Demand for intercity bus travel in Türkiye is increasing as the upcoming Eid al‑Fitr holiday coincides with the mid-term school break, prompting bus companies to add thousands of extra tickets to accommodate travelers, according to a sector representative.
“We plan to put 12,000 additional bus tickets on sale as of March 14. With the additional services during the holiday period, we aim to transport nearly 8 million passengers,” All Bus Operators Federation of Türkiye (TOF) President Mustafa Yıldırım said.
Yıldırım said 343 bus companies currently operate about 8,000 buses across the country.
Under normal conditions, around 22,000 intercity bus trips are operated daily in Türkiye, he said. However, during peak travel periods such as national holidays and long breaks, that number can increase to around 27,000.
This year, the mid-term school holiday in the 2025–2026 academic calendar coincides with Eid al-Fitr, extending the holiday period to nine days.
According to Yıldırım, demand is particularly strong for trips to popular holiday destinations, while many people are also traveling to their hometowns to spend the religious holiday with family.
“There is less demand on the first and second days of the holiday, but the other days are quite busy,” he said.
With heavy traffic expected during the holiday period, Yıldırım urged both drivers and passengers to exercise extra caution.
He noted that bus accidents sometimes occur during peak travel periods and emphasized that preventing drivers from operating vehicles while fatigued, sleep-deprived or with poorly maintained buses can significantly reduce risks.
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.
The holiday is one of the country’s most important religious celebrations and is typically spent visiting family members, exchanging gifts and sharing festive meals. Because many people return to their hometowns during the period, Eid holidays often trigger one of the busiest travel seasons of the year in Türkiye.
