Istanbul travel essentials: your first hours sorted

Check which airport you land at — they’re on opposite sides of the city. The main Istanbul Airport (IST) is far to the northwest: the HAVAIST buses run to central districts (around 60–90 minutes), the M11 metro now connects it, and official taxis are metered but it’s a long, pricey ride. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is on the Asian side, even further from the old city.

Given the distance and a likely late or jet-lagged arrival, many visitors find a pre-booked transfer the least stressful — a fixed price and a driver waiting, rather than negotiating a long taxi ride or working out buses with luggage at night.

A Türkiye eSIM set up before you fly gets you online on arrival, with good city coverage — useful for maps, the BiTaksi taxi app and translation. An eSIM also sidesteps the notably expensive tourist SIM packages sold at the airport.

The Turkish lira moves a lot, so prices in the bazaars are often quoted with that in mind. Cards are widely accepted in restaurants and shops, but carry cash for the Grand Bazaar, street food, small cafés and tips. Reputable money changers (döviz) in the city often give better rates than airport counters or ATMs — compare a couple, and count your money before leaving. Choose lira, not your home currency, at any card machine.

Get an Istanbulkart from a machine at any station — one tap-card covers the trams, metro, buses and, best of all, the ferries across the Bosphorus (a scenic, dirt-cheap way to cross between continents). The trams and metro are easy and safe. Taxis are the weak point: some refuse the meter or take long routes, so use the BiTaksi app (which tracks the trip and shows the fare) or insist on the meter, and avoid empty street taxis late at night.

Being upfront: same-sex relations are legal in Türkiye and Istanbul has a discreet scene, but the country is socially conservative, Pride marches have been banned since 2015, and attitudes have hardened — so visible public affection is best avoided and discretion is advised. We keep the honest, current detail on the dedicated guide rather than oversell it here.

Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern cluster in Sultanahmet; booking skip-the-line entry for the paid ones (Topkapı, the Cistern) saves long queues in season. For the mosques, dress modestly and women should carry a scarf to cover their head. In the Grand Bazaar, haggling is expected and friendly — start well below the asking price.