İstanbul Airport

Istanbul Airport is about 46 km from Sultanahmet, the historic center. The drive takes around 50 to 60 minutes and can take longer in heavy traffic. By public transport, the M11 metro and a change to the M2 reach Taksim in about 45 minutes and the old city in a little under an hour.

No. Istanbul Airport (IST) is on the European side, north of the city near the Black Sea coast. Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) is a separate airport on the Asian side. Atatürk Airport closed to scheduled passenger flights in April 2019, when those flights moved to Istanbul Airport.

Istanbul Airport has one passenger terminal under a single roof for both domestic and international flights. Concourse G handles domestic flights, while concourses A, B, D and F handle international flights. The building is very large, so allow time for long walks between the gate, passport control and the exit.

Turkish Airlines uses Istanbul Airport as its main hub, with flights across Turkey, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas. More than 100 other airlines also fly here, including Air France, British Airways, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines. All of them use the same terminal.

Taxis wait 24 hours a day at the arrivals-floor exit gates 9 and 13. There are three classes: orange standard taxis, turquoise taxis and black luxury taxis, with the turquoise and black ones seating up to eight passengers. All use the meter, and bridge and road tolls are paid on top of the fare.

The M11 metro station is about 250 m from the terminal, a roughly 10-minute walk from arrivals through a walkway. Trains run east to Gayrettepe in about 25 minutes, where you change to the M2 for Taksim, and west toward Halkalı. You need an Istanbulkart to pay the fare.

Yes. Havaist runs 11 bus lines between the airport and the city, and IETT runs another five. Both leave from Level -2, the transport floor. Havaist buses to Taksim and to Sultanahmet take about 75 minutes, depending on traffic, and you pay with an Istanbulkart.

Uber works in Istanbul, but mainly as a way to book licensed taxis rather than private cars, so you will usually be matched with a regular taxi. The local app BiTaksi works the same way and is available in English. Fares follow the regulated taxi meter.

It depends on your passport. Citizens of the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and many European countries can visit Turkey visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Others, including Mexican citizens, can apply online for an e-Visa at evisa.gov.tr. Your passport should be valid for at least six months from arrival.

Sultanahmet is about 46 km away. A taxi or private transfer takes around 50 to 60 minutes. Havaist bus HVİST-12 runs toward Beyazıt and Sultanahmet in about 75 minutes. By metro, take the M11 to Gayrettepe and the M2 toward the old city, a trip of a little under an hour with changes.

Istanbul uses Turkey Time, UTC+3, all year round, as Turkey does not observe daylight saving time. The currency is the Turkish lira (TRY). Summers in Istanbul are hot and humid, and winters are cool and wet, with occasional snow, so pack for rain outside the summer months.

Istanbul Airport is operated by IGA Istanbul Airport (İGA Havalimanı İşletmesi). It handled about 84.5 million passengers in 2025, which ranked it eighth in the world and second in Europe by passenger traffic that year. It has five runways and began full passenger operations in April 2019.

We provide private transportation from any airport to any hotel at the best price, and we are licensed with complete insurance liability.

Airport Transportation provides private transportation only, in vans, luxury SUVs, or semi-buses.

Prices on our website are per vehicle, not per person, based on a range of passengers.

Regular vans carry up to 9 passengers, semi-buses up to 16, and luxury SUVs up to 6 passengers.

Walk all the way out of the airport. You'll see representatives holding boards. Look for the Airport Transportation logo or your name.

Commonly Toyota Hiace, Volkswagen Transporter, Mercedes Sprinter, Volkswagen Crafter, Chevrolet Tahoe, and Chevrolet Suburban.

Yes. We carry insurance with complete liability for all passengers while using our services.

Baby seats are provided with prior notice, subject to availability, one seat maximum per vehicle.

You can book any time in advance; we suggest one week to one day ahead. Same-day reservations are available.

PayPal is our main payment method; a cash option is also available when booking through our website. Credit cards are accepted through PayPal.

Yes. For your comfort all our units have air conditioning.

During booking we ask for your airline and flight number so we can track delays and wait for you.

Yes, you can add an extra stop to your service during the booking process.

No. Prices are set per passenger range or per vehicle, not per age.

Yes. Cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before your pick-up and you are refunded in full. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before service are not refundable.

Yes. While their English may not be native-level, drivers have the skills to communicate with passengers.

Tips are not mandatory but are highly recommended; drivers earn them through service quality.

All prices are in USD. Via PayPal you can pay in almost any currency; cash payments accept USD only.

We can transport domestic pets kept in cages that fit in a normal vehicle.

Yes. There is plenty of room for one suitcase and one carry-on per person.

Every private transfer includes a professional, licensed driver; an insured, well-maintained vehicle; real-time flight monitoring; meet-and-greet service at arrivals; and door-to-door service with no hidden fees added after booking. Your fixed price covers the full route to your destination.