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Transportation By Air
Ataturk International
Airport is the main airport of
Istanbul located on the European part of the city which is
about 20-25 km from city centre. There are direct flights to
every European capital, and many to Asia, USA and the Middle
East as well as domestic flight to the major cities of
Turkey. There is a metro connection to Aksaray (not too far
from Sultanahmet) from the airport. See below for more
detailed information from Istanbul airports to the city.
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Bosphorus, separating Asia
and Europe |
The domestic terminal has
flights to every domestic airport in the country, with
several a day to major cities like Antalya, Ankara and Izmir.
Most international flights to other cities stops at Ataturk
International Airport, although there are also direct
flights to few other cities such as Antalya, Izmir and
Bodrum which are rare and available only during peak summer
season.
Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, opened in 2001.
This airport, with a capacity of 3 million international
passengers per year, is on the Asian side of Istanbul, 42 km
away from Taksim Square in the city center. Usually cheap
charter flight companies flies to Sabiha Gokcen Airport, but
remember the transportation to the city center (Taksim or
Sultanahmet) is fairly costly and take long time)
Airlines
Most major European airports are 2-4 hours away from
Istanbul by air, and from the east coast of North America it
is about a 10-hour journey. Istanbul
is readily accessible from all parts of the world, and
served by more than 50 airlines.
Turkish Airlines (THY) is the
national carrier. Turkish Airlines
(THY) offers direct flights
from 77 cities around the world.
Web Site: http://www.thy.com
Cargo Flights
Turkish Airlines Cargo Service (TK) offers a variety of
services designed to meet shipping needs and transport
requirements.
The maximum dimensions for packages on passenger aircraft
are 80 x 120 x 130 cm.
Useful contacts for air travel:
Ataturk Airport: (+90 212) 465 30 00
See Website Check Current Flight Arrivals & Delays
Sabiha Gokcen Airport +90 216 585 50 00
See Website
Current Flight Arrivals and Delays
Turkish Airlines (THY) Reservation: (+90 212) 444 0
849
THY Website
Havatas Airport Shuttle Service:
See their
website
Flight Distances
The list of distances from major cities to Istanbul (air
miles)
|
City
Name |
Flight
Distance |
City
Name |
Flight
Distance |
City
Name |
Flight
Distance |
|
Athens |
349 |
Madrid |
1564 |
Zurich |
1000 |
|
Amsterdam |
1253 |
Moscow |
1028 |
Tel Aviv |
688 |
|
Berlin |
992 |
Oslo |
1520 |
Kuwait |
1605 |
|
Bucharest |
305 |
Paris |
1277 |
Bahrain |
1697 |
|
Budapest |
614 |
Prague |
868 |
New York |
4538 |
|
Brussels |
1226 |
Rome |
839 |
Los Angeles |
5220 |
|
Copenhagen |
1144 |
Sofia |
271 |
Rio de laneiro |
6400 |
|
Dublin |
1568 |
Stockholm |
1290 |
Buenos Aires |
7570 |
|
Helsinki |
1295 |
Vienna |
748 |
Beijing |
4159 |
|
Lisbon |
1860 |
Warsaw |
842 |
Tokyo |
5291 |
|
London |
1423 |
Zagreb |
947 |
Cape Town |
4908 |
Public Transportation
Public buses are operated by
IETT
company, a corporation owned by Istanbul Municipality. There
are public buses to almost every corner of the city. There
are also "private public buses" (Ozel Halk Otobusu)
which are also operated under the control of IETT. Although
they are owned privately, the pricing and ticket system is
the same. In 2009 an express public bus system was launched
between major locations, known as Metrobus. As the name
suggests, these are big buses running on a lane assigned
only for them on the main roads. Thus they move faster,
independent form city traffic. Metrobus lines combine outer
residential districts of the city and are not very useful
for tourist transportation.
