Istanbul Airport Taxis : Prices, Booking and Tips

Istanbul is one of the most crowded cities in the world. The city, which hosts approximately 20 million people, was also hosting millions of tourists in the pre-pandemic period. Even though the tourist flow has slowed down during the pandemic period, the crowd is still in all parts of the city.
Despite all the crowds, Istanbul unfortunately has a very problematic transportation network. If you have come from one of the European cities that are woven like a spider's web with the subway, you may be shocked when you see the Istanbul subway map. Because the total number of metro lines in this metropolis is less than the fingers of both hands. Unfortunately, as the city has grown uncontrollably and very quickly, and long-term strategic planning has not been made, a chaos situation prevails in transportation at the moment.

Buses and Metrobuses of Istanbul

Since the metro line is not sufficient, regular buses and the metrobuses (which are expected to provide a service close to the metro service, and which move on special roads) are the most important means of public transportation in the city. However, since buses and metrobuses are generally overcrowded, if you come to this city for a short time, sooner or later you will have to take a taxi. If you are looking for an adventure to taste the Istanbul rush, you can try to take the metrobus at the evening (rush hours); but only do it if you want adventure because thousands of people will be trying to get on the buses on the same route at that hour. At these hours, the metrobus is more or less is a 'hunger game'. The situation is particularly bad for airports. First of all, let's deal with the transportation possibilities to Istanbul Airport, which is the biggest airport of Turkey and Istanbul. Istanbul Airport, which was commissioned in 2018 with an investment of billions of dollars, unfortunately does not have a metro line yet. For this reason, public transportation is provided only by buses. (You can click on the Istanbul Airport Buses : Lines and Tips article on our site for the bus route and times from Istanbul airport to all parts of the city). The situation is not very different for Sabiha Gokcen Airport, which is the second and last airport of Istanbul. Buses are your only public transportation alternative to reach the city of Sabiha Gokcen. Metro is not available at Sabiha Gokcen Airport either.

Istanbul Taxis : The Chaotic Solution

While this is the case, taxis are among the most used means of transportation in Istanbul. The only alternative other than buses to go to many parts of the city is taxis. Especially within the scope of pandemic measures, many people prefer taxis because buses are risky in terms of covid since these are very overcrowded. Eventually, the most used vehicles for going from Istanbul Airport to the city are taxis and transfer vehicles.
Although taxis are used so heavily, unfortunately the taxi system is also full of problems. There are approximately 18 thousand registered taxis in Istanbul. Both the size of the city and the size of the sector make the taxi system difficult to manage. When the approach of politicians to this large capital group is added, unfortunately, the problems in the taxi system cannot be solved. Despite the intense measures taken by the police, the fines and the taxis banned from traffic, there are news about Istanbul taxis -mainly about taxi fraud- on TV nearly every day. According to a news in August 2021, the police, who got into the taxi like a customer, fined the taxi driver who took the taxi fee of 500 liras, which should cost 50 liras, and banned his taxi from traffic.( Click here for the news on government media -in Turkish- ) However, despite these and similar criminal news every day, these events cannot be completely prevented. So, what should you pay attention to when taking a taxi in Istanbul Airport?

Istanbul Airport Taxis: Prices and Tips

If you search for Istanbul taxis on Google before visiting Istanbul, unfortunately, one of the most common results you will encounter will be "taxi fraud". The situations in the 'Is it safe to take taxi in Turkey' article we wrote years ago are unfortunately still valid.(click our article for detailed information about taxi safety and risks in Turkey) Therefore, the most important point you should pay attention to when using a taxi in Istanbul is the distance between two points and the taxi fare. We created the Istanbul Taxi Fare Calculator application years ago to find some solution to this situation. In this way, you can find the estimated route and cost of the taxi via Istanbul Taxi Fare Calculator before using the taxi. In addition, there are many fake money news in Istanbul taxis in the media. For this reason, credit cards should be used whenever possible.
As we mentioned before, Istanbul Airport is the most frequently used taxi point in the city. Therefore, you need to know how much the taxi fare from Istanbul airport to the city. Otherwise, you may be exposed to a taxi scam. Below you can find out how much the taxi fare from Istanbul airport to many points in the city center will cost roughly. The fares listed below will also cost approximately the same from the city center to Istanbul airport. Note that the following amounts are the prices that will occur when the shortest distance is preferred when the traffic is not heavy. In addition, if there is a point on the route that requires an additional fee, such as a bridge or highway, this will be added to your Istanbul taxi fare.

