Getting to Ankara Esenboğa Airport (ESB): Buses, Taxi, Transfer and When to Leave

Updated 3 October 2026

Short answer: there is no train or metro to Esenboğa, so you go by road. From Kızılay the AnkaraAir coach (≈€4.50 / ₺250) leaves every 15–25 minutes from 05:05 to 22:10, plus 01:00, 03:00 and 04:00, and takes about an hour; Havaş (≈€4.50 / ₺250) leaves AŞTİ every 30 minutes by day, and city bus 442 (≈€2.50 / ₺150) is the cheapest. A taxi from Kızılay costs about €21–25 (₺1,150–1,400), and a private transfer from €33 per vehicle. On a clear road the drive takes 25–35 minutes; we suggest leaving central Ankara about 3 hours before a domestic flight and 4 hours before an international one.

Ankara Esenboğa Airport (ESB) lies about 30 km north-east of Kızılay and can only be reached by road, so traffic decides how long the trip takes. Below: when to leave, what to expect at the terminal, including the temporary move of international bag drop from 8 October 2026, and every way to get there.

When to leave for your flight

Airlines differ, so follow yours. TAV, the airport operator, recommends arriving 2 hours before an international flight and 1½ hours before a domestic one; Turkish Airlines asks for 3 and 2 hours, and Pegasus for at least 2 hours. Turkish Airlines, Pegasus and AJet close check-in 60 minutes before international and 45 minutes before domestic departures.

From	Drive without traffic	Leave this long before a domestic flight	… before an international flight
Ulus	~25 km, 20–30 min	about 3 h	about 4 h
Kızılay	~30 km, 25–35 min	about 3 h	about 4 h
Çankaya / Tunalı Hilmi	~30 km, 25–35 min	about 3 h	about 4 h
AŞTİ bus station	~30–35 km, about 30 min	about 3 h	about 4 h
Bilkent / Çayyolu	~45–50 km, 40–45 min	3–3½ h	4–4½ h
Eryaman / Etimesgut	~50–55 km, 40–50 min	about 3½ h	about 4½ h

The leave times are our suggestion, not an airline rule: 2 hours at the airport before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one (Turkish Airlines' advice), plus the drive and about 30 minutes' margin. Leave earlier at weekday rush hour, by coach or bus (about an hour from Kızılay, plus the wait) and for international flights while bag drop is moved.

Sources — fares and timetables checked on 3 October 2026: Esenboğa Airport check-in · Esenboğa security and notices · AnkaraAir · Havaş · EGO bus 442 timetable · Turkish Airlines check-in · Pegasus check-in · AJet passenger rights (PDF) · Esenboğa car parks · Ankara taxi tariff (Cumhuriyet)
Euro amounts at €1 = ₺55.6.

At the terminal: check-in, security and passport control

One building, two sections: Esenboğa has one terminal with a domestic (İç Hatlar) and an international (Dış Hatlar) section. On the departures floor, check-in islands A and B serve international flights and C, D and E domestic ones; self check-in machines are for passengers without bags.
Security: expect two checks. TAV mentions a second checkpoint after check-in; the first is normally the X-ray at the terminal entrance, as at other Turkish airports. Take out laptops and keep liquids in hand luggage to containers of up to 100 ml.
Passport control: international passengers then pass passport control in the international section; TAV asks for a passport for international flights, and you may also need a visa.

Flying abroad: bag drop moves from 8 October 2026

TAV has announced that from 8 October 2026 at 23:00, while its international bag-drop counters are renovated, international bag drop moves temporarily to the domestic terminal's check-in counters (entrance doors C and D); you then walk to the international section for passport control. No end date has been given, so the change applies until further notice. TAV asks passengers to arrive earlier than their airline recommends: allow extra time, ask to be dropped at the domestic terminal and check esenbogaairport.com before you travel.

AnkaraAir coach from Kızılay and the city

Towards the airport, AnkaraAir (formerly BelkoAir) calls at the same stops as on the way in, in reverse order: AŞTİ, Kızılay (opposite Güvenpark), Eski Tren Garı opposite the old station, AKM (the nearest stop to Ulus), Aydınlıkevler and Pursaklar. There are 48 departures a day: from Kızılay at 01:00, 03:00, 04:00 and 05:05, then every 15–25 minutes until 22:10. Nothing leaves between 22:10 and 01:00, and night departures are planned around flights, so check ankaraair.com for a late-night or dawn flight. The ride takes about an hour, longer at rush hour. Tickets cost ≈€4.50 (₺250): buy online by card or bank transfer (the open ticket is valid for 72 hours); AnkaraAir's ticket desks also take cash.

Havaş coach from AŞTİ

Havaş leaves AŞTİ, Ankara's intercity bus station, at 01:00, 02:00, 03:00, 04:00 and 04:30, then every 30 minutes from 05:00 to 22:00, calling at Ankamall and Pursaklar. It takes about 45 minutes and costs ≈€4.50 (₺250); its rules allow card payment, but carry some cash too. It doesn't stop in Kızılay or Ulus, or at the YHT station.

EGO city bus 442

Bus 442 is the cheapest option, at ≈€2.50 (₺150). From AŞTİ it calls at Güvenpark in Kızılay, Ankara Spor Salonu opposite the old station and AKM near Ulus, then Dışkapı. It leaves AŞTİ at 06:00, 06:30, 07:00 and 07:30, then every 25 minutes from 07:55 to 22:55, and at night only at 01:00, 03:00 and 05:00. EGO publishes times only for AŞTİ, so allow a few minutes' leeway at the other stops and at least an hour from Kızılay. Pay with a Başkent Kart if you have one; otherwise have a contactless bank card ready, as reports conflict on whether cash is accepted on board.

