Istanbul Airport transfer and taxi (IST)

Istanbul Airport lies in Arnavutköy, in the north-west of the European half of the city. That makes most first-time destinations same-side trips: the Old City around Sultanahmet, Taksim and Beyoğlu, Galata and Karaköy, Beşiktaş, Nişantaşı, Şişli, the Levent and Maslak business district, Bakırköy and the western suburbs. All of them are €50 in the Eco Van.

Kadıköy, Moda, Üsküdar, Ataşehir and the rest of the Asian shore are across the Bosphorus from IST, so they cost €70. The same €70 applies to a connection from IST to Sabiha Gökçen. The district list on this page shows the side chip and both airport fares for every place we serve by name.

The western suburbs count as same-side too. Beylikdüzü, Esenyurt, Başakşehir, Ataköy and Yeşilköy are all €50 from IST in the Eco Van. North along the European bank, Sarıyer and the Levent towers follow the same rule. In short, if the place is west of the strait, the fare from Istanbul Airport starts at €50.

Each class adds a fixed amount to the Eco Van fare. One way, per vehicle, from Istanbul Airport:

• Eco Van (up to six people): €50 to the European side, €70 to the Asian side.
• Mercedes Vito: €60 same side, €80 across.
• Mercedes V-Class: €65 same side, €85 across.
• Mercedes Sprinter (up to 16 people): €80 same side, €100 across.

Book a return and the price is simply doubled: €100 for an Eco Van to Taksim and back, €200 for a Sprinter to the Asian shore and back. The fare is fixed when you book and does not move with the clock, the traffic or the size of your suitcases.

Flying on from Sabiha Gökçen the same day? The direct ride between the two airports is €70 in the Eco Van and €100 in the Sprinter. It always crosses the Bosphorus, so it is priced like any other cross-side trip, and the flight-tracking and free-waiting rules apply to it as well.

1. 01Passport controlInternational arrivals pass passport control first; if you need an e-visa, get it in advance at evisa.gov.tr, the only official site.
2. 02Baggage claim and customsCollect your bags and walk through customs towards the arrivals floor.
3. 03The exit doorYour driver waits right at the exit door you come out of at Istanbul Airport, holding a printed sign with your name.
4. 04To the cityThe driver walks you to the vehicle, and you pay at your hotel door.

The arrivals floor at IST has an international and a domestic meeting lounge, according to the airport's own FAQ at istairport.com. You do not need to look for either of them: whichever exit you walk out of, the driver is there. Once you land, switch on mobile data or join the airport Wi-Fi so a WhatsApp message from dispatch can reach you.

Three details make the meeting quick: the name you want on the sign, the flight number, and a phone number that works on WhatsApp abroad. If several of you are travelling on different flights, book one vehicle for the last landing, or a separate transfer for each arrival, and tell dispatch which name belongs to which flight. If a child travels with you, give the ages when you book so the right seat comes with the van; child seats are free.

Istanbul Airport has its own metered taxis in three classes, listed on istairport.com: orange standard taxis, turquoise taxis that cost 15% more than orange, and black luxury taxis at 70% above orange. They pick up on the Arrivals floor at Exit Gates 9 and 13, and the airport states that the same taximeter tariff applies 24 hours a day. Turquoise and black taxis take up to eight passengers.

Under the airport's rules the taxi passenger also pays bridge and motorway tolls, and on a trip through the Eurasia Tunnel also the bridge toll for the taxi's return. A metered fare therefore depends on the distance, the traffic and the crossing.

A booked transfer works the other way round. You know the euro amount before you fly, it covers the vehicle rather than a meter reading, and the driver is waiting with your name instead of you joining a queue. Neither option is wrong; a fixed fare simply removes the arithmetic from the end of a long journey.

If you travel light and alone, public transport is an option. Havaist airport buses and İETT city buses leave from Transportation floor −2 of the terminal. The M11 metro line links the airport with Gayrettepe, where you change to the M2 for Taksim, and since 20 June 2026 it also runs to Halkalı.

Fares and timetables change, so check hava.ist and metro.istanbul before you travel. For a family, a group, or anyone carrying more than a cabin bag to a hotel on a steep or narrow street, a door-to-door van is the simpler choice.

For the ride out, the driver collects you at the main entrance of your hotel or at the address you give. The fare is the same as on arrival: €50 from the European side, €70 from the Asian side.

Cruise passengers flying home from IST can be collected at Galataport, the cruise port in Karaköy on the European side, for the same-side €50. Where exactly the driver meets you at the port is agreed on WhatsApp before the day.

Airlines usually ask you to be at the airport two hours before a European flight and three hours before a long-haul one; check your airline. Add the drive and a traffic margin on top, because Istanbul ranks among the most congested cities in the world on the TomTom Traffic Index, and weekday rush hours and Friday evenings are the slowest. Send your flight number with the booking and dispatch suggests a pick-up time.

• Wi-Fi: one hour free, activated by SMS or with your passport number (istairport.com).
• Cash: banks and ATMs are available in the terminal, if you want lira on arrival. Our drivers also accept euros and pounds.
• Paid airport assistance: the airport sells its own service called iGA Meet and Greet. It is separate from us and not needed for a transfer booking.
• Domestic flights: if you connect from another Turkish city, you arrive in the domestic area; the driver waits at the exit you come out of there.