Can I walk from one entrance to the other?
The site has two entrances. If your route finishes at the other gate, arrange collection there or allow for returning to where you parked.
Day trip · Kuşadası to Ephesus
Kuşadası to Ephesus: transport and arrival guide.
Choose an entrance before arranging the journey. Ephesus has two gates, and the archaeological site is separate from the museum in Selçuk.
Illustration of the Library of Celsus at Ephesus.
Head for the archaeological site, not the town museum
For the ruins, ask for Efes Örenyeri and name the Lower Gate, Alt Kapı, or the Upper Gate, Üst Kapı. The official visitor address is Atatürk Mahallesi, Efes Alt Kapı Sokak No: 53, Selçuk. The Ephesus Museum is a separate visit in central Selçuk.
Choose a journey and an entrance
Agree the gate before setting off, especially when arriving and leaving at different entrances.
Scroll across the table to see every column.
| Option | Arrival | Return plan |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi or arranged driver | Your agreed gate | Choose a pickup gate and time. State whether the price includes waiting. |
| Your own car | Parking at your chosen entrance | A walk out through the other gate leaves you away from your car. |
| Via Selçuk | Connect from Selçuk towards Efes by dolmuş or taxi | Confirm the actual stop and return departure. A roadside junction is not the ticket entrance. |
Lower Gate and Upper Gate
The Lower Gate address is useful for a direct driving route from Soul House. The Upper Gate is a different arrival point on the opposite side of the visitor route. Give the driver the gate name, rather than only saying Ephesus.
If you plan to enter at one gate and leave at the other, settle the pickup before going in. Drivers need a named meeting point; a message saying you are outside the ruins is not enough.
Travelling through Selçuk
Selçuk Municipality confirms taxi and dolmuş connections from the town centre to Ephesus. If you use public transport from Kuşadası, the journey has two parts: reaching Selçuk and completing the connection to the archaeological site.
At boarding, ask whether the vehicle reaches a gate or leaves you at the road turnoff. That last stretch matters with children, luggage or limited walking time. Confirm the final return departure before entering the site.
Daytime hours, tickets and evening visits
On 2 October 2026, the official Ephesus page lists daytime opening at 08:00, closing at 18:00 and ticket office closing at 17:45. Those are three separate times. Check the official page for your visit date before setting your departure.
Evening visits follow a separate programme and can have date specific cancellations. The Terrace Houses have their own entrance inside the archaeological site. Check the ticket coverage for the visit you want instead of assuming every exhibit is included.
What to include in the day
The Library of Celsus and Great Theatre are part of the archaeological site visit. The museum in Selçuk displays finds from the area and needs a separate stop. Combining them makes sense if you want the objects as well as the ruins, but do not mistake the museum address for the site entrance.
Take water, sun protection and shoes suited to stone paths. Keep the return arrangement saved on your phone. Visitors arriving from a ship should plan around the ship's all aboard time rather than an ordinary hotel day trip.
Questions about the visit
Are the Terrace Houses the museum in Selçuk?
No. The Terrace Houses are inside the archaeological site with a separate entrance. The Ephesus Museum is in Selçuk town.
Sources and visitor information
Sources checked: 2 October 2026.
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