How To Get From Istanbul Airport To City Center In 2024
To get from Istanbul Airport (IST) to the city center you can use metro, bus, taxi, or private transfer. All of these options are explained in detail below.
How Many Are The Airports In Istanbul
Istanbul is served by two international airports: Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport. It is a major air travel hub with flights connecting Europe and the US with Asia and Africa.
Istanbul New Airport with airport code IST is located in Arnavutköy district on the European side of Istanbul, about 60 km from downtown Istanbul. The airport is new, modern, and huge. Since its opening in 2019, it has become one of the busiest airports in the world. Istanbul Airport has all the facilities you may need to find in an airport.
Sabiha Gokcen Airport with airport code SAW is a smaller airport. It is located in Pendik district on the Asian side of Istanbul. It serves many domestic flights and some international routes of low-cost carriers. Though smaller, Sabiha Gokcen Airport also offers a wide range of amenities.
Atatürk Airport is located in Yeşilköy district on the European side of Istanbul. It was the main international Istanbul airport until the opening of the new Istanbul Airport. Atatürk Airport operates under the ISL airport code. It serves mainly private flights, cargo flights, and some state and diplomatic flights. So, unless you land in Istanbul on a private jet, you don’t need to know how to get from Atatürk Airport to Istanbul city center.
How To Get To Istanbul From The Airport
Both Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport are well connected to different parts of the city by public transport.
Istanbul Airport Metro: The Cheapest Way To Get From Istanbul Airport To Istanbul City Center
If you want fast and cheap airport transportation, use the metro. The new M11 Istanbul Airport metro line, launched at the beginning of 2023, is the most time-efficient and cost-efficient way to get to and from Istanbul Airport to Istanbul. The M11 line is constantly expanding. It already goes to Gayrettepe station, where you can transfer to the M2 line, which goes to the historic center of Istanbul.
The Istanbul Airport metro station is conveniently located near the airport terminal, providing easy access to Istanbul center. From the Istanbul Airport arrivals hall follow the signs to the Metro station. You will need to walk through a passageway and then descend a few floors to reach the airport metro station. There are lifts and escalators available.
Before boarding the metro, you must purchase an Istanbul Card (Istanbul kart) . You can buy one at the vending machines on the arrivals hall level, or at the metro station. Istanbulkart is the only way to pay for using public transportation in Istanbul.
From Sabiha Gokcen Airport To The City Center By Metro
Take the M4 metro line from Sabiha Gokcen Airport in the direction of Kadıköy. Get off at Ayrılık Çeşmesi and transfer to Marmaray in the direction of Halkali to reach the historic center of Istanbul.
From Istanbul Airports to City Center By HAVAIST Shuttle Bus
Istanbul airport bus is called HAVAIST bus. Several bus lines connect the airports to different districts of Istanbul. They also connect Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport.
HAVAIST shuttle buses offer 12 routes connecting IST Airport to city at reasonable prices.
Check airport bus routes, timetables, and current prices at hava.ist.
Go to level -2 of the Istanbul Airport arrivals hall. You will find the HAVAIST ticket booth and route maps there. Each of the HAVAIST buses departs from the corresponding platform number. For example, HAVAIST-10 departs from platform 10.
The best thing about HAVAIST shuttle buses is that they run 24/7. This means you can reach Istanbul Airport or Istanbul center even at night when the metro is closed.
If you have a lot of luggage or if using public transport seems too confusing and complicated, you can get from both Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen Airport to the city by taxi or private airport transfer.
How To Get From Istanbul Airport To The City Center
As most travelers land in Istanbul at Istanbul Airport, I’ll dive deep into how to get from Istanbul Airport to Istanbul.
First of all, let’s clarify something: Istanbul is a huge city, and “city center” is a very tentative term. Sultanahmet and Taxim Square are the most popular areas among tourists, so I’ll show you how to get from the new Airport to Sultanahmet and to Taksim Square by public transportation.
