The road from the New Airport to the center of Istanbul is about 40 km and 1 hour on the way. In this article, you will learn the fastest and cheapest way to get from the New Istanbul Airport to the hotel or to the metro station, how much it will cost to travel by different modes of transport and how long it will take to get from the main Istanbul airport to your hotel.
From this article, you will get to know:
Istanbul's main international airport is the new Istanbul Airport (IATA code - IST). Ataturk Airport was closed a few years ago. A map with all airports can be found in the article All Istanbul airports - names, location on the map, airport hotels.
Metro at Istanbul New Airport
The metro line to the New Istanbul Airport is under construction. It was promised to be completed in 2021, but it seems that the metro to the airport will not be completed until 2024.

The fastest way to get from New Istanbul Airport to your hotel
A taxi or transfer from Istanbul's New Airport is undoubtedly the fastest and most convenient way to get to a hotel anywhere in Istanbul.
At the airport you can take a metered taxi:
- premium class black taxi cars are more comfortable and more expensive,
- economy class yellow taxi cars are more modest and cheaper.
If taxi driver doesn't star a meter, mention it right away.
I could not find taxi prices in official sources, but there is information from travellers in forums. They say the travel by taxi from the airport to the centre of Istanbul costs about 24 - 56 € in Turkish lira. There are also messages where much larger sums are mentioned. The price increase is justified by the detours of closed roads or long waits in traffic jams.

Experienced travellers know that taxi drivers at the airport are like a smart tribe that takes every opportunity to empty the pockets of tourists.
Therefore, it is much safer to pre-order a transfer from the airport to the hotel and back from the hotel to the airport:
- Transfer prices are fixed and, unlike the usual taxi, can not increase during the trip.
- A driver meets you near the exit from the arrivals area, saving you time in searching for a taxi.
- The transfer can be paid online, which will eliminate the need to change money at the airport at an unprofitable rate.
- In the process of ordering a transfer, you can add a child seat for a small passenger.
Order a taxi / transfer from Istanbul New Airport to your hotel >>
The bus is the cheapest way to get from the new Istanbul Airport to the city
The bus is, of course, cheaper, but it is also the most unpredictable option to get from the airport to a hotel in Istanbul. Because even the information on the official websites of transport companies does not always correspond to reality.
Bus routes have been added and cancelled since the launch of the New Istanbul Airport. At first there were 8 of them, then 23, then 19. The bus numbers and the trip routes themselves were changed and redrawn at least 4 times.
For more details you can find the article Buses from New Airport to Istanbul or vice versa.
The fare on the bus ranges from 15 to 60 TL. The method of payment for the fare depends on the transport company.
The duration of the bus ride from the airport to the final stop is from 1 to 2.5 hours.

What type of transport to choose to get from the airport to a hotel (table)
Of course, it all depends on your priorities and tasks. Someone prefers a cheap bus, someone wants to be delivered to the door of the hotel by transfer or taxi.
If you want to get to your hotel as quickly as possible and do not have to deal with cunning taxi drivers, book a transfer - start your visit to Istanbul with positive mood.
Transport | Features |
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Buses |
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Airport Taxi |
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Transfer |
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How much is a transfer from Istanbul New Airport
The cost of an individual transfer (taxi) from the airport to the hotel starts from 45 EUR per car and depends on the distance from the airport to the hotel, on the class and size of the car. You can check the price and order a transfer on trusted GetTransfer website.