The 28 km ride from Esenboga Airport to Ankara's center is straightforward, and costs vary dramatically depending on your choice.
The short answer
Three buses serve the airport at three different fares — the municipal EGO 442 (normally the cheapest, and the only one running 24 hours), plus the AnkaraAir and Havaş coaches. A taxi is metered on Ankara's city tariff. A transfer is €20-30 fixed. We don't print lira fares below: the tariff and the shuttle prices are revised often and the lira moves fast, so anything quoted here would mislead you within months. Check the operator before you travel.
Full price breakdown
| Transport | Cost | Time | Door-to-door? |
|---|---|---|---|
| EGO 442 bus | Municipal fare — check ego.gov.tr; AnkaraKart or contactless, no cash | 40-60 min | No — stops at AŞTİ, the train station, Kızılay and Ulus |
| AnkaraAir / Havaş coach | Each operator's own fare, higher than the 442 | 40-50 min | No — stops at Kızılay and AŞTİ |
| Taxi (metered) | Ankara city tariff — ask to see the rate card | 25-35 min | Yes |
| BiTaksi | Dispatches metered taxis, so it tracks the meter | 25-35 min | Yes |
| Pre-booked transfer | Fixed, quoted at booking | 25-35 min | Yes |
Fixed-price private transfer
ESB Ankara City Center
From€41for 2 passengers
Other destinations
What makes Ankara different
Ankara's airport transfer costs are moderate by European standards but can feel expensive in Turkish Lira. The key points:
The buses are excellent value. The municipal EGO 442 is normally the cheapest way into town and runs around the clock, stopping at AŞTİ, Ankara train station, Kızılay and Ulus; it takes AnkaraKart, a contactless card or your phone, but not cash. The AnkaraAir and Havaş coaches cost more and are the comfier ride — modern coaches, not cramped city buses — running frequently and timed to flight arrivals. The downside of all three is that they stop at set points, not your hotel door.
Taxis are metered and honest-ish. Ankara taxi drivers generally use meters, and the opening rate and per-km charge are set by the city's transport authority (UKOME) rather than the driver. Ankara applies the same tariff day and night. Some drivers take longer routes — if you know the way, keep an eye on it. The O-20 motorway is the direct road from ESB to the city.
The lira factor. If you're coming from a euro or dollar country, the exchange rate makes ground transport in Ankara feel cheap by European standards. It also means any lira price you read online was probably written at a very different exchange rate — treat old figures, including converted ones, with suspicion.
Hidden costs
- Rush hour: Taxis don't switch to a higher tariff during rush hour, but the meter runs on time as well as distance, so being stuck in traffic means a higher bill. Rush hour is roughly 8-10 AM and 5-7 PM.
- The last leg: The buses drop you at Kızılay, AŞTİ, Ulus or the train station, not your hotel. From there you may need a short taxi hop or a metro ride — check the current EGO fare for the metro leg.
- Late night: Ankara applies the same taxi tariff 24/7 — there's no night surcharge.
- Luggage: No extra charges for luggage in taxis or on the airport buses.
Money-saving tips
- Bus + metro combo is the cheapest way to reach almost anywhere in Ankara. Take the 442 to Kızılay, then the metro to your area.
- BiTaksi app dispatches licensed metered taxis, so it won't beat the meter — but it does remove the language barrier and the route argument.
- Do the maths on group size. A bus fare is charged per person while a taxi is charged per car, so the bus wins alone and the taxi closes the gap as your group grows. Work it out with the fares on the day.
- Get lira from an ATM at the airport rather than exchanging cash — ATM rates are much better.