Getting to Ayder takes a little planning, and it is worth being honest about that at the start: there is no airport on the plateau, no railway, and no direct express route. Ayder sits high in the Kaçkar Mountains, and every route into it ends with the climb from the coast through the tea country and the high valleys to the plateau. But the journey is part of the destination — the approach to the plateau, with the chalets and the steam appearing through the trees, is one of the great arrivals of the Turkish highlands — and with the right plan the trip is straightforward. This guide covers the airports, the transfers, the buses, the cars, and the local transport options, with the practical numbers you need to arrive at the plateau without drama.
The Airports: The Gateways
Ayder has no airport, and the region’s gateways are on the coast. The practical options:
Trabzon Airport (TZX) is the main gateway — about 90 kilometers from Ayder, with the widest range of flights from Istanbul and the major Turkish cities. The drive from the airport to the plateau takes about two and a half hours, through the tea country and the mountain valleys.
Rize-Artvin Airport (RZV) is the nearer alternative — about 70 kilometers from the plateau, with a growing service. The drive takes about two hours. It is closer, but the flight schedule is thinner than Trabzon’s.
Which to choose? For most travelers, Trabzon: more flights, more competition, and more convenient connections. Rize-Artvin wins only when the flights line up — it saves about half an hour on the drive.
From the Airport to the Plateau
Once you have landed, the final leg is where the planning pays off.
Rental car — the best option for most travelers. Collect a car at the airport and drive to Ayder. The drive climbs from the coast through the tea country and the mountain valleys to the plateau, and the car unlocks the region once you arrive — the other yayla, the high country, and the coast are all within reach. The road is scenic and manageable, and the drive is one of the best parts of the trip.
Shared transfer — the easy option. Many of the plateau’s hotels arrange transfers from the airports, and there are independent shuttle services. You book ahead, give them your flight number, and a van delivers you to your hotel. It is the simplest option for those who do not want to drive.
Public transport — the budget option. Buses and dolmuş connect the coastal cities to Ayder at honest prices, with the final leg a local connection or a walk. It is the cheapest way, but it takes longer and involves transfers with your bags. For most travelers, the rental car or the transfer is worth the small premium.
Getting Around Ayder Once You’re There
Inside the plateau, transport is minimal by design — and that is the point. The layout is simple:
- The plateau is walkable. The thermal waters, the stream, the shops, and the restaurants are all within walking distance of each other. You will walk more than you expect and enjoy it.
- The plateau walks are on foot. The paths around the plateau and the slopes above it are walked, not driven.
- The region needs wheels. The high country, the other yayla, and the coast are the car territory — the dolmuş covers the nearer routes, but a car unlocks the region.
Dolmuş. The shared minibuses of the region connect the plateau with the local towns and the coast, at honest prices. They are the standard way to move without a car for the nearer journeys.
Taxis. The plateau and the nearby towns have taxis, useful for the airport runs and the shorter journeys. Agree on the fare or use the meter.
Cars. A car is the best transport for the region — the high country, the yayla, and the coast all reward wheels, and the mountain roads are a pleasure in good conditions.
The Practical Numbers
- Trabzon Airport to Ayder: about 90 km, 2.5 hours by car.
- Rize-Artvin Airport to Ayder: about 70 km, 2 hours by car.
- Ayder to the high country: 30–60 minutes by car to the main yayla meadows.
- Ayder to the coast (Rize, the tea country): 1.5–2 hours by car.
- Istanbul to Ayder: about 95 minutes by flight to Trabzon, plus the 2.5-hour drive.
Transport Planning That Saves Time and Money
- Book the flight early. Istanbul–Trabzon fares rise sharply as the date approaches, especially in summer. Booking two to six weeks ahead usually gets the best price.
- Rent the car for the region. If you plan day trips from Ayder — the other yayla, the high lakes, the coast — the rental from the airport pays for itself and unlocks the region.
- Match the transfer to your style. The rental car for the flexibility, the shared transfer for the simplicity, the public transport for the budget — the choice is yours, and all three work.
- Mind the mountain roads. The drive climbs into the high country — scenic and manageable, but take it steadily, and check the weather in the shoulder and winter seasons.
- Pack for the last leg. The airport-to-plateau journey is a real journey — keep essentials in hand luggage, and bring the layers, because the high country is cooler than the coast.
- Arrive in daylight. The approach to the plateau, with the chalets and the steam appearing through the trees, is one of the great arrivals — and the plateau’s lanes are easier to navigate when you can see them.
Getting Around the Region
Ayder is the kind of place that makes you want to see what is around it, and the Kaçkar highlands reward the traveler who does. The other yayla meadows are a short drive, and the high country with its lakes and its walks is within reach by car. The coast — the tea country, the harbor towns, and the beaches of the Black Sea — is about an hour and a half to two hours down the mountain roads. And the old city of Trabzon, with its monastery and its lively center, is the two-and-a-half-hour drive back to the gateway. For all of these, a car is the best enabler; for the nearer routes, the dolmuş and the taxis cover the journeys. The region around Ayder is one of the most beautiful in Turkey, and getting out into it is half the point of coming.
The Seasonality of the Journey
The journey to Ayder changes with the season, and planning the transport accordingly saves trouble. In the summer, the flights and the plateau’s rooms rise in price together, and the mountain roads carry the holiday traffic — book both ahead, travel midweek if you can, and give the mountain drives extra time. In the shoulder months of May, September, and October, the flights are cheaper, the roads are calmer, and the drive is a pleasure. And in the winter, the mountain roads need real care — the snow and the ice call for a properly equipped car, chains or a 4×4 for the passes, flexible plans, and a check of the conditions before you set out. Whenever you come, the arrival is the same: the tea country opening into the high valleys, and the journey ending at the plateau in the mountains.
The Takeaway
The journey to Ayder is a study in contrasts: a short flight to the coast, then a beautiful climb into the mountains to the plateau. Fly to Trabzon or Rize-Artvin, and finish the journey by rental car, transfer, or bus — the choice depends on your budget and your appetite for the region. The arrival — the chalets, the steam of the thermal waters, and the peaks appearing through the trees — is worth every kilometer. Then leave the car at the hotel, walk to the springs, and let the plateau take over from there.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an airport at Ayder?
No. The gateways are Trabzon Airport (about 90 kilometers, 2.5 hours by car) and Rize-Artvin Airport (about 70 kilometers, 2 hours by car).
How do I get from the airport to Ayder?
By rental car (the best option for the region), by shared transfer arranged with your hotel, or by public transport (buses and dolmuş, cheaper and slower).
Is there public transport to Ayder?
Yes — buses and dolmuş connect the coastal cities to the plateau, and the plateau is walkable once you arrive.
Do I need a car in Ayder?
Not for the plateau itself — the thermal waters, the stream, and the village are walkable. A car pays for itself for the high country, the yayla, and the coast.
How far is it from Trabzon to Ayder?
About 90 kilometers by road, roughly two and a half hours through the tea country and the mountain valleys.
Is the drive to Ayder scenic?
Yes — it is one of the most beautiful drives in Turkey, from the tea-covered coast up into the Kaçkar highlands.
All Over Information
The All Over Information editorial team researches and writes practical English-language guides to Turkey. Facts are checked against official and local sources before publication, prices are published as dated ranges rather than quotes, and guides are revised when things change. We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements or paid links.
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