As a passionate travel business owner and three decades of travel experience behind me….. 20 years living in Istanbul and another 10 travelling extensively through Turkey and other overseas destinations, I feel an obligation to pass on my wisdom to those keen to make the most of this amazing city!
Here are some of my local secrets for easy travel in Istanbul!
There is a lot to share so I broke it down into two parts:
Part 1: Logistics – Travelling from the Istanbul airport to other places, where to stay, and how to remain connected (Wi-Fi).
Part 2: Fun and Sights – Where to drink and shop, what to eat and ‘must sees’ in Istanbul.
PART 1: Logistics!
TRAVELLING FROM THE ISTANBUL AIRPORT TO OTHER PLACES
Firstly, remember there are two airports in Istanbul, one is on the Asian side of the city – Sabiha Gokcen Airport, and the other on the European side – Istanbul Airport.
Unless your accommodation is on the Asian side or you have other great reasons to land there, I recommend using the Istanbul airport….it’s bigger and has more transport options when it comes to getting to other places.
Public Transport
This is the cheapest way to go! You will need to purchase an Istanbulkart to use the public transport in Istanbul and will find this to be the most convenience option. Public transport in Istanbul is effective and covers almost all areas that tourists are keen to see. You can grab an Istanbulkart from four different locations at the airport, all of which are located on level two. Keep in mind that some ticket machines only accept cash. Here’s the link showing both bus lines on offer, fare costs, including information relating to private minibus fares and stops.
Private Mini-buses
There are private mini-bus options operated by HAVAIST. Check out this link for the full list of possible stops and the prices. Ask at the information desk for details of their stop locations. To give you an idea of private mini-bus fee, Istanbul airport to Taksim is 18 TL per person (appx 3 USD) and 25 TL (appx 4.5 USD) to Kadikoy on the Asian side of Istanbul. Don’t forget, you will still need an Istanbulkart or pre-purchased pass to use these mini-buses. You can get pre-purchased passes from the same machines that sell Istanbulkart.
Taxi
While public transport is rather efficient in Turkey, we understand you may still want to catch a taxi. Only certain taxis are allowed to operate from the airport and fee charges vary according to the ‘comfort levels’ being offered by the taxi provider. Yellow/orange taxis offer budget options, with the blue taxis being the next level up in price and comfort. If you are with a large group of travellers you have the choice of getting a mini-bus, however it sometimes turns out to be cheaper to utilise two separate taxis instead!
WHERE TO STAY IN ISTANBUL
Your choice of accommodation will largely come down to what you are after. If you want to be in the middle of the tourist action and close to the historical sights, we recommend staying in the Sultanhamet district. There are several hotels in this area that can cater to varying budgets.
If you are happy to venture out to explore the historical sights and do the tourist things but equally want to retreat to a hotel in peaceful surrounds, we recommend staying in Karakoy and Kabatas. These suburbs are quieter but still easily accessible, being on tramlines that go directly to Sultanhamet. This option allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds. If you don’t mind a bit of a walk, we would also recommend the Galata region – close to historical sights but not over-run with touristy crowds. Previous tour participants have stayed in Doruk Palas and have had only great things to say about this place.
HOW TO STAY CONNECTED (Wi-Fi) IN ISTANBUL
Most hotels, restaurants, cafes and even public buses in Istanbul have free wi-fi, but if you want unlimited and safe connectivity on-the-go, I recommend you visit one of the many Vodafone shops. Vodafone is one of the cheapest providers and still offers decent customer service and good coverage. But don’t forget to take your passport with you as it will be needed!
For PART TWO of this blog – local secrets on where to drink, shop, what to eat and see, click HERE!
At Hidden Wonders, we specialise in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey, however we also have extensive experience and knowledge of greater Turkey. If you have any questions or would like us to organise tours to places not yet listed on our site, feel free to send us an email at adventure@hiddenwonders.com.au and we can make it happen!
Have you been to Istanbul yet? Did you discover some secret spot or tips that you would like to share with others?