Quick answer: BookRideNow runs private transfers from Antalya city to Side — roughly 65 km, usually 60 to 75 minutes door to door. You travel in your own Mercedes Vito (up to 6 passengers at one flat price), Maybach VIP or Sprinter minibus (up to 16), never in a shared shuttle. Because this is a city-to-resort route rather than an airport run, pricing works by fixed quote: message us on WhatsApp with your pickup point, date and passenger count, and you get a confirmed price in minutes. There is no prepayment — you simply pay the driver in cash on the day. Free cancellation, free child seats on request, and hotel-door or address pickup anywhere in Antalya.
Most people search for the coast-to-city direction, covered on our Side to Antalya transfer page. This page is for the opposite journey — leaving Antalya and heading east — which is just as common: day-trippers based in Antalya visiting one of Turkey's best-preserved ancient towns, holidaymakers relocating hotels mid-stay from city break to beach week, and guests with plans anchored on the Side end of the coast. Whatever brings you east, the logistics are the same: one car, one driver, one fixed price agreed before you get in.
Why Take a Private Transfer From Antalya to Side?
You can reach Side by public bus, but it is a two-stage trip: an intercity coach or dolmus to Manavgat, then a local minibus or taxi the last few kilometres into Side itself. With luggage, children or an evening return in mind, that turns "visit an ancient town" into "manage a small expedition". A private transfer removes the friction:
- Door to door. Pickup at your Antalya hotel, apartment or any address; drop-off exactly where you want in Side — the old town gate, your new hotel, the harbour.
- Your schedule, not a timetable. Leave at 7am to beat the heat at the Temple of Apollo, or at 4pm to arrive for sunset.
- Private vehicle only. We never pool passengers — no detours, no strangers, no waiting for a van to fill.
- Fixed price, agreed in advance. The quote you confirm on WhatsApp is the price you pay — in cash, to the driver, on the day.
- Space for a real move. A family's worth of suitcases fits easily in a Vito; a Sprinter swallows a whole group's luggage.
The Route: Distance and Journey Time
Antalya city and Side are connected by the D400 coastal highway; the drive passes Aksu, the Belek golf resorts and the Manavgat river basin before turning off toward the Side peninsula.
| Journey detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Distance | Approximately 65 km |
| Typical driving time | About 60–75 minutes, traffic depending |
| Route | D400 coastal highway via Aksu and Belek |
| Pickup | Any Antalya hotel, apartment or address |
| Drop-off | Anywhere in Side — old town, harbour, hotel door |
| Vehicle | Private Mercedes Vito, Maybach or Sprinter |
| Payment | Cash to the driver on the day, no prepayment |
Both figures are approximate — summer afternoons around Aksu and the Belek junctions can add time, one more argument for choosing your own departure hour. To compare every way of doing this corridor, our guide on how to get between Side and Antalya city walks through bus, taxi and private car honestly, in both directions.
Where in Side?
Side is not one drop-off point. The ancient town sits on a narrow peninsula with restricted vehicle access at certain hours; the resort hotels spread along Kumkoy, Sorgun, Titreyengol and Colakli. Tell us exactly where you are heading — a hotel name is perfect. If your goal is the ruins, the driver will drop you as close to the old town as access rules allow that day, typically a short, flat walk from the theatre and the colonnaded street.
Honest Pricing: How the Quote Works
We publish flat online prices for airport routes — for reference, Antalya Airport to Side in a Mercedes Vito is EUR 50 flat for 1–6 passengers, bookable directly on our Antalya Airport to Side transfer page. City-to-resort journeys like this one are quoted individually instead, because the fair price depends on details a fixed menu cannot capture: your exact pickup district, one-way or with an evening return, waiting time, vehicle class. So rather than print a number that might be wrong for your trip:
- Message +90 536 603 7584 on WhatsApp with your pickup address, destination in Side, date, time and passenger count.
- You receive a fixed, all-inclusive quote within minutes — a real person answers, not a bot.
- The quote covers the vehicle, driver, fuel and tolls. No surcharges appear later.
- You pay the driver in cash on the day of travel. Nothing is charged upfront, and cancellation is free.
That pay-on-the-day model is worth pausing on: you are not wiring money to a website weeks before your holiday, and if plans change you cancel by message and owe nothing. To see how our airport pricing compares across the coast, read the Antalya airport transfer prices guide.
The Vehicles
Every transfer runs in a late-model Mercedes, cleaned and air-conditioned, with a professional local driver.
| Vehicle | Capacity | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes Vito | Up to 6 passengers, one flat price for 1–6 | Couples, families, small groups — the same price whether two of you travel or six |
| Mercedes Maybach | Up to 6 passengers | VIP travel — arriving in Side in genuine comfort |
| Mercedes Sprinter | Up to 16 passengers | Large groups, big families, hotel relocations with serious luggage |
The Vito's flat 1–6 pricing matters here: a family of five pays the same as a couple, which usually makes the private car cheaper per person than five bus tickets plus local connections at each end.
Travelling With Children
Child and infant seats are free — just tell us your children's ages when you message, and the right seats are fitted before the driver sets off. On a 60–75 minute motorway journey that is not a nicety; it is the difference between a safe trip and holding a toddler on your lap on the D400. For a fuller picture, see our guide to family transfers with child seats. Families also appreciate the practical freedom: a toilet stop when needed, the pushchair in the boot rather than under a coach, and arriving at the ruins before the midday sun.
