Maltepe transfer and taxi on the Asian Marmara coast

Maltepe's coast has been a retreat from the city since Byzantine and Ottoman times, and until the 1970s it was mostly summer homes for city families. Being on the suburban railway made it a favourite for day-trippers.

Today it is a large residential district. Maltepe Square sits where the pedestrianised end of Bağdat Avenue meets Atatürk Avenue, both lined with shops and cafés, and a long park runs along the shore.

Marmaray stations along the coast connect Maltepe with Kadıköy and, under the Bosphorus, with the European side.

In Byzantine times the area was known as Bryas, where the emperor Theophilos built a palace in Arab style; a ruin in nearby Küçükyalı has been identified as its site.

Much of Maltepe was rebuilt after the 1999 earthquake, so many addresses are in newer residential blocks with car access. The pedestrian streets around the square are the main exception.

Give the full street address and, for an estate, its name and block. The driver goes to the nearest entrance a car can use.

The shore park has its own access roads and car parks, so hotels and homes near it are generally easy to reach by car.

Some estates have more than one entrance. Ask your host which gate is closest to the building, and add it to the booking note.

Whichever airport you land at, your Maltepe driver waits right at the exit door you come out of with your name on a printed sign. Delays are tracked, and the waiting is free.

For departures, Maltepe to Sabiha Gökçen measures about 27 km and 23 minutes on clear roads, and Maltepe to Istanbul Airport about 62 km and 53 minutes. The coastal motorway is busy at commuting hours, so give yourself extra time.

Because SAW is so close, a late-night or early-morning flight from Sabiha Gökçen is an easy run from Maltepe.

From IST, the ride crosses the Bosphorus and continues down the Asian side on the motorways, a long way; the €70 fare covers it whatever the traffic.

Mornings towards Kadıköy and evenings back out are the slow directions on the coastal motorway.

There is no prepayment. Pay at the end of the ride with cash in euros, pounds or lira, or with Visa or Mastercard on the terminal in the car, contactless included.

Child seats are free on request with the ages, and pushchairs travel free. An Eco Van return between SAW and Maltepe costs €100.

You can ask a question on WhatsApp with just Maltepe as the destination; the booking needs date, time and address.

A larger family can choose the Vito at €60 or the Sprinter at €80 from SAW, depending on the head-count and the luggage.