Bus Istanbul to Erbil, Turkey to Iraq by Bus
This is possibly the cheapest and easier way to enter Iraq. The journey is long and takes about 30 hours but is worth by many reasons. The bus crew will help you at the border of Turkey and at the border of Iraq also as they do not want to wait much since they have the bus full.
- Price ticket BUS Istanbul – Erbil = $ 110 U.S. dollars = 77 Euros (August 2009)
I learned about this bus with the help of a Turkish friend since we went looking on the Internet for Turkish written information as in English is nonexistent.
Photography Bus Turkey to Iraq in August 2009
There is a bus every Monday and Wednesday at 10 am. Supposedly the bus leaves Otogar Esenler but during a phone booking (yes you have to book it in advance as you might not have a free sit if you just show up), the driver explained us that most people who make this trip live in the city center, so the bus came and pick everyone up near Aksaray.
The phone for further information is 4444773 BUS Company Ozlem Cizre Nuh.
Along the way there are several stops for bathroom and lunch / dinner. You can always ask how long the crew stops but usually stops are of 10 or 30 minutes up to 1 hour.
You can consult the web page of Esenler Otogari for more information about these buses, there are at least 3 companies to do the journey: Bus Iraq
Border with Iraq in Khalil Ibrahim in the region of Iraqi Kurdistan in August 2009
Bus route from Istanbul – Erbil
Please note that these times may change I just write down what happened on my trip.
- 10:00 – Departure from Istanbul
- 11:00 – Pass the bridge in Istanbul Europe to Asia
- 13:30 to 14:10 – Stop at Duzce
- 19:00 to 19:30 – Stop at Aksaray
- 1:30 to 2:00 – Adana
- 5:45 to 6:00 – Nusaybin
- 7:30 to 9:00 – Cizre / Jizre the bus had to go to mechanic
- 10:30 Border Turkey
- 11:30 – Ibrahim Khalil Border Exit / Entry Iraq in Zakho town
- 15:30 Arrival at Erbil
Entrance in Iraqi Kurdistan, road construction near Dohuk Iraq in August 2009
Food prices Istanbul trip to Iraq
Duzce / Koynopli
- 1 yoghurt + 1 bag of bread + 1 plate of beans + 1 plate of rice + 1 bowl of cucumber and tomato salad olives + water = 14 Turkish Liras = 6.55 Euros
- 1 bag of fried grain = 1 Turkish Liras= 0.46 Euros
- Toilete = 0.75 Turkish Liras= 0.35 Euros
Aksaray
- 2 packages of nuts and grape jelly = 3 Turkish Liras = 1.40 Euros
- 1 fried corn package 500gr = 4 Turkish Liras = 1.87 Euros
- toilet = 0.75 Turkish Liras= 0.35 Euros
- Pair of socks = Turkish Liras2 = 0.93 Euros
- Ayran yoghurt = 1 Turkish Liras = 0.46 Euros
Video of Southern Turkey on the Travel Istanbul to Erbil
Video of Southern Turkey on the Travel Istanbul to Erbil
Photo of food in arestaurant at the bus stop in Koynopli Turkey = 14 Turkish Liras = 6.5 Euros
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17 Comments
please would someone let me know how often they have round trip?is that dayly weekly or how many times a week?someone please give me some informations
kind regards
hi,
i wish to travel from baghdad to istanbul by bus via kurdistan. from which cities i can to take the bus(kirkuk, erbil,etc.). How i can make a rezervation ? I speak just english. Thanks.
Also I am very happy because of this site. U gave me a lot of information…. So if my bf cant come to Turkey at least i can go to iraq now.
Thanks again!!!
Greetings Dan, thank you for your comment. NO, this bus didnt take the Mosul road. This is a safe trip until Erbil. Bon voyage!
hello i want to do this trip this friday and i want to come back on monday..to turkey and i would like to know if there is buss available.. can you help me please
Hi there. I’m going to hopefully taking this trip in mid September and I was just wondering if you recall whether or not the bus went through Mosul or if it took the mountain road to the north.
Obviously Mosul is incredibly dangerous and I’ve no desire to go there at all
Thanks for any help you can provide
Hey there. Just a quick question. Which road does the bus take when it goes to Erbil. I hope it doesn’t take the road through Mosul because that would be incredibly dangerous! I assume it takes the northern route around above Erbil.
Thanks for any info you can provide.
hallo awant go in astenbul to Erbil ,haw kan Igo and kambag agen and hawmach many I nidit fur 1 pers ?with best weshes . thanks
Hey Andres! thank you for the nice comment. I wish you all the best and keep it easy mate. I’m sure you’ll love it, northern Iraq is a great place for photography, people are quite easy in terms of photography, so you can just walk and shot as you like.
Attention if you take pictures of girls, men will come to you not very happy. 
big strong hug from Sahara Desert! keep in touch!
Ola Joao! I just came back from the Otogar and got my ticket to Irak (your fault haha), I couldnt get the same company so I took one from Mar-Tour for 110usd. So far so good, I hope I dont need a visa to enter Irak hahaha..
I will post something as soon as I get back to Istanbul.
take care mate.
Thanks man .. great information … Hope the things are still like that …
I have just one question :
( The driver pick everyone up near Aksaray !) … is that mean he is not going through the main Istnabul terminal ?
Thanks again for the information …
Take care
Hi
Thanks for your blog.
I really need your info about the transportation schedule by bus from Istanbul to Arbil and its ticket price.
Moreover,is it necessary to get the VISA when we want to go to Arbil from Turkey’s border?
I wait your reply.
Best regards
Hossein
Hi
It is very interesting thing that there are a bus company between Istanbul and Erbil, truly its cheap comparing with the airlines which cost at least 800 dollars but the only problem is that it takes too much time 30 hr but not a problem
thanks for sharing
hey,,,,thanks for this information ,,,,, i want to ask ho i go to istanbul to learning the turkish language?i mean i want to leave in istanbul about 2-3 months….did they???i am in iraq,,,,,,thanks a lot…
Hi there!
Thank yo very much for your info, very useful indeed
As far as I have understood 77euros is the price for one way right?
Thanks
lara
HEY! thank you for your comment. Yes, I do know when do the buses return from Iraq to Turkey. I made a page just NOW, to share some information specially for you and by your request. About the hotel having email, well… I doubt it.
Thank you I hope it is useful. Good luck. Come back after to tell me how did it go over there! Greetings from Lisbon PORTUGAL!
http://www.joaoleitao.com/iraqikurdistan/bus-dohuk-istanbul-iraq-turkey-bus/
Dear Mr.!
Thank you for your blog, it’s really interesting. I need your help, because I want to go to Northern Iraq on the next week.
Do you remember when the buses come back weekly (if you know from where, or where can I buy a ticket, etc.)? My other question is, that does your hotel has a mail account? If not, I would like to call them, if they know in English.
I’ll wait for your answer and many thanks for it!
Best wishes!