Taxi Fares From/To Istanbul Airport 2021

Kadikoy to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	5.767 € / 5.989 $ / 210 TL
Atasehir to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	5.218 € / 5.419 $ / 190 TL
Bakirkoy to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	5.218 € / 5.419 $ / 190 TL
Taksim to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.806 € / 4.991 $ / 175 TL
Sariyer to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	3.707 € / 3.850 $ / 135 TL
Buyukcekmece to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	5.218 € / 5.419 $ / 190 TL
Beylikduzu(TUYAP) to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	5.218 € / 5.419 $ / 190 TL
Sultanahmet to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.943 € / 5.134 $ / 180 TL
Eminonu to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.531 € / 4.706 $ / 165 TL
Uskudar to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	5.081 € / 5.276 $ / 185 TL
Maltepe to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	7.552 € / 7.843 $ / 275 TL
Ataturk Airport to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.119 € / 4.278 $ / 150 TL
Sisli to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.806 € / 4.991 $ / 175 TL
Maslak to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.806 € / 4.991 $ / 175 TL
Besiktas to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.806 € / 4.991 $ / 175 TL
Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	7.827 € / 8.128 $ / 285 TL
Arnavutkoy to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	1.785 € / 1.853 $ / 65 TL
Avcilar to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.394 € / 4.563 $ / 160 TL
Bahcelievler to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.669 € / 4.848 $ / 170 TL
Basaksehir to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	3.845 € / 3.993 $ / 140 TL
Bayrampasa to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.119 € / 4.278 $ / 150 TL
Catalca to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	3.982 € / 4.135 $ / 145 TL
Esenler(Bus Station) to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	3.433 € / 3.565 $ / 125 TL
Esenyurt to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	5.081 € / 5.276 $ / 185 TL
Eyup to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	2.471 € / 2.567 $ / 90 TL
Fatih to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.531 € / 4.706 $ / 165 TL
Gaziosmanpasa to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.257 € / 4.420 $ / 155 TL
Gungoren to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.531 € / 4.706 $ / 165 TL
Kagithane to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	3.433 € / 3.565 $ / 125 TL
Kucukcekmece to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.943 € / 5.134 $ / 180 TL
Silivri to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	7.827 € / 8.128 $ / 285 TL
Sultangazi to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	3.433 € / 3.565 $ / 125 TL
Zeytinburnu to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.531 € / 4.706 $ / 165 TL
Beykoz to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	4.943 € / 5.134 $ / 180 TL
Cekmekoy to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	6.591 € / 6.845 $ / 240 TL
Kartal to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	8.514 € / 8.841 $ / 310 TL
Pendik to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	8.514 € / 8.841 $ / 310 TL
Sancaktepe to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	6.866 € / 7.130 $ / 250 TL
Sultanbeyli to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	6.866 € / 7.130 $ / 250 TL
Sile to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	9.338 € / 9.697 $ / 340 TL
Umraniye to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	5.355 € / 5.561 $ / 195 TL
Gebze to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	10.43 € / 10.83 $ / 380 TL
Cayirova to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	10.43 € / 10.83 $ / 380 TL
Sekerpinar to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	10.43 € / 10.83 $ / 380 TL
Golcuk to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	12.35 € / 12.83 $ / 450 TL
Bursa to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	19.22 € / 19.96 $ / 700 TL
Edirne to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	23.34 € / 24.24 $ / 850 TL
Kirklareli to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	16.47 € / 17.11 $ / 600 TL
Corlu to Istanbul Airport taxi fare	9.612 € / 9.982 $ / 350 TL

Istanbul Airport Taxi Booking

One of the most important rules you need to know to use a taxi in Istanbul is this: You do not need to make a reservation for taxis at Istanbul Airport. You can go to the waiting area of the taxis(Just follow the taxi signs in the Istanbul Airport) and take the first taxi waiting in the queue. (This queue is important, maybe you want to take one of the taxis in the back because it is your favorite brand, but this is not possible. It is not possible to break this queue in the taxi waiting area, since there is no booking system). So, is it possible to find a taxi whenever you want? The answer to this question is generally yes. However, sometimes if you come across a rush hour, it is possible to wait to get on a taxi. What if you don't want to risk waiting? In this case, you can use the Istanbul Airport transfer service. So how can you use Istanbul airport transfer service?

Istanbul Airport Transfer Prices and Companies

As we have mentioned before, Istanbul Airport is not in a very good condition in terms of transportation. For this reason, many people prefer airport transfer companies due to taxi fraud and the risk of waiting for a taxi. Therefore, a large industry has been formed. Unlike taxis, since there is a rating system for many companies and infrastructure, it is highly likely that you will get a good transfer service from Istanbul airport to the city center when you use Istanbul Airport private transfer services. So which company can you choose? As in choosing a hotel, using large sites that offer prices and information from multiple companies in the selection of a transfer company will make it easier for you to choose. In this direction, you can check the transfer price with the vehicle types by using Welcome Pickups and Tranigo websites. You can find the transfer prices that we have compiled from these sites at our price check application ( ‘PriceinTurkey'). Just write ‘Transfer’ to search box and see the results listed. (Note that these prices are found for one person and when the smallest vehicle is selected). Please note that these prices may vary depending on the intensity and season as well as number of people using transfer and vehicle type. You can always inquire about live prices from Welcome Pickupsand Tranigo websites.

Istanbul Airports Car Rentals

Any alternatives? Sure, if you trust your driving skillls, you can also rent a car to reach the city center from Istanbul Airport. Since Turkey is a cheap country in terms of fuel prices compared to Europe (you can find the current fuel prices in our ’Fuel Prices in Turkey’ article), renting a car will be the cheapest way, especially if you are going to travel a lot in Turkey and Istanbul. Although Istanbul is generally a bit expensive compared to the rest of Turkey in terms of parking fees, parking fees in Istanbul are quite affordable compared to Europe. There are dozens of car parks where you can park your car all day for 5-10 Euros (you can choose ISPARK, a state company, for cheap and secure parking anywhere in Istanbul). In summery, if you are going to travel a lot, car rental is more economical. When it comes to car rental, there are not many points that distinguish Istanbul Airport from other airports. The only thing you need to pay attention to when renting a car from Istanbul Airport is to stay away from small, local car rental companies as much as possible. For this reason, it is the most reliable and easiest way to get service from companies such as Avis and Hertz, which are located in Istanbul as well as all over the world. You can use large service providers such as Rentalcars.com to compare the cheapest prices among these companies.

Conclusion

• The Istanbul Transportation System is Chaotic.
• Istanbul Airport Public Transportation is only made by buses
• Taxi is the most selected way of transportation from Istanbul Airport to city centre
• Taxi fraud is very common in Istanbul. Know how much you will pay before taking a taxi.
• Istanbul Airport transfer companies are a good alternative to taxis. The prices are similar to taxis, even cheaper when you are crowded. Booking is needed
• Welcome to İstanbul. Have fun:)