Please check the IETT website for public bus schedules
within Istanbul
http://www.iett.gov.tr/en/
Alternative public transportation systems are tramcar, metro
and subway lines operated by
Istanbul Ulasim. The most useful public railway lines
are Ataturk Airport-Aksaray
metro line and Zeytinburnu-Kabatas tramcar line. Scheduled total duration of journey between Ataturk
Airport and Aksaray is 32 minutes. There is also a real
subway metro, running between Taksim and Maslak districts
(near Sariyer) which is short and combines some residential
and business districts to Taksim. Big shopping malls are
located near the 2nd, 3rd subway stations, if you start from
Taksim.
If you will stay in the city more than one week and your
intention is to use public system very often, it is highly
recommended to buy AKBIL electronic tickets, which can be
purchased and refilled at kiosks available in central bus/metro stations. AKBIL
tickets work for all public systems, including public buses,
ferryboats, metro and trams. Otherwise, public
transportation tickets and tokens can be obtained from
ticket automats or from kiosks
near major stations. You can also buy Istanbul Card
which can be filled up to 10 tickets otherwise tickets
purchased one by one will cost twice than using AKBIL or
Istanbul Card. (Public transportation with AKBIL for one way costs around 1,2
US $ or 0.8 Euros in Istanbul. After first use of AKBIL, you
get approximately %50 discount for 5 different "combining
lines" you take within 2 hours. Ticket costs will be deduced from the
amount of money you
deposited to your AKBIL.
Airport-City Transportation
Unfortunately the Ataturk Airport "metro" line ends in
Aksaray and does not connect all the way to Sultanahmet and
Taksim. From Aksaray terminal, you can go to Sultanahmet
with tramcar by walking to
Yusufpasa tram station. You can also get on to tramcar
from
Zeytinburnu which is an interchange station between
metro and tramway systems. The scheduled journey time
between Zeytinburnu -
Kabatas is about 50 minutes. Kabatas is connected
to Taksim Subway by a funicular. Although it is just a
minute lasting journey, you need to pay for this
additionally.
From Aksaray you will need to take a bus to Taksim, if you
are arriving from Ataturk Airport. The most comfortable and
comparatively economic way of getting to Taksim from Ataturk
Airport are using privately operated
Havatas
airport shuttles. Havatas shuttles to Taksim are also
available from Sabiha Gokcen Airport on the Asian side of
Istanbul, which is the most recommended transportation
option if you plane is landing there. Any of these Havatas shuttles do not
go to Sultanahmet, but the ones coming from Ataturk Airport pass through Aksaray.
Most
gay-friendly hotels listed on our website provide free
airport transfer as a promotion. The travel agencies
and most other hotels also offer private transportation. You
can contact gay&lesbian owned
Pride Travel Agency for their private airport
transportation options. They offer discounted rates if you book
your hotel from the agency.
Sea Transportation
The company owned by Istanbul municipality (IDO)
which was controlling all maritime lines within city has
been divided in 2 companies in 2010 for a privatization
program. Now, Urban Maritime Transportation company (Sehir
Hatlari) operates conventional ferryboat lines and IDO
operates fast ferryboats and Sea Buses (Deniz
Otobusu). Fast and conventional ferryboats run between
various coastal districts of Istanbul. Kadikoy-Haydarpasa-Karakoy; Eminonu-Uskudar; Eminonu-Kadikoy; Besiktas-Kadikoy;
Besiktas-Uskudar; Kabatas-Prince’s Islands;
Kabatas-Kadikoy; Kabatas-Bostanci (sea bus); Yenikapi-Yalova
(fast ferry), Yenikapi-Bursa (fast ferry);
Yenikapi-Kadikoy-Bostanci (sea bus); Uskudar-Eminonu-Eyup
(Golden Horn)
are popular ferryboat/sea-bus lines.
Kabatas ferry pier (vapur iskelesi) can be reached by funicular from
Taksim, and by tramcar from Sultanahmet. Eminonu/Sirkeci
ferry piers are located some 10-15
minutes walking distance from Sultanahmet square, can also
be reached by the tramcar.
