Istanbul Airport arrivals: from the aircraft to your transfer

IST is one very large terminal, and the walk from some gates to passport control is long. Follow the arrivals signs and keep your phone in your pocket until the queue, where it is useful again.

1. 01Passport controlInternational arrivals go through passport control first. The airport lists 30 biometric identification counters across its arrival and departure passport areas, alongside the staffed desks.
2. 02Visa office if you need oneTwo visa offices sit before passport control. If your nationality needs an e-visa, the only official place to apply is evisa.gov.tr, ideally before you fly.
3. 03Baggage claimScreens show the belt for your flight number. Porters work in the baggage claim hall if you have a lot to carry.
4. 04Customs and the exitAfter customs you walk through the arrivals exit into the public area. This is where your driver stands, at the exit door you come out of, holding a sign with your name.

Domestic arrivals skip passport control and come out through their own exit. If you flew in from another Turkish city, the driver waits at that domestic exit instead. We know which one from your flight number.

The arrivals floor at IST has an international and a domestic meeting lounge, where friends, families, hotel staff and drivers gather. It can be crowded after a cluster of long-haul landings, so take a moment at the door and scan the printed signs.

• The sign carries the lead traveller's name exactly as it was given in the booking. If someone else booked for you, ask them which name they used.
• Stay near the exit door if you cannot see the sign straight away. Walking off towards the car parks makes you harder to find.
• People who approach you offering a ride without holding your name are not your driver. Your transfer is already arranged, and you pay only at the end of the ride.
• If the phone has signal again, a WhatsApp message to +90 551 464 26 32 reaches dispatch, who can connect you with the driver.

Once you are in the car, the drive into the city takes a while, so a few minutes in the terminal can save trouble later.

• Wi-Fi: the airport gives one hour of free Wi-Fi, activated by SMS or with your passport number. That is enough to message us, your hotel or family.
• Cash and cards: banks and ATMs are widely available in the terminal. You do not need cash for the transfer, since the car has a card terminal for Visa and Mastercard.
• Pharmacy: there is one on the arrivals floor, useful if something was left at home.
• Restrooms and water: worth a stop for children before a drive through the city.

If you plan to pay the driver in cash, EUR, GBP and Turkish lira are all accepted, so there is no need to change money at the airport for the ride itself.

Three different ways into the city start from the same terminal, and it helps to know which is which.

• Your pre-booked transfer: the driver meets you at the arrivals exit with your name, walks you to the vehicle and charges the fixed fare you were quoted.
• Airport taxis: according to istairport.com, the airport taxis pick up on the Arrivals floor at Exit Gates 9 and 13, in three classes (orange, turquoise and black), all on the taximeter.
• Havaist and İETT buses: these leave from the Transportation floor, level −2, below the terminal. The airport lists 11 Havaist routes into the city.

The airport also sells its own paid escort service, iGA Meet and Greet, which is separate from us. You do not need it to find your driver; the exit door meeting is part of every booking.

We track your flight by its number, so an early or late landing moves the pick-up with it. Waiting for a delayed flight costs nothing, and you do not need to message us from the aircraft.

Passport queues and slow belts are a different kind of delay, because the plane has landed on time. The driver stays at the exit while you are still inside. If a bag is missing and you need to file a report at the lost luggage desk, send a short message so dispatch knows you are still in the hall.

IST is in Arnavutköy, north-west of the centre and on the European side. Taksim, Sultanahmet, Beşiktaş and the rest of the European districts are same-side rides at €50 in the Eco Van, while Kadıköy, Üsküdar and other Asian-side addresses cross the Bosphorus and cost €70.

The fare is per vehicle and covers everyone in it, up to six people in the Eco Van and up to sixteen in the Sprinter. Larger groups and families with a lot of luggage can choose the Vito, V-Class or Sprinter for a fixed add-on of €10, €15 or €30.

On the way, the driver takes the road that suits the traffic on the day. For the exact drive to your district, open its route page, which shows the measured distance and an estimate for rush hour.