About Istanbul Airport
Atatürk Airport, which is situated on the European Side of Istanbul, takes its name from the surname of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The airport, which began offering service in 1900s, is the first place where air transportation started in Turkey. Atatürk Airport, which is the busiest airport of Turkey and 11th busiest airport of the world, is also home to the 16th largest duty-free store of the world. The airport, which offered transportation service to nearly 20 million passengers in 2015, organizes flights to many countries in the world.
Getting to the City Center from Istanbul Airport
You can get to the city center from Atatürk Airport, located on the European side of Istanbul, by taxi, airport shuttles, metro, bus, private transportation services or your personal car. The most important factor to consider when picking your means of transportation to reach the city center is the traffic. Using alternative means of transportation, like a combination of taxi, metro or metrobus, during rush hour will save time.
The fastest and most convenient way to get to the city center from Atatürk Airport is by taxi. However, when taking a taxi the most important factor to consider is the traffic. If you’re in a hurry and don’t want to lose time we suggest taking a taxi to a certain point and then transferring to the metro or metrobus. This way you can avoid traffic, even during rush hour. Some taxis accept credit card payments. If you want to pay using your credit card make sure to indicate this before hand to the driver and get in a vehicle that accepts credit card payments.
The Havabus shuttle buses provide transportation between Atatürk Airport and central locations in the city. The Havatas shuttles provide service to and from Taksim and Yenikapi IDO Pier every 30 minutes.
You can use public buses to get to the city center from Atatürk Airport. Using the istanbulkart (smart card for fare payment), this is the most economical alternative. From the airport you can use the TH-1 bus to get to Taksim and the YH-1 bus to get to Yenikapi. From Taksim and Yenikapi you can transfer to the metro to reach other central districts.
One of the fastest alternatives to get to the city center is by metro. Using the metro station that is located in the airport you can easily reach various parts of the city like Yenikapı, Aksaray, Fatih, Topkapı, and Esenler. If you’re planning on continuing your journey to a different city by bus, the metro goes to the Esenler Bus Station.
You can get to the city center by renting a car from rental agencies such as AVIS, Budget, or Europcar both at the airport or various locations in the city like Beşiktaş, Taksim, Kadıköy, Bostancı and Bakırköy. You can also return your rental vehicle to the offices of the aforementioned companies located in the city. If you are traveling between multiple places make sure to specify your vehicle pick up and drop off location when making your reservation.
Taxi
Havabus
Bus
Metro
Rental Cars
Getting to Istanbul Airport from the City Center
Istanbul Atatürk Airport is accessible by taxi, airport shuttles, metro, and buses. You can also choose to drive your personal car and park in the parking lot for a certain fee. The airport is equipped with an outdoor lot and an indoor multi-story lot.
Taxi
The fastest and most convenient way to get to Atatürk Airport is by taxi. However, when taking a taxi the most important factor to consider is the traffic. Hitting the road during rush hour runs the risk of missing your flight. If you plan to take a taxi to the airport we recommend checking the traffic before you leave and planning accordingly.
Havabus
The Havabus shuttle buses provide transportation between Atatürk Airport and central locations in the city. The Havataş shuttles provide service to and from Taksim and the Yenikapi IDO Pier every 30 minutes.
Bus
Atatürk Airport is also accessible from the city center by bus. You can get to Atatürk Airport using the TH-1 bus from Taksim and YH-1 bus from Yenikapi.
Metro
One of the fastest ways to get to the airport is by metro. The metro passes through many locations, such as Yenikapı, Aksaray, Fatih, Topkapı, and Esenler Otogar and goes directly into the airport.
Rental Cars
You can rent a car from rental agencies such as AVIS, Budget, or Europcar both at the airport and at various locations in the city. You can also return your rental vehicle to the airport branch of the aforementioned companies. If you are traveling between multiple places make sure to specify your vehicle pick up and drop off location.
Airport Information
Caffe Nero, Starbucks Coffee and Simit Sarayı are located in the international arrivals hall. Popeyes, Sbarro, Caffe Nero, Simit Sarayı, Cakes & Bakes, Turcuisine, Sweet Deligts, Quick Asia, Efes Beerport, The Greenport, Starbucks Coffee, Cafe-Inn, Eat & Go, Coca-Cola Cafe, Kitchenette, Flight Point and Zero Café are located in the international departures hall. Simit Sarayi is located in the domestic arrivals hall. Kantin, The Greenport, Kokpit, Tadında Anadolu, Cakes & Bakes, Starbucks Coffee, Cafe-Inn, Burger King and Sbarro are located in the domestic departures hall.
The Primeclass Lounge, Akbank Wings Lounge, Comfort Lounge, Emirates Lounge, Sky Team Lounge and TTNET Platin Lounge are located in the international terminal. The THY CIP Lounge, Akbank Wings Lounge and Primeclass Lounge are located in the domestic terminal. The ATÜ retail stores provide duty free shopping services.
