When arriving in Istanbul, you might feel a bit overwhelmed by the many travel options available at the airport. This guide will help you plan your journey from either Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) to the city center, covering everything from private transfers to shared shuttles.
Navigating a new city can be challenging, especially when faced with multiple transportation choices right after landing. Istanbul’s airports offer a wide range of options to help you reach the city center, whether you’re looking for the privacy of a dedicated transfer or a budget-friendly shared shuttle. This page will help simplify your options and guide you in arranging the ideal airport transfer for a smooth and hassle-free start to your Istanbul experience.
There are two main international airports in Istanbul. They all provide a variety of airport-to-city-center transportation alternatives, including airport shuttles, municipal public buses, taxis, and private/shared shuttles. Airport shuttles in Istanbul and private shared shuttles between Istanbul airports and the city center are reasonably priced, but private shuttles are by far the most convenient, pleasant, safe, and quick method to travel between airports and the city center.
Check out the various transportation options in Istanbul, and choose the best one that suits your needs!
The New Istanbul Airport (IST) is located in the Arnavutkoy neighborhood of Istanbul, near to the Black Sea shore. The average distance between the New Istanbul Airport and the main Istanbul city center areas is about 45 kilometers.
Avcilar is 53 kilometers away, Gayrettepe is 38 kilometers away, Taksim is 40 kilometers away, Sutanahmet is 45 kilometers away, Levent is 36 kilometers away, Maslak is 35 kilometers away, Kavacik is 42 kilometers away, Uskudar is 47 kilometers away, Kadikoy is 52 kilometers away, and Pendik is 73 kilometers away. There is no direct metro line from New Istanbul Airport to the city center. The HAVAIST Airport Shuttle is the most practical method to get between the airport and downtown Istanbul, while the Shared Shuttle or Private Shuttle is the most pleasant and convenient.
Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, near the Pendik neighborhood. Between Sabiha Gokcen Airport and the city center, there is no direct metro service. The HAVABUS Airport Shuttle is the most practical method to get between the airport and downtown Istanbul, while the Shared Shuttle or Private Shuttle is the most pleasant and convenient.
If you are a group, a family with children, or have a lot of luggage, we highly recommend that you use private shuttle transfers for your hotel because they provide a fixed rate, comfortable, and safe transfer that includes meet-and-greet airport pickups and luggage assistance to and from the airports.
The IETT or HAVAIST airport shuttles will drop you off in the city center, where you will need to take a cab or walk, which will be more difficult with your children and baggage. Private transports, on the other hand, take you right to the front door of your hotel. These shuttles provide low-cost, fixed-rate private shuttles that include airport meet-and-greets and baggage help. Their diverse fleet of comfortable taxis, minivans, luxury vehicles, and 6-19+ person minibusses can meet every need while guaranteeing fast and safe transportation to and from New Istanbul Airport (IST). They are also more comfortable and quicker than shuttles, buses, and taxis. The visitors’ and drivers’ safety and health are of the utmost importance.
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Located in one of the most beautiful places in istanbul, taksim, pera museum offers a fascinating mixture of history, tradition, and modern art. pera museum is inside a historic building left from the 19th century. the building used to be a historic hotel. now, it is the house of numerous pieces of art. the brilliant pera museum was founded by the suna and i̇nan kıraç foundation. visiting the pera museum in taksim is one of the most entertaining and educating activities that could be done in istanbul. pera museum is also close to other attractions and museums like the galata tower and istanbul modern and the museum of modern art.
Camlica Hill is the most beautiful spot for a panoramic view of istanbul. it is around 3 kilometers (260 meters) from the 15 july martyrs bridge. it's a lovely recreational spot where you can relax and take in the amazing istanbul panorama from the hill. on weekends, it's a great spot for breakfast and supper with a view of the bosphorus. since the ottoman time, camlica hill has been the ideal site to see istanbul from a bird's eye perspective, bringing significance to lovers' love for centuries and leaving memories in their memory. many poems, songs, and literary works have been written about it, and it has been featured in ancient turkish films. the camlica hill, one of istanbul's seven hills, is made up of two independent hills, big and small camlica. local visitors throng camlica hill, which is particularly congested on weekends. it is a popular tourist spot in istanbul, and guides claim that a photo shot in camlica makes you half-istanbul. the finest place to see the bosphorus is from camlica hill.
Each of the prince islands has a history of at least twenty centuries and they are like rare stones in a necklace on istanbul. There are nine islands, distances of which to the city range between 2.3 and 15.5 kilometres; büyükada, heybeliada, burgazada, kınalıada, sedefadası, yassıada, kaşıkadası, sivriada and tavşanadası. but the closest to istanbul and the most popular of these are büyükada, kınalıada, burgazada and heybeliada.
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Having istanbul as the destination for your vacation is a rational choice as much as it can be confusing. it has many alluring sites in which you can go, visit and shop from. thus, if you have just 3 days to see this amazing city, you must be careful in planning to make the most out of it. there are plenty of recommendations online that suggests where to visit and what to do in this such a short amount of time; however, don’t fret, we got you covered with an exclusive guide to istanbul with suggestions. of course, it is one of the thousands of possible routes and you can always modify it as per your needs, time and even your schedule of arrival and departure flight. so, if you are wondering what to do in istanbul in three days, carry on reading!
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