Istanbul Airport

Uber operates only as Uber Taxi — it hails a regular licensed yellow taxi through the app rather than a private car. BiTaksi is the key local taxi-hailing app and works the same way; both force the meter, which makes them safer than flagging a street taxi. Pickup rules at IST can be confusing, so follow the app's current instructions and official signs.

Use only official yellow taxis from the rank outside arrivals at ground level, and insist on the meter ("taksimetre") — flat-rate quotes to tourists are common and usually inflated. Cash is often preferred; late-night taxi scams have been documented, so BiTaksi is safer than flagging one from the street.

Havaist airport buses leave from Level -2 (two floors below arrivals, blue Havaist signs) to Taksim, Sultanahmet (via Çatladıkapı), Kadıköy and other districts. Pay with a contactless card or Istanbulkart only — no cash on board.

Metro M11 runs from Level -2 to Gayrettepe (~6am–midnight), where you transfer to M2 for Taksim or other lines for Sultanahmet. The transfer adds significant time, so door-to-door it's often only marginally faster than Havaist.

Pre-booked transfers are popular for first-time visitors given the distance and language barrier — drivers meet at arrivals with a name sign.