Istanbul's new airport (IST) is roughly 45 km northwest of the city. The cheapest option — the M11 metro — gets you to Gayrettepe in 35-40 min for ~$1.40, while the fastest is the Havaist coach or a taxi. Late-night M11 service is limited, so plan accordingly if you land after midnight.
🚇 Ways into the center
- M11 metro → Gayrettepe / Kağıthane: 35-40 min, ~$1.40 (45 TRY)
- Havaist coach → Taksim, Sultanahmet, Kadıköy: 60-90 min, ~$5-7
- HVST / IETT city bus: 90-120 min, ~$0.70 — cheapest but slow
- BiTaksi / Uber: 45-60 min, ~$50-80
- Official yellow taxi: 45-60 min, ~$65-100
🚆 M11 metro — the fastest
The M11 line opened in 2023 and connects IST's in-airport station with Gayrettepe on the M2 line; from there it's two stops to Taksim.
Buy an İstanbulkart from the machines in the arrivals hall — the card itself is ~$2.50, then top up ~$4 (good idea for getting around the city too). Trains run every 8-10 min, first at 06:00, last around 00:00.
Your İstanbulkart works on every tram, ferry and metro in town — don't toss it after the airport leg.
🚌 Havaist — straight to the central districts
Havaist is the official airport coach with 18 routes serving Istanbul. Buy your ticket at the Havaist counter in arrivals or via the Havaist iOS/Android app.
- IST-1: Taksim → ~$5, 60-75 min
- IST-19: Sultanahmet → ~$6, 75-90 min
- IST-7: Kadıköy (Asian side) → ~$7, 80-100 min
- Frequency: every 20-30 min; 24/7 service
- Luggage: two carry-ons included in the fare
🚖 Taxi — convenience
Official yellow taxis use a meter — IST to Taksim runs ~$65-100, up to ~$120 in heavy traffic. Add ~$1.50 for the Bosphorus bridge toll if you're going to the Asian side.
Some yellow-taxi drivers offer tourists a 'fixed price'. Always demand the taksimetre (meter) — otherwise expect a 2-3x markup.
📱 BiTaksi and Uber
BiTaksi is the local Turkish app — it hails official yellow taxis with a fare locked in upfront. Uber Turkey also works but usually dispatches the same yellow taxi. IST to center runs ~$50-80.
Pickup zone: from arrivals follow signs to Doors 10-12 (P1 parking). Surge is 1.3-1.6x at night.
💡 Tips
- Free airport Wi-Fi (TurkTelekom_FreeWiFi) gives 1 hour — enough to buy the M11 ticket
- Grab an İstanbulkart on arrival — one card covers M11, the city metro, ferries and trams
- The Turkish lira (TRY) is volatile — paying by card is often better than exchanging cash
- Bags from TBS usually go through to your final destination — verify at check-in
For more on Istanbul see Travel365's Tbilisi → Istanbul guide.
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