Kusadasi → Ephesus: the most-visited transfer in our region
Ephesus Ancient City is the second-most-visited archaeological site in the Mediterranean, after Pompeii. Located just 20 kilometres north of Kusadasi, it's an unmissable half-day excursion for hotel guests and a near-mandatory shore excursion for cruise passengers. Our private transfer takes you door-to-door for a fixed €50 sedan price — significantly cheaper than ship-organised excursions or unmetered taxis, and far more flexible.
Why visit Ephesus?
Ephesus was the second-largest city in the Roman Empire (after Rome itself), and its preserved ruins are extraordinary. Highlights include:
- The Library of Celsus — the iconic two-storey Roman façade with its four marble caryatid statues
- The Great Theatre — capacity 25,000, where Saint Paul preached
- The Terrace Houses — wealthy Roman residences with original frescoes and mosaics, fully covered, separate ticket
- The Marble Street — the original Roman main thoroughfare
- Hadrian's Temple, the Memmius Monument and the Odeon
The site is large (around 2 km end-to-end) and most visitors take 2-3 hours to walk through it.
The route: a quick scenic drive
The journey from Kusadasi follows the D-525 for 18 km north to Selçuk, then a short 2 km on minor roads to the Ephesus south gate (lower entrance). The drive passes through olive groves and pine forest, with views of distant mountains. We use this drive to brief you on the site layout, ticket information, and where to find shaded areas in summer.
What's included in the €50 transfer
- Pickup at your hotel, Airbnb, or Kusadasi Cruise Port terminal exit
- One-way private transfer to Ephesus south gate (most common)
- Or upper gate (Magnesia) on request
- Air-conditioned vehicle, complimentary bottled water
- Child seats on request, free of charge
- English-speaking, D2 licensed driver
Wait-and-return option (recommended)
Most visitors book the transfer as a wait-and-return package: we drop you at Ephesus, wait at the gate (driver in air-conditioned vehicle), and bring you back to Kusadasi when you're ready. The waiting period is up to 4 hours and the total round-trip price is €90 for a sedan. This is by far the most popular option, especially for cruise passengers who need to return to the port within a fixed time window.
For longer days that combine Ephesus + House of the Virgin Mary + Saint John's Basilica, we offer a half-day Selçuk package at €120 (4 passengers, 6 hours).
Cruise passengers: timing guide
If your cruise is in port from 08:00 to 17:00 (typical), we recommend:
- 08:30 — leave the ship, meet the driver at the cruise port exit
- 09:00 — arrive at Ephesus south gate, enter the site
- 09:00–12:00 — visit Ephesus (3 hours)
- 12:00 — meet driver at the gate, drive back
- 12:30 — arrive at the cruise port; you have 4+ hours for lunch and shopping in Kusadasi
Combining Ephesus with other stops
For a fuller half-day, consider:
- Ephesus + Şirince village (€75 round trip, 5 hours total) — ancient ruins + traditional Greek-style village
- Ephesus + House of the Virgin Mary (€80 round trip, 5 hours)
- Ephesus + Şirince + lunch (€100 round trip, 6 hours)
Why our service
We are not a tour operator — we are a D2 licensed passenger transport company, regulated by the Turkish Ministry of Transport. This means full passenger insurance on every trip, professional drivers with SRC certification, and transparent fixed pricing in EUR. We do not sell tours, guides, or commissions — just clean, reliable transfers.
Book your Kusadasi to Ephesus transfer below — €10 deposit now, €40 cash to the driver on arrival.