Taxi

Ask your hotel to call a taxi, or have one ordered the evening before a very early flight. The meter charges ≈€1.15 (₺65) to start plus ≈€0.70 (₺40) per km, ≈€0.15 (₺7) a minute in slow traffic and a minimum of ≈€3.50 (₺200), day and night alike. In normal traffic expect about €19–23 (₺1,050–1,300) from Ulus, ≈€21–25 (₺1,150–1,400) from Kızılay, ≈€22–27 (₺1,250–1,500) from Çankaya, ≈€34–41 (₺1,900–2,300) from Bilkent and ≈€37–44 (₺2,050–2,450) from Çayyolu. Keep enough cash, as not every driver takes cards. More in Ankara Airport taxi prices.

Private transfer

Your driver picks you up at your hotel, home or office at the agreed time and drops you at departures. Prices are per vehicle (Mercedes Vito, up to 6 passengers): from €33 from Ulus, Kızılay or Çankaya, from €45 from Bilkent and from €47 from Çayyolu, with the exact price for your date and pickup time shown before you pay. It helps most with early flights, when the coaches and bus 442 run only every one to two hours. See the price from Kızılay, Çankaya, Ulus, Söğütözü, Bilkent, Çayyolu, Eryaman or Etimesgut, or on our Ankara Airport Transfer page.

Driving: drop-off and parking

TAV publishes no free drop-off time at the departures kerb, so keep the stop short and use a car park if the car has to wait. The first hour costs ≈€2.50 (₺140) in the open car park and ≈€3 (₺180) in the multi-storey one. Long-stay subscriptions (7–15 days or a month) must be registered within 3 hours of entering, at the subscription office (Abone Merkezi) on the 5th floor of A Blok, not on your return.

Coming from the YHT train station

No coach runs directly from the YHT high-speed station: Havaş's service was stopped by court order in April 2024. AnkaraAir's Eski Tren Garı stop, opposite the old station, is about 450 m (6–8 minutes) on foot from the YHT building; coaches leave at 01:05, 03:05 and 04:05, then from 05:10 roughly every 15–30 minutes until 22:15, and take about 50 minutes. Bus 442 stops nearby too, at Ankara Spor Salonu, but without published times. A taxi costs about €21–25 (₺1,150–1,400). Late-evening trains from Istanbul arrive after the 22:15 coach has gone, and the next leaves at 01:05, so a taxi or pre-booked transfer is the realistic choice. See Ankara Airport to the YHT train station.

Frequently asked questions

How early should I get to Ankara Esenboğa Airport?

Follow your airline. TAV, the airport operator, recommends 2 hours before an international flight and 1½ hours before a domestic one; Turkish Airlines asks for 3 hours and 2 hours, and Pegasus for at least 2 hours. Check-in closes 60 minutes before international and 45 minutes before domestic flights. From central Ankara we suggest leaving about 4 hours before an international flight and 3 hours before a domestic one, earlier at rush hour.

How do I get from Kızılay to Ankara Airport?

The AnkaraAir coach leaves Kızılay, opposite Güvenpark, every 15–25 minutes from 05:05 to 22:10, plus 01:00, 03:00 and 04:00, and takes about an hour for ≈€4.50 (₺250). Bus 442 stops at Güvenpark itself for ≈€2.50 (₺150). A taxi takes 25–35 minutes on a clear road and costs about €21–25 (₺1,150–1,400); a private transfer costs from €36 per vehicle.

Is there a bus to Ankara Airport at night?

Yes, but not often. AnkaraAir has no departure from Kızılay between 22:10 and 01:00, then leaves 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. For a flight around dawn, a taxi or a pre-booked transfer is simpler.

How much is a taxi to Ankara Airport?

Ankara taxis charge ≈€1.15 (₺65) to start and ≈€0.70 (₺40) per km, plus ≈€0.15 (₺7) a minute for waiting, day and night alike. In normal traffic expect about €19–23 (₺1,050–1,300) from Ulus, ≈€21–25 (₺1,150–1,400) from Kızılay and ≈€22–27 (₺1,250–1,500) from Çankaya; Bilkent and Çayyolu cost a good deal more. Keep cash handy, as not every driver takes cards.

Where is international check-in at Ankara Airport now?

TAV has announced that from 8 October 2026 at 23:00 international bag drop moves temporarily to the check-in counters in the domestic terminal, through entrance doors C and D; after dropping your bags, you walk to the international section for passport control. No end date has been given, so it applies until further notice. Arrive earlier than usual and check esenbogaairport.com before you travel.

Can I book a transfer for an early-morning flight?

Yes. Your driver picks you up at your hotel, home or office at the time you agree, even very early in the morning, and drops you at departures, which helps when the coaches and bus 442 run only every one to two hours at night. A Mercedes Vito for up to 6 passengers costs from €33 from Ulus, Kızılay or Çankaya, and the exact price for your date and pickup time is shown before you pay.

Early flight from Ankara?

Your driver picks you up at your hotel, home or office at the agreed time and drops you at departures at Esenboğa. A Mercedes Vito for up to 6 passengers costs from €33 from Ulus, Kızılay or Çankaya, and the exact price for your date and pickup time is shown before you pay.

See transfer prices Book an Ankara Airport transfer