The transportation system in Istanbul is highly developed. Trains, trams, metro lines, funiculars, buses, ferries… All these transportation systems are mostly interconnected. However, in Istanbul, with a population of 20 million, people often prefer using their private vehicles instead of public transportations, which unfortunately results traffic jams at almost all hours of the day.
First, let me inform you about taxis. There are three types of taxis in Istanbul: yellow, blue, and black... Yellow taxis are the normal standard taxis. Blue taxis are higher-category vehicles and slightly more expensive. Black taxis are luxury vehicles and the most expensive of all. As in many places around the world, you need to be cautious with taxis in Istanbul. Taxi drivers often avoid picking up passengers for short distances or routes with heavy traffic to save time. Additionally, some drivers might take longer routes to charge you more. Therefore, I highly recommend calling a taxi from hotels, restaurants, or finding taxis from taxi stands or using Uber for safety. Taxis you find randomly on the street can be risky. Uber in Turkiye operates with the same three types of taxis that I mentioned. If you are an Uber user, it is the safest choice.
There are two airports in Istanbul. One of them is SAW - Sabiha Gokcen Airport on the Asian side and the other is the newest one, IST - Istanbul Airport on the European side. They both have domestic and international flights. People who live in Asian side, mostly prefer to use Sabiha Gokcen Airport. And people who live in European side, mostly prefer to use Istanbul Airport.
When you arrive at Sabiha Gokcen Airport, you can easily find so many taxis outside the terminal. However, please be cautious about the issues mentioned above about taxis. Besides taxis, there are municipal buses outside the terminal that can take you to various parts of the city. However, these bus routes can be a bit complicated and are mostly used by locals. Another option is the Havabus shuttle buses, which provide direct transportation to Kadıkoy which is the city center on the Asian side and Taksim which is one of a city center on the European side. The easiest and most convenient way is the metro line, which connects to many parts of the city. Since metro lines are interconnected, you can transfer between lines and reach different parts of the city without getting stuck in traffic. And I highly recommend obtaining an updated metro map.
Istanbul Airport, the city’s largest and most important airport, is located a bit far from the city center. You can reach the city by taxi or by using the comfortable Havaist shuttle buses, which go many parts of the city. Since it is a new airport, there is only one metro line serving there currently. Although metro transportation takes some time, you can transfer to other metro lines at the last stop to reach various parts of the city.
Another option is VIP transfer vehicles. Transfer companies welcome you at the terminal exit and take you comfortably to your hotel with a luxury vehicle after your long and tiring flight. You can contact me for your VIP transfer requests.
In Istanbul’s public transportation system, you can use both single-use and multiple-use tickets, as well as prepaid Istanbul Cards. You can buy your tickets and Istanbul Cards from the yellow machines at metro, train, and tram stations. You can also top up your Istanbul Card easily from these machines. One Istanbul Card can be used by up to 6 people for all public transports.
Istanbul’s transportation system is constantly developing. Therefore, I recommend getting the latest transportation map.
To cross between Istanbul’s two sides by cars, there are three bridges on the Bosphorus and you can also enjoy a ferry ride. Ferries operate between Eminönü, Karaköy, and Beşiktaş piers on the European side and Üsküdar and Kadıköy piers on the Asian side. Additionally, two tunnels under the Bosphorus offer faster transportation between the two continents. One of these tunnels is for cars and the other one connects the railway systems on both sides of the city. This rail system, called Marmaray, allows you to travel between the two continents in just three minutes. The Marmaray system also integrates with other rail systems, enabling you to travel from one point on the European side to another point on the Asian side seamlessly.
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