The European and Asian sides of Istanbul, explained for visitors

Few cities are divided by a sea lane, and Istanbul is divided by a busy one. The Bosphorus runs roughly north to south from the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, and the land on either bank belongs to a different continent. Locals simply call the two halves Avrupa Yakası and Anadolu Yakası: the European shore and the Anatolian, or Asian, shore.

For a visitor the split is practical as much as symbolic. It decides which airport is nearer, whether your transfer crosses the water and how you move around once you have checked in. Ferries, the Marmaray rail tunnel, three road bridges and the Eurasia road tunnel connect the two halves.

The European side holds the places on a typical first-time visitor's list, from the great mosques to the shopping streets.

• The Old City: Sultanahmet, Eminönü and Fatih, on the historic peninsula between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara.
• Across the Golden Horn: Karaköy, Galata and Beyoğlu, rising to Taksim Square.
• Along the Bosphorus: Beşiktaş, Ortaköy, Bebek and further north Sarıyer.
• The business districts: Şişli, Nişantaşı, Levent and Maslak.
• Towards the west: Bakırköy, Ataköy and Yeşilköy on the Marmara shore, and the newer districts of Başakşehir, Beylikdüzü and Esenyurt.

Istanbul Airport (IST) is also on this side, in Arnavutköy to the north-west. Every address in the list above is a same-side ride from IST.

The Asian side is largely residential, with lively neighbourhoods of its own and a slower pace than the historic peninsula.

• Kadıköy and Moda: markets, cafés and the ferry piers facing the Old City.
• Üsküdar and Çengelköy: the older Bosphorus shore on the Asian bank.
• Ataşehir and Kozyatağı: office towers and newer residential blocks.
• Along the Marmara shore: Bostancı, Maltepe, Kartal, Pendik and Tuzla.
• To the north: Beykoz, greener and quieter, towards the Black Sea end of the strait.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) is on this side, in Pendik and Kurtköy. Every address in this second list is a same-side ride from SAW.

1. 01Look at the districtTurkish addresses end with the district (ilçe) and "İstanbul". Kadıköy, Üsküdar, Ataşehir, Maltepe, Kartal, Pendik, Tuzla and Beykoz are on the Asian side; Fatih, Beyoğlu, Beşiktaş, Şişli and Sarıyer are on the European side.
2. 02Check the mapDrop a pin on the hotel. If the Bosphorus is between the pin and the airport you are landing at, the transfer crosses the strait.
3. 03Use the Fare PassType the hotel name or the district into the Fare Pass on this page. It shows the side and the fare from both airports at once.

Names can mislead. A hotel called "Bosphorus" something may stand on either bank, and the word "Asia" in a brand name says nothing about its address. Go by the street address, not the name.

Our whole fare system rests on the two sides. Each airport has a home side: Europe for IST and Asia for SAW. A ride that stays on the airport's home side costs €50 in the Eco Van for up to six people. A ride that crosses to the other side costs €70.

• From IST: Sultanahmet, Taksim or Beşiktaş €50; Kadıköy, Üsküdar or Ataşehir €70.
• From SAW: Kadıköy, Üsküdar or Ataşehir €50; Sultanahmet, Taksim or Beşiktaş €70.
• Between the airports: €70 in either direction.
• Larger vehicles: Vito +€10, V-Class +€15, Sprinter +€30 on top of either figure.

Why does a crossing cost more? Crossing the Bosphorus means a bridge or the tunnel and a longer drive, often through the busiest part of the road network. The fare stays fixed regardless of which crossing the driver uses on the day.

Staying on one side does not cut you off from the other. During your stay, crossing the strait is part of daily life in Istanbul, and you have several ways to do it.

• Ferries: the classic way across, linking piers such as Kadıköy and Üsküdar with Eminönü, Karaköy and Beşiktaş. The crossing itself is a short sightseeing trip.
• Marmaray: a suburban rail line that runs in a tunnel under the Bosphorus. It carries trains only, not cars, and has no station at either airport.
• Road crossings: the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge further north and the Eurasia Tunnel under the water.

One Istanbulkart travel card works on the ferries, the metro, Marmaray and the city buses, so you do not need a separate ticket for each. For the airport legs with luggage, though, a door-to-door ride usually beats changing between a ferry and a train.

If you have not booked a hotel yet, the side is worth a moment's thought alongside the neighbourhood itself.

• Short first visit focused on the monuments: the European side, near the Old City or Taksim, keeps walking distances short.
• Repeat visit or a longer stay: the Asian side offers a more everyday Istanbul, with the ferry as your link to the sights.
• Flying in and out of SAW: an Asian-side hotel avoids the crossing on both transfer legs.
• Flying in and out of IST: a European-side hotel does the same for IST.

Whichever bank you choose, both airports serve the whole city. The difference is €50 against €70 on the Eco Van fare and the extra time a crossing can take when traffic is heavy.