Izmir Airport to Kemeraltı and Konak: Transfer, İZBAN and Taxi

Konak is the old centre of Izmir: a square on the waterfront with the Clock Tower, and behind it Kemeraltı, a covered and open-air bazaar that runs inland towards the ancient Agora. It is also the one part of the city where the airport train is not the whole answer, because the line stops at Alsancak and Hilal and you change to the metro for Konak. This guide compares the four ways in from ADB and then covers what to see, what is open and how to organise a first morning.

Izmir Airport to Konak and Kemeraltı: Options at a Glance

Drive times come from routing data and our route pages, and assume a clear road. Public transport fares in Izmir rose on 1 April 2026 and are likely to rise again in spring 2027, so treat the figures here as the 2026 level.

Option 1: Private Transfer

Our driver tracks your flight and waits just outside the arrivals exit. After you land, the driver sends the exact meeting point and a short video on WhatsApp, so you do not need to look for anyone. Drivers speak English. The price is per vehicle, not per person, and there is no extra charge for traffic or flight delays. A Mercedes Vito takes up to 6 passengers with luggage, a V-Class VIP suits smaller groups, and a Sprinter fits a larger party. Child seats are available on request.

The transfer to Konak starts from €35 per vehicle, and Alsancak is in the same price band. The exact figure for your date and pickup time is shown before you pay. The booking forms are on our Izmir Airport to Konak and Izmir Airport to Alsancak pages, and you can compare other routes on the transfer prices page.

The car leaves Gaziemir by Akçay Caddesi and Yeşillik Caddesi and climbs through Eşrefpaşa to Konak Square, or takes the toll-free ring road when the city streets are slow. Inside Kemeraltı the lanes are for people, so the driver leaves you at the nearest edge the car can use, such as Konak Square, Fevzipaşa Bulvarı or Anafartalar Caddesi. Send us your hotel name and a map pin when you book and we will plan the closest legal stop.

Option 2: İZBAN Train and M1 Metro

The airport station is in front of the Domestic Terminal. From Domestic Arrivals, take the lifts or escalators opposite the exit. From International Arrivals, follow the "Metro–İZBAN" signs and the moving walkway; there is no metro at the airport itself. Trains run from 05:12 to 00:54, every 13 minutes or so through most of the day, and the same timetable applies on weekends. The full timetable is in our Izmir Airport bus and train guide.

1. Ride İZBAN to Hilal (about 24 minutes). You can also change at Halkapınar (about 37 minutes).
2. Change to the M1 metro towards Konak or Çankaya, two or three stops away. Konak is the stop for Konak Square and the waterfront.
3. Walk the last few minutes to your hotel. We would allow roughly 45 minutes to an hour from the arrivals exit, counting the walk to the station and the change.

Fare and How to Pay

The İZBAN full fare rose from 30 to 40 lira on 1 April 2026: ≈€0.70 (₺40) for the first 20 km, then 1.50 lira per extra kilometre. İZBAN takes the İzmirim Kart, not bank cards. The anonymous card costs ≈€3.50 (₺200) on top of the fare, and it also pays for the metro. With the card, a connecting metro ride within 90 minutes of your first boarding is free, so a Konak trip costs one fare. On entry the system holds the fare to the end of the line, and you must tap the orange refund validator at your exit station to get the difference back, so load at least 150 lira before you board. Our İzmirim Kart guide explains where the card is sold at the airport and how the hold works.

For two or more people with suitcases, the card, the change and the walk add up, and a car is usually the easier choice. For one traveller with a backpack, this is the cheapest route into the old centre.

Option 3: Havaş to Alsancak

Havaş runs one city line from ADB to Alsancak, stopping at the Efes Hotel stop beside Cumhuriyet Meydanı. The journey takes about 30 minutes and the fare is ≈€4.50 (₺240). There is no stop in Konak. From Cumhuriyet Meydanı it is a walk of roughly 1.5 km south along the Kordon seafront, or a short taxi ride. Departures from the airport follow flight arrivals, and the line listed only five a day, all between 01:30 and 11:30, when we checked in October 2026. Check havas.net before you rely on it. This option makes sense after an early-morning landing if your hotel is in Alsancak, and less sense for Kemeraltı.

Option 4: Taxi

Official taxis wait outside both arrivals exits around the clock, with no night rate. The airport taxi list covers out-of-town destinations, not city districts, so Konak is a metered fare. We estimate ≈€17–22 (₺950–1,250) to Konak and ≈€19–24 (₺1,050–1,350) to Alsancak, depending on traffic. Make sure the meter is running before you set off. Card payment in taxis is due to become compulsory on 16 November 2026, so carry some lira until you see that the taxi accepts cards. Our Izmir Airport taxi prices guide explains how the rank works.

