Within the city, public transport is a good way of getting around. There are minibuses, buses, taxis, trams (from Aksaray), subway (between Taksim and Levent), and a tiny electric tramcar (Beyoglu to Taksim).

Sirkeci -Karaky-Kabata tramvay + Aksaray - Laleli - Beyaz t -Sultanahmet - Sirkeci

By Road

Not surprisingly, Istanbul is well connected to every part of Turkey. Buses are frequent and plentiful, and the main bus station (otogar) is in Esenler, on the European side.

There are countless independent bus companies, all of whom have a ticket office at the station, and the larger ones have offices dotted around town, especially in areas like Taksim, Sultanahmed, and Besiktas.

Prices vary slightly, depending on quality. There are also departures from Harem on the Asian side. For journeys further afield, there buses to Greece, Macedonia, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Russia, Georgia, Romania, Bulgaria and Jordan.

Bus Station Tel: (+90-212) 658 05 05, 658 10 10, 333 37 63, 310 63 63.

Within the city, public transport is a good way of getting around. There are minibuses, buses, taxis, trams (from Aksaray), subway (between Taksim and Levent), and a tiny electric tramcar (Beyoglu to Taksim).

By Rail

Not as popular a mode of transport as buses, with a much smaller network, there are rail connections from Istanbul to Ankara, Izmir, and Eastern Anatolian cities. Most of the services are slower than buses, although between the three main cities there are the mavi tren, mototren, or ekspres, which are fast and comfortable.

Reservations are essential for these journeys, and there are several classes of seats and sleepers. International services from Sirkeci (on the European side) and Haydarpasa (Asian side) stations include Vienna, Munich, Budapest, Salonica, (via Eskisehir, Konya, and Gaziantep ), Aleppo, (via Tatvan and Van), Tehran, Moscow, and Bucharest. Trains heading west leave from Sirkeci, and east from Haydarpasa station.

Sirkeci Information Tel: (+90-212) 527 0050/51.
Reservations Tel: (+90-212) 520 6575
Haydarpasa Information Tel: (+90-216) 336 0475/2063.
Reservations Tel: (+90-216) 336 4470, 337 8724.

By Boat

Maritime Lines run both the urban and national transport. Marinas also have connections with European ports.

Urban Maritime Transportation runs ships which operate between the following destinations within Istanbul: Kadikoy Haydarpasa Karakoy; Eminonu Uskudar; Eminonu Kadikoy; Bridge Yenikoy; Beykoz Kavaklar; Sirkeci - Bostanci, Bridge Prince's Islands; Bridge Yalova; Kabatas Cinarcik; Bostanci - Cinarcik.

Boats operate from Istanbul to the following Black Sea towns: Zonguldak, Sinop, Samsun, Giresun, Trabzon, Rize. There is also service to Izmir on the Aegean coast. Marmara Lines run to Marmara Island, Bandirma, and Mudanya.

Useful contacts:
Port Tel: (+90-212) 245 53 66/249 71 78/249 18 96.
Address: TDY Maritime Lines Agency, Rihtim Cad. Kadikoy, Istanbul
Head Office Tel: (+90-212) 245 53 66/249 71 78/249 18 96.
Reservation Tel: (+90-212) 249 92 22/293 74 54
Information Tel: (+90-212) 244 25 02/244 02 07

By Air

Ataturk International Airport is 20 km from city centre. The new airport is the biggest in the country, with the most international flights. There are direct flights to every European capital, and many to Asia, USA, and the Middle East.

The domestic terminal has flights to every domestic airport in the country, with several a day to major cities like Ankara and Izmir. Turkish Airlines (THY) is the national carrier.

Atatrk International Airport
THY Head Office:	+90 212 663 63 00 71 (5 Lines)
THY Reservations:	+90 212 663 63 63
Domestic flights:	+90 212 663 63 00
International flights:	+90 212 663 63 00
Cargo Reservation:	+90-212 663 63 00

Airport Downtown Transport

Havas provides bus and ground services for the airports in Turkey. You should be at the shuttle stop in the city 2 hours before your departure for domestic flights and 3 hours before your departure for international flights. The fee varies according to the distance of the airport to the city center.

Here is the shuttle busses schedule of some airports:

Istanbul Atat rk Airport Tel: (90+212) 465 47 00/106111

From Airport to Taksim (in front of the THY office)
Daily departures every half hour from 06:00 to 23.00 hrs, plus one ride at 05.00,

From Taksim to the Airport
Daily rides depart from in front of THY Taksim office, every half hour from 06.00 to 23.00s. And one ride at 06.00.

From Airport to Otogar, Esenler (intercity bus garage)
Rides to Intercity buss garage depart according to passenger demand between 23.30 and 05.00.

From Airport to Bakirky Deniz Otob s Iskelesi (Bakirk y Sea-Bus Quay)
Daily rides leaving the airport 20 minutes prior to the depature of every sea departing for Bostanci, in front of the Sea-Bus Quay.

From Bakirky Deniz Otob s Iskelesi (Bakirk y Sea-Bus Quay) to Airport
Daily rides for every sea bus arriving from Bostanci, in front of the Sea-Bus Quay.

From Airport to Akmerkez, Etiler (Akmerkez Shopping Mall, Etiler)
Daily rides depart between 07.30 21.00 hrs, in every two hours.

From Akmerkez, Etiler (Akmerkez Shopping Mall, Etiler) to Airport
Daily rides depart from Akmerkez parking lot between 06.30 22.30 in every two hours.

From the Airport to the Asian (Anatolian) Side (Kozyatagi-Kiziltoprak)
At 04.00, 05.00, 11.00, 13.30, 15.00, 18.00, 20.00 and 22.30

From the Asian (Anatolian) side (Kozyatagi-Kiziltoprak) to the Airport
At 04.00, 05.00, 11.00, 13.30, 15.00, 18.00, 20.00 and 22.30

Easy Access to the Congress Valley

The Istanbul Convention & Exhibition Center is located in the heart of the city's business and cultural center, allowing travelers easy access to the municipal, domestic, and international transportation networks.

23km / 14.3 miles from Ataturk International Airport (30 minutes by taxi).

5km / 3 miles from Sirkeci train station, terminal of the Orient Express.

100m from Harbiye bus stop on the Taksim-Sisli line.

500m from Taksim Metro Station linked to the city's new underground system.