Getting to the city of Istanbul is not complicated. There are several ways to reach the city correctly and without any problems. The majority of tourists prefer to fly there because they find promotions and flights are available all year round. Nevertheless, travelers can reach the city by land, rail and sea.
By plane
As we have already mentioned, thousands of travelers arrive in the city of Istanbul by plane. There are 2 important airports in the city; we are talking about IST airport which is located northwest of the center of Istanbul and Sabiha Gokcen airport which is located in the European part. Outside these airports, tourists can find several transport systems to get to the center of the city (taxis, buses and rental cars.) In fact, booking a plane ticket and moving by land is quite easy and fast.
There is a famous airline called Turkish Airlines in Istanbul; however, other international airlines can be found in the city. In addition, there are many direct flights from Istanbul to many important cities such as New York, London, Milan, Hong Kong and Moscow, to name a few.
Transfer from and to Istanbul Airport (IST Airport)
From the new airport (IST Airport), there are 3 ways to get to the center of Istanbul.
1st possibility the Havaist bus: the easiest and most economical way to get to Taksim (Central square on the European side) is by bus.
The Havaist company operates services to and from the airport 24 hours on 24. Havaist buses are located just outside Istanbul Airport and are quite modern.
Havaist16 departs every 20 minutes (approximately) from Istanbul Airport and goes directly to Taksim Square. The journey takes 60 to 90 minutes (depending on traffic), while the cost per passenger is 86TL (€4). You can pay for the transfer service in cash or by card.
2nd possibility the Taxi: The taxi is the fastest and most relaxing option for your transfer from the airport to your accommodation. The taxi will take almost half an hour (depending on traffic) to reach the center of the European part (Taksim Square) and the cost is 350-450tl (15-20€).
Yellow taxis (economy) will be located on the streets outside the airport. If you are looking forward to finding a taxi outside the airport, you can schedule your taxi transfer through your accommodation.
3rd possibility the metro: unfortunately, there is no direct connection from the metro line from the airport to Taksim Square. Passengers will have to take the new metro line M11, stop at Gayrettepe station and then switch to line M2 at Taksim metro station.
The metro at the moment is not an attractive option because this transport is quite tiring, especially since you will be taking your luggage with you.
Getting around in Istanbul
Take a bus
Several major highways conveniently connect the city of Istanbul with many cities in Europe. In this way, people who want to visit Istanbul can find many bus companies in the city. The cities connected to Istanbul by bus are Germany, Switzerland, Greece, France, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran and many more. The buses are modern and equipped with air conditioning. In addition, bus tickets are affordable. Renting a car can be another great idea that foreigners can do to visit Istanbul.
Take the train
It can also be convenient to get to Istanbul because the city has many regular trains that connect the city with other cities such as Hungary, Budapest, Thessaloniki, Kichinev and Iran, to name a few. This means of transport is efficient because it is regulated by the Turkish Railways authority (TCDD).
Take a ferry
There is a regular ferry in Istanbul that connects the city of Odessa in Ukraine with Istanbul in Turkey. In addition, travelers can find cruise ships that offer daily excursions.