I've never used public transport when on holiday before but am considering dropping car hire next month and using the Dolmus/buses.
Having a daughter just turned 14 I don't want to have her embarrassed by either an over complicated payment system or my fumblings with the language! So, can anyone give an idiots guide to getting on a Dolmus as a family of 4 to include language, currency, courtesy towards locals on-board & just about anything that an idiot would need to know!
Holiday is Oct 13th Ovacik (villa based), Olu Deniz & Fethiye.
Thank you in advance.
You just put your hand out to stop the dolmus or get on at a bus stop these are easy to identify, charges are shown on the front of the dolmus you sit down then pass your fare to driver then just shout "stop" or "here" where you want to get off. The majority of them understand english. Its a very cheap & easy way of getting out and about.
Anyusernamewill do -
Dolmus service is brilliant. They are regular and cheap. You seldom have to wait more than a few minutes for one. As Vonny41 says you only have to put your hand out to catch the drivers attention.
I wonder though from your post if you are planning to use a dolmus on arrival as your post did mention getting on a dolmus with luggage. If that is the case I would think twice. My experience of using a dolmus over the years is that they get very packed and usually people are standing. A family of 4 with luggage will be a struggle (thinking about your 14 year old here!!!)..
If you dont have coach transfer included you would be best to think about a private transfer from Dalaman to Ovacik.
Dolmus service is brilliant. They are regular and cheap. You seldom have to wait more than a few minutes for one. As Vonny41 says you only have to put your hand out to catch the drivers attention.
I wonder though from your post if you are planning to use a dolmus on arrival as your post did mention getting on a dolmus with luggage. If that is the case I would think twice. My experience of using a dolmus over the years is that they get very packed and usually people are standing. A family of 4 with luggage will be a struggle (thinking about your 14 year old here!!!)..
If you dont have coach transfer included you would be best to think about a private transfer from Dalaman to Ovacik.
Thank you Vonny & morh.
Good point about the transfers
With transfers @ £200
I can get a 5 door Clio with AC for £223 inc waver! I think its a car again but I do intend to try the Dolmus for the experience.
Thank you again for taking the time to reply.
Good point about the transfers
With transfers @ £200
I can get a 5 door Clio with AC for £223 inc waver! I think its a car again but I do intend to try the Dolmus for the experience.Thank you again for taking the time to reply.
try hamish mcturk for reliable transfers his price is £40 one way for 4 of you to Ovacik. Used them many times always a good service, then just use the dolmus for getting around when your there always plenty on the main road through Ovacik like everyone says just stick out yor hand to get on then shout stp when you want to get off. If they beep and drive on they maybe full but another wont be long. They may also beep when driving behind you if your walking along the road, just shake your head if you dont want to get on.Prices are just above the drivers head usually 2/3lira each depending on where your going.
We paid £55 each way in July for 6 of us. That was from Dalaman to Marmaris. Air conditioned minibus and a cold drink supplied.
Transfers wouldnt cost anywhere near £200.
Transfers wouldnt cost anywhere near £200.
Would not even attempt to get on a dolmus with luggage ,the word dolmus means stuffed in turkish ,so you can imagine how they sometimes get ,they just keep piling people in ,i have seen the driver jumping out to push the last passenger in far enough so to get the door closed.
Still good and a cheap way to get about.
Bluepeterno1
Still good and a cheap way to get about.
Bluepeterno1
I have been on a dolmus with luggage, baby, pushchair, the lot! and it was fine. You see people with all kinds of stuff on there!
I really cant imagine being cramped into the back seat of a dolmus with bags and baggage etc. etc... Then trying to get off if the bus is jam packed full. Then again maybe I can imagine it and thats why it really doesnt appeal!!!
Thats my opinion but really it is up to the individual.
Thats my opinion but really it is up to the individual.
When I was travelling to Marmaris from Icmeler this year, there was one couple with a baby, who had 2 suitcases and a buggy - there was no room to swing a cat. Personally it wouldn't be my means of travel with baggage.
