a taxi? Note the plate number and keep the receipt, then call Başkent 153, Ankara Metropolitan Municipality's call centre, or the consumer line ALO 175.

Private transfer at night: a driver who tracks your flight

If you'd rather not wait for a coach or find your way from Kızılay at 2 am, a private transfer takes you from the terminal to your door. Your driver tracks your flight, so if it lands early or late, the pickup moves to the actual landing time. The driver meets you just outside the arrivals exit; once you land, they contact you on WhatsApp with the exact meeting point and a short video showing the way, so switch on mobile data or the free airport Wi-Fi. More in Meeting your driver at Ankara Airport.

Prices are per vehicle (Mercedes Vito, up to 6 passengers): from €33 to Ulus, €36 to Kızılay, €36 to Çankaya, €45 to Bilkent and €47 to Çayyolu. The exact price for your date and pickup time is shown before you pay; 24/7 line +90 544 102 1414. Every destination is on our Ankara Airport Transfer page.

If you're travelling alone and light to Kızılay or AŞTİ, AnkaraAir or Havaş is by far the cheapest, and for one or two people a taxi usually costs less than a transfer. A pre-booked car makes most sense for families and groups of five or six with suitcases, who would need two taxis, or when your hotel is far from the coach stops.

Related guides: Ankara Esenboğa Airport (ESB) · Ankara Airport arrival guide · Ankara Airport bus · Ankara Airport taxi prices · Ankara Airport to the city centre · Getting to Ankara Airport · Meeting your driver at Ankara Airport · Başkent Kart guide

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