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Istanbul's
Atatürk International Airport
(IST) at Yesilyurt, 23
km (14 miles) west of Sultanahmet
Square, is the busiest of Turkey's
major airports.
It's the place most visitors land
first. (Here's visa info.)
The modern International Terminal Dis
Hatlar Terminali) is spacious
and efficient, with all the expected
services including ATMs (cash
machines) from which you can obtain New
Turkish Liras, currency
exchange offices, restaurants, cafes, shops, Emanet (Baggage
Check, Left Luggage) and an Airport
Hotel.
An underground passage (15-minute
walk) connects the International Terminal
with the older Domestic Terminal (Iç Hatlar
Terminali) and also the Istanbul
Metro,
called the Hafif Metro ("Light
rail system") on airport terminal
signs.
You can board a Metro train right
from the airport and ride to Zeytinburnu, where
you can transfer to
the Zeytinburnu-Besiktas
tram for the ride to Sultanahmet
Square, Sirkeci
Station, the Eminönü ferry
and Sea
Bus docks (map),
the Galata
Bridge, Karaköy and
its ferry docks, and the Kabatas
ferry docks and Füniküler to
Taksim
Square. Click
here for full info. The
ride takes about an hour to Sultanahmet,
1-1/2 hours to Taksim, and costs about
YTL3.
The first train leaves around 06:00
am, the last train leaves
shortly after midnight (24:00,
00:00, 12 am)
Stay on the Metro (ie, don't transfer
to the tram) to reach the Otogar (intercity
bus terminal).
A faster way to Taksim
Square is by express
city bus 96T, stopping at Yenikapi, Aksaray and
Taksim.
Various companies operate minibus
airport shuttle services. Backpackers
Travel, for
example, will have a driver meet
you inside the terminal with your
name on a sign, assist with your
luggage, and drive you directly to
your hotel. The cost is slightly
more than the taxi fare for one person,
but cheaper than the taxi for two
or more passengers. More...
A taxi from
the airport
to Sultanahmet costs
about YTL22 to YTL27; to Taksim
Square, about YTL28
to YTL32; add 50% if you travel between
24:00 (midnight)
and 06:00 am. The trip takes between
35 and 75 minutes, depending on traffic.
You can also go between the airport
and Sultanahmet and Sirkeci
Station by taxi
and suburban train.
in about an hour for about US$6/€4
or less.
Havas airport
buses, long the mainstay of airport-city
transfers, are being phased out. Traditionally,
they departed the Arrivals level of
both the International
and
Domestic
terminals. If they're still running
when you arrive, the trip to Taksim
takes between 45 and
65 minutes,
depending
upon traffic.
A half-dozen hotels are
within a few km of the airport, and
one is right within the International
terminal itself.
Istanbul's other airport is Sabiha
Gökçen International
Airport (SAW) on the
Asian side of the Bosphorus,
about 55 km (34 miles) east of
Atatürk
International Airport (IST). Here's how
to travel from Atatürk Airport
to Sabiha Gökçen Airport.
Left Luggage/Baggage Check
Airport
Hotels
Havas Airport Buses
Sabiha
Gökçen Int'l Airport
(SAW)
How
to Travel from Atatürk Airport
to Sabiha Gökçen Airport
Istanbul Transport
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of Istanbul & Region
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in Turkey
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