The Day-Trip Option: Antalya to Ancient Side and Back
Side is arguably the best half-day ancient site on this coast: a Hellenistic-Roman harbour town where the theatre, agora and the seafront Temple of Apollo sit inside a living village of lanes, cafes and small shops. It rewards an early start — and staying for the evening, when the temple columns are lit against the sea. Many Antalya-based guests therefore book it as a return trip: out in the morning, driver on call, home after dinner. Two ways to arrange it:
- Return transfer. Fixed drop-off and pickup times, quoted as one price. Simple and predictable.
- Driver-at-disposal. The car and driver stay with you for the day — useful if you want Side plus a stop in Manavgat or a flexible departure. This works like our private driver service in Antalya, quoted the same way on WhatsApp.
If browsing is part of the plan, see our Side shopping transfer page — the driver drops you at the bazaar lanes or shops you choose and waits while you shop.
Relocating Hotels Mid-Holiday
The other big group on this route: guests splitting one holiday between two bases — a few nights of city life, museums and Kaleici in Antalya, then a beach week in Side. A private transfer is built for exactly this. Checkout at your Antalya hotel, luggage straight into the vehicle, and you are handing bags to the bellboy in Side before lunch. No dragging suitcases across a bus station in Manavgat, no taxi negotiations at either end. We run the equivalent moves all along the coast; the Side to Belek transfer page covers the shortest of those hops.
Private Transfer vs Taxi vs Bus
Being straight about the alternatives:
- Public bus/dolmus: the cheapest way, fine for a solo traveller with a daypack. But it means at least one change in Manavgat, no seat guarantees in high season, and a hard limit on your evening — the last connections back to Antalya do not wait for dinner to finish.
- Street taxi: door to door, but the price is whatever the meter or the negotiation says at the end of a 65 km intercity run, and you cannot pre-book a specific vehicle, a child seat, or a written confirmation.
- Private transfer: the price is fixed in writing before you travel, the vehicle class and child seats are guaranteed, and the driver works to your plan. For two or more people, the per-head cost usually lands surprisingly close to the "cheap" options once you add up the real connections.
How Booking Works
Antalya-to-Side is a custom route, so booking runs through WhatsApp rather than the online form (the form at bookridenow.com handles airport-to-hotel transfers). The process:
- 1. Message us at wa.me/905366037584: pickup address, destination in Side, date, time, passengers, luggage, children's ages if any.
- 2. Get your fixed quote — usually within minutes, always all-inclusive.
- 3. Confirm. No deposit, no card details — you receive written confirmation.
- 4. Travel and pay the driver in cash on the day. Plans change? Cancel by message, free.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Side from Antalya?
Approximately 65 km along the D400. A private car typically covers it in 60 to 75 minutes, traffic depending.
How much does a private transfer from Antalya to Side cost?
City-to-resort routes are quoted individually, because the fair price depends on your exact pickup point, vehicle and whether you want a return. Message us on WhatsApp and you will have a fixed, all-inclusive quote in minutes.
Do I have to pay in advance?
No. There is no prepayment at all. You confirm the booking by message and pay the driver in cash on the day of travel.
Is the transfer really private?
Yes — always. The vehicle carries only your party. We never combine bookings or run shared shuttles.
Can I book a same-day evening return?
Yes. Return trips are one of the most common requests on this route — Side at sunset is worth staying for. Tell us your preferred pickup time back, or ask for the driver to remain at your disposal.
Where exactly will I be dropped in Side?
Wherever you like: your hotel door in Kumkoy, Sorgun, Colakli or Titreyengol, the harbour, or as close to the ancient old town as vehicle access permits that day.
Are child seats really free?
Yes. Tell us your children's ages when booking and the correct child or infant seats are fitted at no charge.
How many people fit in one vehicle?
The Vito takes up to 6 at one flat price, the Maybach up to 6 in VIP comfort, and the Sprinter groups of up to 16.
Can we stop along the way?
Short comfort stops are no problem — just mention them to the driver. If you want planned sightseeing stops or a flexible multi-stop day, ask for a driver-at-disposal quote instead.
What if my plans change after I book?
Cancellation is free. Message us and the booking is cancelled — you paid nothing upfront, so there is nothing to refund.
Is this the same service as the airport transfer?
Same company, same vehicles, different booking path. Airport-to-hotel routes book instantly online at bookridenow.com; city-to-city routes like this one are quoted on WhatsApp.
Do the drivers speak English?
Your booking is confirmed in writing in English on WhatsApp, so every detail — address, time, price — is agreed before travel, and our team is reachable in English throughout.
Can I book the reverse direction, Side to Antalya?
Of course — it is quoted the same way. See the dedicated Side to Antalya transfer page, or state the direction in your message.
Is one hour too long with small children?
It is a comfortable motorway hour in an air-conditioned Mercedes with proper child seats — far easier than the same journey as a bus-plus-dolmus chain, and you choose the departure time around nap schedules.
Ready to Go? Fix Your Price in Minutes
One WhatsApp message is all it takes: pickup point in Antalya, where in Side, date, time, how many of you. You will have a fixed quote in minutes, a confirmed private Mercedes, and nothing to pay until the day itself.
Message BookRideNow on WhatsApp now — or, if your journey starts at the airport instead, book instantly at bookridenow.com.