We do not describe the ESHOT night buses here, because their timetable changes. If you land after the last train, see arriving in Izmir at night.

Kemeraltı: How to Visit

Kemeraltı is an open-air bazaar of lanes, small squares, mosques and old hans (caravanserais), running from the Agora at the inland end to the seashore at Konak Square. Opening hours depend on the shop, but most open between about 08:00 and 19:00 or 20:00. Many shops close on Sundays, and the Kızlarağası Han is reported to close that day too, so plan your visit for Monday to Saturday.

• Cars: none inside the lanes. Walk in from Konak Square or from Anafartalar Caddesi.
• Bags: drop them at your hotel first. The lanes are crowded and have old paving.
• Cash: carry some lira for small purchases and tea.

What to See Around Konak

Clock Tower and Konak Square

The Clock Tower (Saat Kulesi) went up in 1901 to mark the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdülhamid II's accession, and the architect was Raymond Charles Péré. It stands in Konak Square and is where locals arrange to meet. It is free to see at any hour.

Kızlarağası Han

This han was built in 1744 by Hacı Beşir Ağa and has been restored. It stands about 550 m from the Clock Tower, inside the bazaar. Go on a weekday, as it is reported to be closed on Sundays.

Smyrna Agora

The Agora of Smyrna was founded on the northern slope of Pagos (Kadifekale) hill in the Hellenistic period. Most of what stands today dates from the Roman rebuilding after the earthquake of AD 178, supported by Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The ministry lists it as open every day from 08:30 to 17:30, with the ticket office closing at 17:00 (summer hours shown on 22 October 2026). Foreign visitors pay 6 euros in 2026, rising to 7 euros from 1 April 2027, according to the ministry tariff. Winter hours are usually shorter, so check muze.gov.tr before you go.

Historic Elevator

The Historic Elevator (Tarihi Asansör) in the Karataş district is free to ride and is listed as open from about 08:00 to midnight, with a café and restaurant at the top. One guide puts it about 2.8 km from the Kızlarağası Han, so a taxi is simpler than walking.

Kadifekale

Kadifekale is the hilltop castle above the Agora, free and open-air, with views over the gulf. It is a steep climb from the old centre, so most visitors go by taxi. Check on the day what is open.

From the Cruise Port to Konak

Alsancak Port, the cruise berth, is roughly 3 to 3.5 km from Konak along the Kordon seafront. That is about 40 minutes on foot, or a short taxi ride. The walk passes Cumhuriyet Meydanı and suits most passengers in good weather. In summer heat, take the taxi one way. If you need to reach the airport after your day ashore, our drivers also work in the other direction from Konak and Alsancak, with the same booking process; see the Konak to Izmir Airport page.

A Half-Day on Foot

1. Start at Konak Square. See the Clock Tower and walk into Kemeraltı while the shops are opening, around 09:00.
2. Kızlarağası Han is about 550 m on, a good place for a tea.
3. Continue inland to the Agora and allow about an hour on the site.
4. Taxi to the Historic Elevator or Kadifekale if you still have energy, or return to Konak for lunch near the water.
5. Finish on the Kordon, where the promenade runs towards Alsancak.

Hours on muze.gov.tr showed summer times on 22 October 2026. Winter hours are usually shorter, so check muze.gov.tr before you go.

Practical Tips

• Which day: Monday to Saturday for the bazaar, and a weekday morning for the quietest lanes.
• Where to stay: hotels cluster around Basmane, Çankaya and Gaziosmanpaşa Bulvarı. Some stand on narrow side streets, so the car may stop on the main road and leave you a short walk.
• Cards: for İZBAN you need the İzmirim Kart; for a Havaş bus or a taxi, carry a bank card in your own name and some lira.
• Booking: the price is per vehicle and shown before you pay. See all Izmir Airport transfer options.
• Meeting: meeting your driver at Izmir Airport explains what happens after landing.

Sources — checked on 22 October 2026: Smyrna Agora, Ministry of Culture and Tourism · 2027 museum tariff (republished ministry decisions) · Kızlarağası Han, Visit Izmir · Clock Tower, Visit Izmir · İZBAN airport to Hilal · İZBAN fares from 1 April 2026 · Havaş airport to Alsancak · Havaş · Kemeraltı bazaar tour · Kemeraltı bazaar hours · Historic Elevator · Kordon seafront path
Euro amounts at €1 = ₺55.6.

Related guides: Izmir Airport bus and train · İzmirim Kart guide · Izmir Airport taxi prices · Izmir Airport arrival guide · Arriving in Izmir at night · Izmir Airport to Pergamon (Bergama)

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