If you choose Fethiye as your holiday destination and have booked your hotel, then the next step is to figure out how to get to Fethiye from the nearby airport. The closest airport to Fethiye is Dalaman Airport, and there are several easy transfer options to get you to town. Here we’ll talk about these options.
Dalaman airport has companies inside that offer car hire services. If you’d prefer not to get into any hustle and bustle after a long flight, you can pre-book with an online company. The online companies are also useful at that some of them offer to pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel. This way, you won’t have to add the stress of driving in a new country to the tiredness of the flight, especially if you’ve had a few drinks on the plane. But it is best to check with your company first to see if they offer this service since some of them don’t.
The car companies usually give you a vehicle with an empty tank, and you can return it in the same condition. It is straightforward to get petrol in Turkey since all the gas stations have pump assistants. They’ll understand what you need if you tell them you need a full tank. There is a gas station near Dalaman airport where you can fill up your tank using cash or credit card.
On a side note, if you are traveling to Fethiye or another nearby holiday town such as Ölüdeniz, Kaş, Kalkan, or Göcek, you’ll need to pass through Göcek Tunnel. As of 2020, the fee for passing through this tunnel is 9 liras per car.
‘Taxi’ in Turkish is spelled ‘taksi’ and pronounced almost the same as English. You’ll see lots of yellow taxis waiting outside the airport. They are a great convenience and a swift way to get to your holiday location, but there are few things to be careful about.
First of all, it is crucial to make sure you are getting in one of the official Dalaman Airport taxis. This ensures your safety and is a good step towards not overpaying. Another thing is to make sure your driver understands where you are going and gives you a price beforehand. Taxi drivers have sufficient English to communicate about the location of your hotel, and they won’t mind if you ask to use their phone to show it on a map.
The second thing is negotiation. Once the destination is understood, you should discuss the price before starting the journey. From Dalaman Airport to central Fethiye, it should cost about 200-250 Turkish liras as of 2019, but it can vary depending on where exactly you are going. You can also take a ride with fellow travelers going in the same direction to lower the cost.
A very comfortable third option is to book a private transfer from Dalaman Airport to your hotel. These private transfers are booked online beforehand, and they come with larger cars that have AC. Thanks to these cars, you can easily fit your luggage even if you are a big family.
When you’re booking a private transfer company, there are few things to be careful about. If you book with a sketchy company, they may not show up on time or may not show up at all. To prevent this, avoid companies that are suspiciously cheap compared to others and look at the reviews for the company if possible. Also, make sure to get the contact information for the company in advance so you can call them if there are any problems.
Booking your exclusive private transfer from Dalaman Airport
Public transport is, by far, the cheapest option. Though it is not the most convenient, Dalaman Airport has a pretty good public transportation system. The public transfer busses are called MUTTAŞ busses. Once you leave the airport, you’ll see the busses on the left, going to various nearby cities. The names of the cities are written clearly in large print so that you won’t have a problem spotting the bus for Fethiye.
The schedule of the busses changes every season, depending on the flights coming in. It mostly follows the arrival time of the international flights and THY flights. The buses are frequent and easy to catch most of the time. The one-way price for one person is 23 Turkish liras in 2020.
With a MUTTAŞ bus, you won’t be dropped to your hotel, but anywhere you’d like on the bus’ route. Its final stop is at the bus station in Fethiye. From there, you can take a taxi to your hotel for a much lower price.
Another bus service that airports in Turkey, including Dalaman Airport, offer is Havaş. Havaş is the same price as MUTTAŞ, 23 Turkish liras. The only difference is that Havaş’s changing schedule follows the arrival time of the domestic flights. So if you’re flying from abroad, you might find a MUTTAŞ bus more convenient, but if you’re coming from another Turkish city like Istanbul, you might find a Havaş bus waiting.
The principal of Havaş buses is the same as MUTTAŞ busses. You can stop at any available point on the route, but there is no drop off service to your hotel. Still, it is an excellent choice to lower the taxi price, especially during the holiday season, when the busses are very frequent.
Özge Erdem
Özge’s career goals changed big time during the third year of her major, when she realized she had no wish to be a chemical engineer. After traveling Asia and doing various nomadic jobs, she settled back in Turkey to start her dream job of building websites and copy-writing with her high school friend.
