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Istanbul is
a large, congested, bustling city. You'll
enjoy your visit much more if you
know how to get around before you
arrive. Click
here for maps of Istanbul & Region.
AIRPORTS
Istanbul has two airports,
the major Atatürk
International Airport near Yesilköy 23
km (14 miles) west of the city center,
reachable by Metro (map);
and Sabiha
Gökçen Airport on
the east side of the Bosphorus.
Here's
how to travel from one airport
to the other.
AKBIL TRANSIT
PASS
This magic little transit pass gets you
cheaper rides on every sort of public
transport in Istanbul: Metro, tram,
bus, ferry, train. More...
CITY
BUS
City bus routes get you to some places you'll want
to visit. Buy tickets (less than US$1) before
boarding at kiosks (often white fiberglass cubes)
labeled "I.E.T.T" and/or "Bilet" (ticket),
or use the Akbil prepaid electronic
fare system. More...
INTERCITY
BUS
Istanbul has two intercity bus terminals, the major Istanbul
International Bus Terminal (Büyük
Otogar) at Bayrampasa/ Esenler on the
western side of the Bosphorus (reachable
by Metro: map),
serving the entire country as well as Greece, Bulgaria,
the Balkans and Europe;
and the Harem Otogar on the eastern
shore of the Bosphorus north
of Haydarpasa Station,
serving Anatolian Turkey and the Middle
East.
TRAM
You'll find Istanbul's two tram
lines useful (map),
even though they're as different as
can be. Although the nostalgic 19th-century Istiklal
Caddesi tram is more fun, the Eminönü/Kabatas-Zeytinburnu
tram is the more useful, and can
help you travel between the heart of
the tourist district at Sultanahmet
Square and the Otogar (bus
terminal) and/or Atatürk
Airport. More...
METRO
Two lines of Istanbul's Metro system are
in operation (map).
The most useful for foreign visitors is the light-rail
line connecting Atatürk
Airport and Aksaray
Square via Istanbul's
mammoth Otogar
(intercity bus station), at which you can
board a bus to any part of Turkey or to virtually
any country within 1000 miles (1600 km) of Istanbul.
Change to the tram at
Zeytinburnu to reach Old
Istanbul. Also, a standard-gauge Metro line goes
north from Taksim
Square to the commercial districts. More...
TÜNEL
Tünel is
Istanbul's little 19th-century two-station
underground train connecting Karaköy
(Galata) and the southwestern end of Istiklal
Caddesi. It's convenient and fun. More...
FÜNIKÜLER
Inaugurated in 2006, the Füniküler (underground
funicular) connects Taksim
Square and
Kabatas on
the Bosphorus shore.
At
Kabatas you
can board a ferryboat,
sea bus, or the Zeytinburnu
tram. More...
SUBURBAN
TRAIN
Suburban commuter trains depart Sirkeci
Station, trundle around Seraglio
Point and continue along the Sea
of Marmara shore stopping at the Yenikapi
Ferry Terminal (for intercity car
and passenger ferries across the Sea
of Marmara) and at Yesilyurt near Atatürk
International Airport. More...
Slightly better suburban trains depart Haydarpasa
Station and travel along the
northern shore of the Sea
of Marmara on the Asian side
of the Bosphorus. More...
FERRYBOAT
Traditional white IDO
ferries and private TurYol
ferries
serve shorter water routes, and are
the most enjoyable way to get around
Istanbul. More...
Special daily Touristic
Bosphorus Ferries run from Eminönü's Dock
2 up the Bosphorus almost
to the Black
Sea several times daily.
Both catamaran seabuses and ferryboats
travel to the Princes
Islands near Istanbul in the Sea
of Marmara. More...
"SEA
BUS" CATAMARAN
Sleek modern passenger catamarans zoom around the
city at rush hour, and out to the Princes
Islands several times daily. There are even Sea
of Marmara routes to Yalova and Bandirma on
the sea's southern shore. More...
SHIPS & CRUISE
LINES
Foreign cruise ships and
international ferries dock at the Yolcu
Salonu in Karaköy at
the northern end of the Galata
Bridge over the Golden
Horn, right in the center of
the city. More...
TAXI
Thousands of yellow taxis, most
powered by clean-burning natural
gas, throng Istanbul's streets.
You'll find them useful and not overly
expensive. More...
DOLMUS MINIBUS
Dolmus means "filled," which
is what the vehicle needs to be before
it departs on its customary route.
The dolmus (DOHL-moosh) is
Turkey's shared taxi or minibus.
You may find them helpful occasionally
in Istanbul.
ON
FOOT
The best way to get around Istanbul's
compact medieval core is on foot. Traffic
is often so heavy, and traffic patterns
so circuitous, that you can often walk
somewhere faster than riding. More...
Maps
of Istanbul & Region
Transportation
in Turkey
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