Taking a regional bus in Turkey is a real treat. The buses that go from one city to another are all private companies and their ticket prices are relatively inexpensive. Also, while on a 2, 4, or 10 hour bus ride you’ll be served complimentary drinks and snacks such as tea, Nescafe, water, Pepsi, juice, cookies, cakes, pretzels, sandwiches, even Turkish delight! The buses have always been clean and usually the seats are very comfortable with plenty of legroom. There is plenty of storage place for heavy jackets and small bags under your seat or in the luggage compartments above.
Some of the buses have even had computer screens in front of you with movies, TV shows, music, and even a few games for the long ride. A few even had wireless internet on board! Some of the buses look so fancy it feels like you are actually traveling on a spaceship and not a bus.
The buses would also stop every hour or two to allow people to get out and stretch their legs if needed. They would stop at gas stations along the highway that would also usually have a convenience store with snacks and drinks and a gift shop so you could pick something up for whoever you were visiting. Around meal times they would usually stop for about half an hour at a roadside complex that usually had a few options to get a quick meal.
Buying tickets is easy too, usually you just go to the main bus station where there will be several companies with small ticket booths. Just ask around until you find a bus going where you want to go!
Of course, traveling this way isn’t always so comfortable! Often, the buses are completely full and sometimes people hop on when there are no seats left and stand in the aisle if they are on for only a short trip. And, the giant glass windows create a greenhouse effect inside the bus and things can be very hot and stuffy when the sun is out or if the driver just prefers to keep the heat on! The windows don’t open and often the A/C just isn’t very strong. It can also be a little difficult (and exciting) to travel as a foreigner and not be able to speak Turkish because generally the drivers and attendants speak very little English. It can be hard to know how long a bus is going to stay at a rest stop or where you are supposed to get off. Luckily, the attendants are always very helpful and check to make sure everybody is on board before leaving and always seemed to let us know when its time to get off!
Overall I could count on a long Turkish bus ride to be several comfortable hours of reading, resting, or just watching the beautiful Turkish landscapes fly by!