Istanbul new airport: how to get to the city center

We will tell you about all the ways to get from the new Istanbul airport to the city center. Which buses run to popular areas. How long does it take to get there and how to pay. Taxi prices.

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Exchange rate: 1 Turkish Lira (TRY) ≈ 10 RUB.

Which airports are in Istanbul

Istanbul International Airport (İstanbul Havalimanı) was opened in 2018 and became the third air hub in the city. Today it is the largest airport in the country. It is located in the Arnavutkoy district, in the European part of Istanbul. The historic center is about 40 km away.

Today, İstanbul Havalimanı accepts all flights that were previously served by the well-known Ataturk Airport. Now the old airport is engaged in private flights and cargo transportation. There is another air gate in the Asian part of Istanbul - the airport Sabiha Gokcen... It is used by low-cost airlines.

Istanbul airports on the map

Metro

Two metro lines to İstanbul Havalimanı have been under construction for several years and are scheduled to be completed in late 2020 - early 2021. Today, the only way to get from the new Istanbul airport to the city center is by taxi or buses. Find out how to get to different areas.

Buses: where to find, types, prices

Where to sit... Buses from the new Istanbul Airport to the city center depart from the first floor of the airport terminal. Near the bus stop there is an electronic board with a timetable, where the flight numbers and final bus stops are written.

Havaist buses... More than a dozen routes from the new Istanbul airport to the city are provided by the popular Turkish company Havaist. For ticket prices and the current schedule, see the Havaist website. For example, a ticket to Taksim and Sultanahmet costs 18 liras.

These are comfortable, air-conditioned express buses with spacious luggage compartments. They run around the clock, there are few stops. If your hotel is off the route, you will have to change to other modes of transport.

Advice... For the schedule of metro, trams, buses, trains and funiculars, see the Istanbul transport website.

IETT buses... It is convenient to get from the new Istanbul airport to the city center by buses of the city company IETT. Buses with the letter "H" run from 7:00 to 21:00 at intervals of 50 minutes. A double fare is charged for travel from the airport. In July 2019, it was equal to 5.2 TRY.

IETT Bus Routes from İstanbul Havalimanı and Travel Times:

• H-1 - Mahmutbey metro, 1 hour;
• H-2 - işli metro, 1 hour;
• H-3 - Marmaray Halkalı, 1 hour 15 minutes;
• H-6 - Metro Mescid-I Selam, 35 minutes;
• N-7 - Metro Haciosman, 35 minutes;

How to get from the new Istanbul airport to the city center

Travelers love to rent accommodation in Fatih, a historic district of European Istanbul. It is here, in the quarters of Sultanahmet, Laleli, Aksaray, Kumkapi, Gulhane and Eminonu, where the main monuments of Istanbul, famous palaces and mosques are concentrated.

There is a route to the center IST-1... Buses IST-1Y arrive at the Yenikapi pier, and IST-1S - to the streets of Sultanahmet. During peak hours, these buses run every half an hour.

If the hotel is located in the east of Fatih, it is more convenient to get to it by bus IST-1S. It takes 1 hour and 40 minutes to reach the final stop, the fare costs 18 TRY. Tourists who are staying in the western part of the historic center should take the IST-1Y route. The journey will take 1 hour 50 minutes and cost 18 TRY.

How to get from the new Istanbul airport to Taksim

There are four routes to the areas beyond the Golden Horn Bay. It is convenient to use them to get to Taksim Square, Besiktas, Beyoglu and Sisli districts.

Bus H2 takes passengers to Sisli in 40 minutes. The fare nbprbt is 5.2 TRY, which is three times cheaper than Havaist buses.

A bus passes through the Beyoglu district IST-1S, which follows to Sultanahmet. It takes 50 minutes to stop PİYALEPAŞA. If you have rented a hotel closer to the seaside, get off at Eminenu and change to the T1 tram that runs along the coast.

Bus IST-5 runs from İstanbul Havalimanı to Besiktas Pier. The journey takes 1 hour 10 minutes and costs 18 TRY. On the way, the bus stops near several metro stations.

Bus IST-19 starts from the airport and in 50 minutes brings passengers to the final stop, which is 0.5 km from Taksim Square. Nearby are the metro station of the same name and the funicular, which is convenient to go down to Kabatas. The price is 18 liras.

Other routes

How to get to Ataturk Airport... Take the bus H-4... The drive to the old airport takes 1 hour and costs TRY 5.2.

The road from the new Istanbul airport to Sabiha Gokcen airport... The distance between the two Istanbul air hubs, depending on the route, is 80-90 km. Bus IST-8 overcomes it in 1.5 hours. The interval between flights is 1 hour. Travel to any stop along the route will cost TRY 30. The final stop at Sabiha Gokcen Airport is at the entrances to the departure area.

Other routes... Buses IST-3 go to the Esenler bus station. The journey takes 1 hour 15 minutes and costs 16 TRY. Buses IST-2 it takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the Tüyap urban area. The fare is TRY 21. By bus IST-7 in 1 hour 30 minutes and 25 TRY you can get to the Kadikoy pier.

How to pay for travel

Istanbul buses generally accept payments only by bank transfer - using a bank card or Istanbulkart card. However, we paid in cash several times on the Havaist buses. Just in case, buy Istanbulkart - they are sold at the airport and throughout the city. The card can be used by several people at once. Attach it to the validator near the driver, and the required amount will be debited from the card. Children under 6 years old travel for free.

Advice... The transport card is beneficial and convenient. Calculate the approximate number of city trips. Put the required amount of money on IstanbulKart in advance in the terminal and travel without any problems!