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About Kars
One of the easternmost cities in Turkey, Kars is situated in the Eastern Anatolian region with a population of nearly 305,000.
Kars records freezing temperatures in winter, and it is not recommended to go out due to the snow and ice particularly at night. This is a city with a very harsh continental climate, however, Kars receives the highest amount of precipitation during summertime, which sets it apart from other cities of the region. It is thanks to these rains that it enjoys a mild summer.
The Ruins of Ani on the border with Armenia are remains of one of the oldest settlements that is a meeting point for the civilizations of the region. Kars also has an interesting array of 19th century architecture from the time when it was under control of the Russian Empire. In addition, there are many historical sites in the area such as Kars Castle, Kars Museum, Havariler Kilisesi (Church of Apostles), Taş Köprü (Stone Bridge), and Katerina Hunting Lodge at Sarıkamış. We recommend you to drop by Sarıkamış, which has gained popularity over the recent years as a ski resort. Kars cuisine includes unique tastes such as hangel (pasta dish with yoghurt sauce), haşıl (dish with cracked wheat and yoghurt sauce), roasted and stuffed goose, and stuffed apples, to be topped with umaç halva as a dessert.
With five districts in addition to Sarıkamış, Kağızman and the central district, Kars is accessible by rail with the Eastern Express. There are daily flights to the Kars Airport located in the city; and there are scheduled bus services to and from most cities. If you are travelling in winter, make sure you take the necessary precautions not to get stranded in the snow.
Transportation to Kars City Center from Airport
Harakani Airport
Kars Airport is only 7 kilometer from the city center. If you want to get to the city center from the airport, you can prefer taxi, municipal bus and rental car as well as the Sınır Tourism shuttle services that provide transportation service in agreement with airline companies. The hotels in Sarıkamış Winter Sports Center also offer airport shuttle service.
Taxi
You can take a taxi, which is always the easiest way, to go to the city center or the surrounding districts and villages from Kars Airport. You can reach the city center in 10 minutes without waiting. The taxis waiting at the airport according to plane landings are usually used as share taxi by taking more than one passenger.
This is because there is a limited number of taxis at the airport and some taxi drivers would like to earn more by asking for the same taxi fare from more than one passenger. Before taking a taxi, it would be useful to ask if the taxi fare can be shared or not.
Airport Shuttle Services (Sınır Tourism)
The airport shuttle services which provide shuttle service according to landing hours go up to Faikbey Street in Kars city center and drop the passengers off in front of Vergül Tourism agency. The same shuttle company also provides transportation service 30 minutes after landing for the passengers who would like to go Ardahan from Kars Airport. The shuttle services go up to the Sınır Tourism agency on Kongre Street in Ardahan city center.
There is only one car rental company called Öz Sema Otomotiv which serves at Kars Airport. For this reason, you are strongly recommended to book your car in advance if you want to rent a car. You can reach the authorized person by calling the office at 0-474- 212 08 18. If you are going to get to the places like Ani Ören Yeri (Ani Ruins) and Sarıkamış Winter Sports Center and if you travel more than one person, renting a car may be a more flexible and practical solution for you.
Bus
You can also prefer to go to the city center by bus from Kars Airport. There is only one municipal bus to the city center and it runs according to flight times. The municipal bus, which departs at the airport, goes up to the Lion Statues (in front of the Zafer Kuyumcusu – Jewelry Store) in the city center. If you are going to the surrounding cities or the tourist attractions like Ani Ruins, you can get to the bus station from the city center.
Since the bus station and the airport are located on different routes, you can benefit from minibuses or the shuttle services of the bus transportation companies once you arrive at the city center. The bus station is 3 kilometers away from the city center. You can take the buses provided by Sarıkamış Municipality, which depart from the city center, to reach the hotels in Sarıkamış Ski Resort. Though most of the hotels in Sarıkamış welcome their guests at the airport by offering shuttle services, you should ask your hotel if they offer shuttle transfer service considering your transportation options. The ski resort is 50 kilometers from the airport and 60 kilometers from the city center.
