Night Buses in Turkey

---

Night buses in Turkey are quite an experience. Most people in Turkey travel by bus rather than plkane or train, so they are very nice. First of all you are assigned a seat on the bus; single women cannot sit next to a man they do not know. This might lead to innaporpriate contact during the night.

Second, there are no bathrooms ususally (it has been called to my attention that the more well known companies do have bathrooms). The bus makes stops every 2 hours or so. This can lead to issues for some people. The bathrooms at the reststops are usually the typical turkish toilet- a hole in the floor, no toilet paper, and a water bucket along side for washing your parts afterward. I had much fun with these after being woken up at 1, 2, 3, 4am to run to the toilet in the 15 minute break we had at the stations.

As soon as the bus starts, the bus attendant (usually a young guy in a tie or bowtie) offers you lemon scented oil for your hands and soda or water (sometimes cake, candy or tea/coffee). He continues this service throughout the trip and before you arrive at the final stop. The best bus service I have ever seen (much better than most airlines).

On very *special* night buses they play dubbed American movies all night long very loudly. I watched an old B movie with Jet Li where he comes back from the future to kill/save himself as a futuristic cop? Maybe?

However, you want to avoid seat 40ish because those are over the wheels, you want a window on night buses, bring earplugs and eye coverings, and you should bring toilet paper for those special time in the bathrooms in the middle of nowhere. Ambien is always much appreciated by your fellow travellers as well.

---