Unfortunately metro and railway system is not developed enough, so mainly buses and cabs are used in Istanbul. People tend to drive their own cars causing traffic jams. So I’d recommend you stay out of traffic in rush hours. Taksim Square is the center of public transport, you can find any transport anywhere.

Cabs are relatively cheap in Turkey. They should be preferred for short distances. There is a surcharge of 50% in night time (00:00-06:00). I would like to warn you about the drivers; noticing the passenger is a foreigner, some of them tend to take the long way or charge in night rates. You may check the meter to work in day mode “GÜNDÜZ”, not in night mode “GECE”.

Transport from Ataturk Airport: Ataturk Airport is the main airport of Istanbul. It is on the European side, and closer to city center.There is a subway line to the airport, but you have to change several lines to get to city center. Considering your luggage, it is wiser to take the shuttle for approximately $8 per person, or to take a cab ($25-30 in day time to Taksim Square depending on traffic). If you will be staying on the Asian side, you have two options: either shuttle or cab. The shuttle would be much more cheaper. Click here for the shuttle routes and rates: http://www.havas.com.tr/en/otobus_istanbul_ahl.asp

Transport from Sabiha Gokcen Airport: Sabiha Gokcen Airport is the secondary airport of Istanbul, and is on the Asian side. Just take the shuttle for $9. Click here for the shuttle routes and rates: http://www.havas.com.tr/en/otobus_istanbul_saw.asp (Little information on the name of the airport: Sabiha Gokcen (Sabiha Gökçen) is the first Turkish female aviator and the first female combat pilot in the world. She was one of the eight adoptive children of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk).

The main subway line is the one between Taksim Square and Levent. It is on the main commercial and residential area of Istanbul. If you are planning to go somewhere around the subway line, definetly take the subway to avoid traffic.

To travel between European and Asian sides, just take the ferry. It is absolutely more fun, and faster. Do not miss this chance, enjoy the breeze of Bosphorus and the magnificent view. You may also consider taking a scenic Bosphorus ferry tour to enjoy Istanbul more. You may want to experience to drive from one continent to an other, and the view from the bridge; you may take a bus as well. Take the bus using the Bogazici Bridge (Boğaziçi Köprüsü) a.k.a. “The First Bridge” (“Birinci Köprü”). Click here for ferry routes and timetable: http://www.ido.com.tr/en/index.cfm?page=SubPage&kapsam=178&textid=1231&ln=EN

If you are planning to use public transport (Metro, busses, ferry, etc.) frequently, you may consider buying an “Akbil”; prepaid device valid for all public transport, providing 50% discount for transfers. You can buy it from the main station in Taksim Square. If you do not have an Akbil, you have to buy tokens for metro and ferry; or take private buses (“Özel Halk Otobüsü”) that you can pay in cash as well.