How To Get From The New Istanbul International Airport To Sultanahmet Square (The Blue Mosque And Hagia Sophia)
From Istanbul Airport To Sultanahmet Square By Metro And Tram
Take the M11 metro line from Istanbul Airport to Gayrettepe and get off at Gayrettepe. Follow the signs to M2. You will walk around 10 minutes to transfer to the M2 metro line.
Take the M2 in the direction of Yenikapi and get off at Veznecıler – İstanbul Ünıversıtesı station. Exit near Istanbul University (İstanbul Ünıversıtesı).
Take the T1 tram in the direction of Eminönü and get off at Sultanahmet.
You will travel around an hour and a half. Traveling from Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet by metro and tram will cost you a little less than 60 TRY (1.80$).
From Istanbul Airport To Sultanahmet Square By HAVAIST Shuttle Bus
From Istanbul Airport take HVIST-12 bus line in the direction of Aksaray. Get off the bus at the last stop, Aksaray.
The HAVAIST bus stops at Murat Pasha Park. Walk through the small park to the Park Hotel. Turn to the left and walk for around 2 minutes until you reach the street with the tram line. The Yusufpaşa T1 tram stop will be to your right on the opposite side of the street.
Take the T1 tram line in the direction of Eminönü and get off at Sultanahmet.
You will travel for around two hours. Traveling from Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet by HAVAIST bus and tram will cost you a little less than 190 TRY (5.80$).
How To Get From Istanbul Airport To Taxim Square
How To Go From Istanbul Airport To Taxim Square by Metro
Take the M11 metro line from Istanbul Airport to Gayrettepe and get off at Gayrettepe. Follow the signs to M2. You will walk around 10 minutes to transfer to the M2 metro line.
Take the M2 in the direction of Yenikapi and get off at Taxim.
You will travel around one hour and 15 minutes. Traveling from Istanbul Airport to Taxim by metro will cost you a little over 40 TRY (1.20$).
How To Go From Istanbul Airport To Taxim Square by HAVAIST bus
From Istanbul Airport take HVIST-16 bus line in the direction of Taxim. Get off the bus at the last stop, which is close to Taxim Square. Walk around 500 meters to reach Taxim Square.
The journey time will be around an hour and 45 minutes. Traveling from Istanbul Airport to Taxim by HAVAIST bus will cost you 170 TRY (5.20$).
Taxi Or Private Airport Transfer From Istanbul Airport To The City
Taking an airport taxi or private airport transfer from Istanbul Airport toIstanbul is the best way to get to your destination quickly and comfortably. The travel time from IST airport to the city can vary depending on traffic, but on average it takes around 45 minutes.
Take an Istanbul Airport taxi or yellow taxi directly to your destination. If you prefer taking a taxi, you can easily find yellow taxis waiting outside the terminal.
Maybe you want to start your Istanbul adventure in style. Or maybe you have a lot of luggage or you just do not want to deal with Istanbul’s public transportation. In that case, book a private Istanbul airport transfer.
And I have a surprise for you: private transfers from Istanbul Airport to Istanbul are ridiculously cheap compared to what you might expect in such a huge city. Check them out for yourself and book a private transfer:
To wrap it up: Take public transportation from Istanbul Airport to the city center and you’ll find it’s cheap, comfortable, clean, and easy to navigate. If you prefer more comfort or have a lot of luggage, private transfers are reliable and affordable.
You can take the metro, the airport bus, or a taxi to reach the city center from Istanbul Airport.
The fastest way to get from Istanbul Airport to the city center is by taking a taxi or the metro.
Yes, there are taxi services available at Istanbul Airport to take you to the city center or any other destination.
You can take public buses or the Havaist airport shuttle buses from Istanbul Airport to different parts of the city, including the city center.
Yes, you can take the metro from Istanbul Airport which is a convenient way to reach the city center and other locations in Istanbul.
The metro station at Istanbul Airport is located just outside the airport terminal building, making it easily accessible for passengers.
It takes around 45-60 minutes to reach Taksim from Istanbul Airport by bus, depending on traffic conditions.
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