ISTANBUL / Turkey

How to get to Istanbul city centre;

By car;

You have two option for custom gate ; Kapıkule and İpsala. If you are coming through Bulgaria you'll use Kapıkule, otherwise you can use Ipsala coming from Greece. When you enter to Turkey around 2 hours driving you can arrive to Istanbul. The road is comfortable also with payment you can use.

By flight;

There are two airports at Istanbul. 

Sabiha Gökçen International airport; is at Asian part of Istanbul (also Turkey). When you arrive to airport you can use buses to access center of İstanbul. Don't forget this airport is faraway from center of İstanbul. For the bus, economic options are number E-4 and E-11. E-11 is using a short line to access to Kadıköy that is its last station. Istanbul's most common travel vehicle is 'metrobus'. Also E-11 and E-4 lines are passing through Uzunçayır station and you hop off from metrobus at that station.

When you get on metrobus at Uzunçayır station;

• For Taksim; Get off at Zincirlikuyu metrobus station and interchange to Hacıosman-Taksim metro line at Gayrettepe metro station. 
• For Sultanahmet; Get off Zincirlikuyu metrobus station and take Hacıosman-Taksim metro line. You should get off Yenikapı (interchange station for Taksim) station. Get on Yenikapı station and get off Aksaray station. On Aksaray station you should go upstairs and a little bit walk following the table and arrows you should get on tramway. That tramvay goes to Beyazıt, Sultan Ahmet, Gülhane, Sirkeci stations.

E-11 line is acceptable if there is no E-4 because it will take time. You can buy card for all transport also for these buses near the stop at airport. This bus cost is around 5TL, but public transport changes depends of way and distance. You can access to Kadıköy with these buses by last station and by ferry you can pass to european part. When you'll get off the ship you can get ın tramway to arrive Sultanahmet, known old Istanbul. By changing to metrobus you can access Mecidiyeköy, Şişli, Taksim some of the most known stops. The last option for bus is 'Havabus', it can not acceptable as a public transport and costs around 15TL. It has a last stop Taksim is a plus for havabus.

Atatürk International airport; is second airport of Istanbul, most known and useful one. Because it is at the European side. Directly you can use metro line that is first station at airport. By this metro you can access Taksim, Aksaray and main coach station; Esenler Otogarı.

• For Taksim; you should get off at Yenikapı station and change your line to Yenikapı-Hacıosman. 

• For Aksaray and coach station (Esenler otogarı); Line starts from airport passes through these stops.

• For Sultanahmet, Eminönü and Sirkeci; You should change your line at Aksaray station. To get other line, is a tramway you should go out and little bir walk. Be careful to follow arrows and tables to find tramway station.

By bus;

You'll directly access to main coach station (Istanbul Esenler Otogarı). This otogar contains also metro line. This metro links to coach station from Atatürk airport to Yenikapı (is the interchange station for Taksim). 

For all public transport at İstanbul, you should buy passcard (İstanbulCard). If you'll stay more than 1 day, my advice is to buy it becouse you can not find coin sellers at all stations. Also passanger card is economic choice. You are depositing 5TL (around 2$) to this card, only cash and Turkish Lira.

Next writings i'll mention about highlighted points of Istanbul and how to access these points.

Have a nice trip.