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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)
Eskişehir
Give Eskişehir one full day and one night: Odunpazarı old town in the morning, the Porsuk river strip and Haller in the evening. Two nights if you add Sazova or a Phrygian Valley day.
Eskişehir is a student city of about 900,000 on the Ankara–Istanbul high-speed line, 90 minutes from Ankara and 3 hours from Istanbul. The old quarter, Odunpazarı, is compact and walkable; the modern centre sits 2 km north around the Porsuk River. It is a liberal, English-friendly stop in a conservative region, and it works as a rail break rather than a destination in itself.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, dry), Dec–Feb (cold, snow)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TRY
- Money
- Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₺1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid ₺2,000–3,500 excl. bed · High ₺3,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
- Water
- Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Çi börek (one) | ₺60–120 |
| Donas wrap | ₺80–150 |
| Coffee | ₺60–120 |
| Museum entry | ₺50–200 |
| Tram ride | ₺20–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AOE · Hasan Polatkan Airport
- 6 km (3.7 mi) north of town, part of the technical university; seasonal international flights only, no domestic routes and no public transport — check before booking3.7 mi (6 km) north of town, part of the technical university; seasonal international flights only, no domestic routes and no public transport — check before booking
- SAW · Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen
- Most convenient Istanbul airport: taxi or bus about 10 km (6.2 mi) to Pendik, then YHT train to EskişehirMost convenient Istanbul airport: taxi or bus about 6.2 mi (10 km) to Pendik, then YHT train to Eskişehir
- ESB · Ankara Esenboğa
- Alternative: Ankara is 90 min from Eskişehir by YHT
Typical fares
- YHT Ankara → Eskişehir
- about 90 min; book on TCDD
- YHT Istanbul → Eskişehir
- about 3 h via Pendik
- Tram, single ride
- ₺20–30
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Trams do the work: Line 1 links the otogar, Odunpazarı, Çarşı, the railway station and Anadolu University; Lines 3, 4, 7, 10 and 12 cover the rest. Walk Odunpazarı on foot. Dolmuşes and city buses fill the gaps; taxis are hailed by pressing the wall buttons on main streets.
See and do
Known for
- Odunpazarı Ottoman old town
- Porsuk River and Adalar strip
- Meerschaum (lületaşı) carving
- Çi börek and donas
- Anadolu University student life
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sivrihisar | Bus or car east on D200, about 90 km (56 mi)Bus or car east on D200, about 56 mi (90 km) | About 1.5 h each way |
| Phrygian Valley and Yazılı | Car or tour south via Seyitgazi, about 70 km (43 mi) to YazılıCar or tour south via Seyitgazi, about 43 mi (70 km) to Yazılı | 2 h+ each way |
| Kütahya | Train or bus southwest | About 1.5–2 h |
| Ankara | YHT high-speed train | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Köprübaşı / Çarşı (modern centre)
- Around the Porsuk bridge: trams, cafés, shops and the Adalar riverside strip. Best for one night with bags.
- Odunpazarı (old town)
- Renovated Ottoman houses and museums; quieter evenings, 2 km (1.2 mi) south of the centre, tram to Atatürk Lisesi.Renovated Ottoman houses and museums; quieter evenings, 1.2 mi (2 km) south of the centre, tram to Atatürk Lisesi.
- Railway station / Hoşnudiye
- YHT station, Espark mall and Haller Gençlik Merkezi within walking distance; practical for early trains.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Merhabamer-ha-BA |
| Thank you | Teşekkürlerte-shek-kür-LER |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?ne ka-DAR |
| The bill, please | Hesap, lütfenhe-SAP lüt-fen |
| Where is the tram stop? | Tram durağı nerede?tram du-ra-ı ne-RE-de |
| Can I pay by card? | Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?kart-la ö-de-ye-bi-lir mi-yim |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
- Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
- Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
- Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
- Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
- Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
- Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone
Scams and watch-outs
- Odunpazarı museums mostly close on Mondays — check each one.
- Some Sazova Park attractions have been closed or derelict; check before paying to go out there.
- Winter is cold and snowy; summer afternoons are hot and dry.
- Hasan Polatkan Airport has no domestic flights and no public transport — do not plan on it.
Eskişehir is a liberal student city and feels safe day and night. Usual big-city care with pickpockets in crowds, and check taxi meters; 112 covers everything.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Eskişehir yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Odunpazarı Ottoman old town
- Porsuk River and Adalar strip
- Meerschaum (lületaşı) carving
- Çi börek and donas
- Anadolu University student life
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Odunpazarı Municipality: www.odunpazari.bel.tr
- TCDD (Turkish State Railways) e-ticket: ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr/
- Wikivoyage: Eskişehir, revision 5231323 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5231323
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Eskişehir
Bu adrese, lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All emergencies112
No embassies in Eskişehir; Ankara has the embassies and Istanbul the consulates-general.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/eskisehir). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.