Yenikapi sea bus pier is located on the coastal part of
Aksaray district, some 5 minutes walking distance to Aksaray's town square.
Most
enjoyable ferryboat journey would be taking the morning
Bosphorus cruise (Bogaz turu) of with public
ferryboats from Eminonu to Sariyer. Bogaz turu takes
a little over an hour and stops in Besiktas (not far from
Taksim, if you want to get on the ferry here) and several
other small towns and villages along the Bosphorus.
Istanbul Maritime Lines run both the urban and
national transport.
Intercity boats operate from Istanbul to the following Black
Sea towns: Zonguldak, Sinop, Samsun, Giresun, Trabzon, Rize,
as well as Izmir and Bursa. Marmara Lines run to Marmara
Island, Bandirma and Mudanya located on the shores of
Marmara Sea. Istanbul's International port is
located centrally not far from Taksim and Sultanahmet, in
Salipazari/Karakoy district. Huge ships of international
cruise liners dock here. Foreigners who arrive in Turkey by
cruise liners and sleep on the ship are allowed to enter
Turkey without a visa, with the permission given by the
local custom authorities as soon as you set foot ashore.
Useful links:
Istanbul Maritime Lines (IDO) for Sea Bus and Fast Ferries
Conventional Ferryboat Lines - Istanbul Sehir hatlari
Turkish
Maritime Lines
Railway &
Suburb Train
Trains are not as popular as
intercity coaches for long distance transportation, with a much smaller network.
There are rail connections from Istanbul to Ankara, Izmir and Eastern
Anatolian cities. Trains are old-fashioned and most of the services are
much slower than buses, although between the three main
cities there are Mavi Tren and Ekspres trains which are faster and
more comfortable.
A much faster train system (Hizli Tren) has been
partially completed between Istanbul and Ankara.
Reservations are essential for intercity journeys, and there are several
classes of seats and sleepers. International services from Sirkeci (on the
European side) and Haydarpasa (Asian side) stations include Vienna, Munich,
Budapest, Salonica, (via Eskisehir, Konya, and Gaziantep), Aleppo, (via
Tatvan and Van), Tehran, Moscow and Bucharest. Trains heading west leave
from Sirkeci, and east from Haydarpasa Train Station (tren istasyonu).
Suburb train (Banliyo treni) runs between Sirkeci and Halkali on the
European side, and Haydarpasa and Gebze train terminals on the
Asian side of Istanbul. Urban train system is old and it is
not a popular choice among public transportation options
within the city for major districts. Both lines run along
the Marmara coast on the European and Asian legs of Istanbul.
Sirkeci train terminal is some 10-15 minutes
walking distance to Sultanahmet square.
Haydarpasa terminal is near Kadikoy city
center. Most (but not all) Karakoy-Kadikoy ferryboats stops
at the ferry pier by Haydarpasa train terminal.
The name of the stations for Istanbul suburb train in order
are as below:
Sirkeci-Halkali (Scheduled time of total journey is 53
minutes)
Sirkeci, Cankurtaran, Kumkapi (fish restaurants), Yenikapi
(ferryboat), K.Mustafapasa, Yedikule, Kazlicesme,
Zeytinburnu, Yenimahalle, Bakırköy, Yesilyurt, Yeşilköy,
Florya, Menekse, Kucukcekmece, Soguksu, Kanarya and Halkali).
Haydarpasa-Gebze (Scheduled time of total journey is 64
minutes.)
Haydarpasa, Sogutlucesme, Kiziltoprak, Feneryolu, Goztepe,
Erenkoy, Suadiye, Bostanci, Kucukyali, Idealtepe, Sureyya
Plaji, Maltepe, Cevizli, Atalar, Kartal, Yunus, pendik,
Kaynarca, Tersane, Guzelyali, Aydintepe, Icme, Tuzla,
Cayirova, Fatih, Osmangazi, Gebze.