I didn't have much choice at the time 
Turkey convert - I feel "frazzled" at the thought of it!
I was on a Dolmus in Side a few years ago and when we got off at the terminus I counted 35 people!Most folk have been seated on the ones I have used over the last few years!
I do think the Dolmus service is excellent and I think the UK would benefit from such a service in their larger Cities.
Stopping a Dolmus to get on is easy. Stand by the roadside and and put your hand out, unless it is full the driver will stop.
It is courteous to offer your seat to the elderly or, if you are a man or youngster, to offer your seat to a woman.
The prices are printed on sheet of paper which is usually fixed somewhere above the windscreen on the the front passengers side.
To stop the Dolmus at your destination you can use either of two Turkish phrases.
'Inecek var lutfen' or 'Musait bir yerde lutfen' ( your hotel staff will help you with the pronounciation). Stop please will also work.
Please refrain from using a commonly used phrase by some English holiday makers 'Oi'
It is courteous to offer your seat to the elderly or, if you are a man or youngster, to offer your seat to a woman.
The prices are printed on sheet of paper which is usually fixed somewhere above the windscreen on the the front passengers side.
To stop the Dolmus at your destination you can use either of two Turkish phrases.
'Inecek var lutfen' or 'Musait bir yerde lutfen' ( your hotel staff will help you with the pronounciation). Stop please will also work.
Please refrain from using a commonly used phrase by some English holiday makers 'Oi'
So when I shouted stop, my kids were peeing themselves laughing cos the whole bus turned round and stared. I thought oops i wasnt supposed to say that, but obviously I was. Maybe I was a tad too loud.
I can prove i was right now.
Also make sure you now where you're going, our first year in icmeler, my mum and daughter got the dolmus down the road so they thought but missed where they were supposed to get off and we think ended up in Marmaris, they were very lost and wondered where they were, they ended up getting a taxi back and only just had enough money to pay the taxi driver. We still talk about that incident.
Bev
I can prove i was right now.
Also make sure you now where you're going, our first year in icmeler, my mum and daughter got the dolmus down the road so they thought but missed where they were supposed to get off and we think ended up in Marmaris, they were very lost and wondered where they were, they ended up getting a taxi back and only just had enough money to pay the taxi driver. We still talk about that incident.
Bev
the dolmus service is great, we used it from Olu up to Hisaronu/Fethiye for the first time this year (didnt use it at all last year) try to have some smaller change as we found on one journey where the driver had a child helping him that he just took the note and said "thats it", which had we not known how much it was going to be, you probably wouldn't think about it. So be aware!
they run very often and will stop between stops if you put your hand out. Would I use one for transfers? No, but then neither would I use the company as recommended above by becci. Although it was £65 return for both of us, I would in our experience not say it was a good service, but there are other options. Some hotels will also arrange transfers for you, and at times these prices can be less too. It maybe worth emailing them to find out!
Karen x
they run very often and will stop between stops if you put your hand out. Would I use one for transfers? No, but then neither would I use the company as recommended above by becci. Although it was £65 return for both of us, I would in our experience not say it was a good service, but there are other options. Some hotels will also arrange transfers for you, and at times these prices can be less too. It maybe worth emailing them to find out!
Karen x
Years ago we mostly went on holiday to cyprus ,where i always hired a small jeep ,as they drove on the same side as the uk .I will never forget the first time we went to turkey ,we were staying at the marmaris palace which is about halfway between marmaris and icmeler ,the first day we decided to go into icmeler as there was a market on ,we asked at reception how to get to icmeler and were told just go up to the main road and put your hand out when the dolmus comes along they all go to icmeler ,just as we got to the main road a dolmus was approaching so we ran and put our hand out,we got on paid the fair and duly ended up in marmaris ,we forgot that the turks drive on the right hand side of the road, 
one of many memories about the dolmus 
Bluepeterno1
one of many memories about the dolmus Bluepeterno1
You most certainly can travel on a dolmus with luggage. They store your suitcases etc in the boot! However, most people only use dolmus' for relatively short journeys.
Strawberry
Strawberry
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