Local Transport
There are several choices when it comes to independent travel in and around Turunç:
Local Bus
The Dolmuş (literally meaning "stuffed"!) is a national institution providing low-cost minibus services between and within villages, towns and cities right across Turkey. From 2017, here in Turunç, the traditional dolmuş service and the public bus service have been merged to offer an integrated timetable and the venerable dolmuşes have been replaced with a smart new fleet.
The bus service provides an excellent way to get from Turunç to the larger centres of Içmeler and Marmaris. The journey time from Turunç to Marmaris is about one hour - probably less. The bus is probably the most convenient way of getting to Içmeler market on a Wednesday: it stops right at the market whereas the alternative taxi boat will drop you off at the harbour which, in the heat, is quite a walk.
The current one-way fare (2023) from Turunç to Marmaris is 25.30 TL with a 'smart' KentKart (rather like London's Oyster card). It is a very convenient way of payment for bus services right across the Muğla province but you can also pay with a contactless debit or credit card and, if you have the Muğla Kart app and your phone is enabled, you can pay with your phone! Without a KentKart, the cash fare is 30 TL. Conveniently, cards can be purchased (and topped up) at the Indirim Market near the pharmacy in Turunç. In Marmaris, similar facilities for purchase and top-up are at the bus station, and at a small market on the traffic light controlled junction just north of the fountains (next to the corner honey shop). Automatic top-up machines have been situated in a number of bus shelters.
It seems accepted practice to share the card between two people (possibly more) - just indicate to the driver that you are going to tap it multiple times. Also tell the driver before paying if you are going to Içmeler and he will set up his control box accordingly. The Muğla Government website has a full timetable of all services across the region - you'll probably need to use Google Chrome to help with the translation. https://www.mugla.bel.tr/.
Cash payments are accepted on the buses although the Muğla provincial government would like it all contactless. The driver will usually take cash though.
Although official stops are marked, you can board the bus anywhere along the route simply by flagging it down and you can get off at any point by asking the driver to stop. In Turunç, the buses travel along the main street and the most popular boarding point (and the place from which the timetable is based) is outside the Tea Garden..
In Marmaris, the bus terminus is at the main bus station (Otogar). This is convenient for onward travel but is some way out of the town. A convenient boarding point for your return journey to Turunç is at the new park on the site of the old Tansaş supermarket just north of the funtains
June 2023 Timetable
Water Taxi
A summer alternative to the Dolmuş for getting to Içmeler and Marmaris is the water taxi service run by the rather grandly named Turunç Leisure Boat Company : SS.Mot.Dz.Tşy.Koop. - Turunç.
The water taxi service makes its way, sedately, past breath-taking scenery to Marmaris usually stopping briefly at Içmeler along the way. At 150TL to Marmaris (100TL to Içmeler) per person for a one-way trip it's more expensive, and a little slower than the Dolmuş, but it's an experience not to be missed however short your stay in Turunç.
2023 Times
The schedule at the time of writing (May 2023) is that taxi boats leave Turunç on the hour every hour with the first boat at 10 a.m. and the last at 7 p.m.; these times may vary as the season progresses: check at the harbour for the latest information.
A minimum of 8 people is required before the boat will depart or the the equivalent in payment i.e. 1200 TL.
Return trips from Marmaris operate on a similar schedule and to a similar price basis.
Contact telephone: 0555 566 3375 / 0505 333 3030
Local Taxis
Bright yellow local taxis are a common sight around the village of Turunç Run by the local Taxi Co-operative there are now 11 in operation. The main taxi stand is next to the Mosque but taxis can also be found at the harbour where they meet arriving taxi boats. Trips within the village cost £2-3 and the 24Km journey to Marmaris will cost about £12. All vehicles have A/C and offer a 24*7 service. Longer journeys are also possible.
Need to give your taxi driver basic directions?
- learn "Solsa":
- Sol (as you would expect it to sound) = Left
- Sağ (don't sound the ğ more like "Saa") = Right
Car Hire
There are a number of agencies in Turunç where you can hire a car, jeep or moped including our featured Travel & Tours agencies.
It's a great way of exploring the area around Turunç and there are loads of ideas for places to visit in the Out & About and Further Afield sections of this website.
Typical daily car hire charges start at £30 (2022 prices).
Are you planning to hire a car during your
visit to Turunç? Then note that, from
8 June 2015, the paper counterpart to the photocard
driving licence is no longer valid and has not been
issued by DVLA. Instead, the
online "Share Driving Licence" service allows
GB driving licence holders to share their information
held at DVLA with others online while ensuring
they stay in control of who sees it. You can
use this service to share your driving licence
information with a third party such
as a vehicle hire company.
The extent to which this new regime is being enforced by car hire agencies in Turkey is debatable. Nevertheless, you should come prepared! Visit the DVLA website, read the guide and watch the short YouTube 'how to' video. Essentially, you go online, generate a one-time access code that you can (if requested) share with your car hire company who can then check your licence details online.
NB - the one-time code lasts for 21 days (changed from the original 72 hours after complaints!) and you will need the following details to generate it:
- your driving licence number
- your National Insurance number
- the postcode on your driving licence