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Van
Covered transportation vehicle

Van

A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people.

Plan a trip to Van→

There is some variation in the scope of the word across the different English-speaking countries. The smallest vans, microvans, are used for transporting either goods or people in tiny quantities. Mini MPVs, compact MPVs, and MPVs are all small vans usually used for transporting people in small quantities. Larger vans with passenger seats are used for institutional purposes, such as transporting students. Larger vans with only front seats are often used for business purposes, to carry goods and equipment. Specially equipped vans are used by television stations as mobile studios. Postal services and courier companies use large step vans to deliver packages.

Get in

Getting to Van

Highway D300 transects Turkey from Izmir on the Aegean coast via Konya, Kayseri, Malatya, Bitlis and Van right up to the border with Iran at Razi. It's a good fast highway, mostly undivided, but priority for the snowplows in winter. From Ankara take O-21 south (toll) then join D300 towards Kayseri. You could also take D200 / E88 east past Sivas and Erzincan.

  1. 01
    Van Garı is 1 km north

    This is the main station, the ferry pier is not shown as a separate station.

  2. 02
    Van Ferit Melen Airport
See

Worth seeing

  1. 01
    Van Castle

    The fortress stands on a 100 m-high bluff near the lake shore, with great vistas over the town and lake.

  2. 02
    Lake Van Monster
  3. 03
    Akdamar Island

    The church of Surp Khach or Holy Cross is the only remnant of a 10th century Armenian palace and monastery complex on Akdamar.

Do

Things to do

Beaches are found south of Edremit (sandy) and around Mollakasım north of Cape Çarpanak (pebble). The water is hypersaline so swimming is no fun. Birdwatching: Lake Erçek 30 km east along D300 towards Kapıköy is an important site for migrating waterbirds. Basketball and soccer are played at amateur level.

Eat

Where to eat

Kahvaltı salonu are "breakfast halls", typically open early to 18:00: dozens in city centre. You're served a huge amount of food and unlimited tea.

How locals move

Getting around Van the local way

  • Get inThey leave Tehran W & Su at 12:30 for Tabriz at 01:30, then four hours of border procedures at Razi / Kapıköy, to arrive at Van ferry pier at 11:00.
  • Get inThis is the main station, the ferry pier is not shown as a separate station.
  • Get inFerries across the lake from Tatvan sail infrequently and irregularly and take 4 hours.
  • Get aroundFor the castle and museum take a dolmuş signed "Kale", which means castle but also refers to the sprawling suburb north of it.
  • Get aroundA dolmuş ride costs 20 TL in 2025, pay the driver as you get in.

From Wikivoyage: Van, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.