Sirkeci Information Tel: (0212) 527 0050/51. Reservations Tel:
(0212) 520 6575
Haydarpasa İnformation Tel: (0216) 336 0475/2063. Reservations Tel:
(0216) 336 4470, 337 8724.
Turkish
State Railways Website
Tourist Information
Offices
Regional Directorate, Mesrutiyet Cad., No :
57/5,Tepebasi - Beyoglu
Tel : (212) 243 37 31 - 243 29 28 - 249 23 24,Fax : (212)
252 43 46 - 251 86 32
Hilton Hotel's entrance, Taksim/Elmadag. Tel : (212) 233 05
92, Fax : (212) 245 68 76(Info.)
Karakoy Yolcu Salonu (Karakoy ferryboat port), Karakoy, Tel
: (212) 249 57 76
Sultanahmet Meydani (Square) Tel : (212) 518 87 54, Fax :
(212) 518 18 02
Sirkeci Train Station-Sirkeci Tel : (212) 511 58 11
Ataturk Airport, Yesilkoy Tel : (212) 573 41 36, Fax : (212)
663 07 93
Beyazit Square (Near Grand
Bazaar) Beyazit Tel : (212) 522 49 02
Important Phones
Governorship : (+90-212) 514 17 50
Municipality : (+90-212) 512 55 00
Hospital : (+90-212) 588 48 00
Police : (+90-212) 635 00 00
Gendarme : (+90-212) 779 30 18
Provincial Directorate : (+90-212) 243 34 72
Harbour : (+90-212) 245 53 66 - 249 71 78 - 249 18 96
Other
Practical Information
Local time:
GMT+3 hours (April-September) GMT+2 hours (October-March)
Time Differences:
Argentina -5, France -1, Netherlands -1, Australia +8, Germany -1, Saudi
Arabia+1, Austria -1, Greece 0, Sweden -1, Egypt 0, Italy -1, Switzerland
-1, England -2, Japan +7, Spain -1, USA -7 (EST) -10 (WEST)
* These time differences are for the period October-March; however, they
may show variances according to each country's own time-saving adjustments.
Petrol: Super (peremium) - Unleaded (at some places). Normal (regular) - Diesel.
Electricity:
220 volts AC/50 Hz. all over Turkey. (Industrial:380 V) Plug: European
round/ 2-prong plug.
Water: Although tap
water is safe to drink since it is chlorinated, it is
recommended to get advice from the concerned authorities of the places
resided.
Weights and Measures:
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters , 1 centimeter = 0.3937 inches
1 yard = 0,9144 meters, 1 meter = 1.0936 yards
1 mile = 1,6093 kilometers, 1 kilometer = 0.6214 miles
1 pound = 0,4536 kilograms, 1 kilogram = 2.2046 pounds
Area:
1 acres = 0,4047 Hectares, 1 hectare = 2.471 acres
Capacity:
1 UK gallon = 4.546 litres, 1 litre = 0.2199 UK gallons
1 US gallon = 3.7831 litres, 1 litre = 0.2643 US gallons
Newspapers and Magazines:
Foreign newspapers and magazines are available in big cities and tourist
areas. Also there is a Turkish daily newspaper, Daily News, published in
English.
Tipping:
At various establishments like hotels, restaurants, Turkish baths, barbers
and hairdressers, tipping at a rate of 5%-15% of the total is common. Taxi
and "dolmus" drivers on the other hand, do not expect tips or even rounded
fares.
Visiting a mosque:
Before entering a mosque, Muslims wash themselves and remove their shoes.
Foreign visitors should also remove their shoes and show the respect they
would any other house of worship and avoid visiting the mosque durin
prayer time(5 times a day). Women should cover their heads and ams, and
not wear miniskirts. Men should not wear shorts. (In certain famous
mosques, overalls are provided for those not suitably dressed.)
Related Links Providing General Information about Istanbul
Brief History
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Landmarks & Museums
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Major Districts
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Cultural Events
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