DW and I are planning a trip to Turkey in April of this year. One week in Istanbul, fly to Antalya for three days, Fethiye and Rhodes for three days, Selcuk/Izmir for three days.
Fly back to Istanbul for afternoon flight home (US). We are learning to travel without a car.
We are looking at bus travel, Antalya to Fethiye is simple, no problem. Fethiye to Izmir is listed to take approx. 5-6 hours. If we take a bus to Selcuk my searches say 7 or more hours. We would prefer to base our time in Selcuk but are reluctant to spend over 7 hours on the bus.
I have questions: Is my information accurate? Or is there a quicker way to get to Selcuk?
At the end of our time in Selcuk/Izmir we intend to fly back to IST. Our return flight is 14:20 out of IST.
There are several early flights (07:00-11:00) out of Izmir (1 hour flight time). Does it make sense to take morning flight to IST for an afternoon flight home or do we need to return to IST the night before?

Your insight and advice would be very much appreciated.

If your budget allows it, take a taxi which is estimated to cost $90 to $110.

https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Fethiye...7uk#r/Taxi/s/0

It's quicker if you change bus at Aydin. Frequent buses from Aydin to Selcuk.

Bus to Aydin it is. Might even take a taxi from there to Selcuk. Thank you all.

Afaik the Kas - Megisti ferry rund from June 1st only whereas the Rhodos - Marmaris ferry runs from May 1st only..
So you would have to backtrack from Rhodes to Fethiye.
Things would be much esier, if you would visit Pamukkale instead oi Fethiye and Rhodos.
There are plenty of minibuses between Aydin, Selcuk, Ephesos and Kusadasi.
After having visited the huge ruins around Antalya (Aspendos, Side, Perge, etc.) I wonder whether Ephesos will bring you much more.

Thank you, that is useful info. Originally I had hoped to go fethiye to Rhodes to marmaris. But realized that might not be possible that early in the season (as pointed out). We aren't interested in Pamukkale and will be staying on our current path. And again fethiye to aydin with short small bus to Selcuk or kasadasi appears to be quick enough for us.

There is no problem. Take any Fethiye - Izmir bus and leave it at Aydin
https://www.busbud.com/en/bus-schedu...02-22&adults=1