From the airport to the city centre Turkey
Several airports welcome international flights. The main ones are located in the west of the country. Istanbul has two: the new Istanbul Airport, inaugurated on October 29, 2018, which replaced Atatürk International Airport, Istanbul International Airport(istairport.com) located 40 km north of Istanbul on the European side, and Sabiha Gökçen Airport(sabihagokcen.aero), located 60 km from central Istanbul on the Asian side.
To get to the center of Istanbul from the new Istanbul International Airport, you can take a cab (about €30 per ride), several bus lines (30 to 60 minutes) or the M11 metro line that goes to the north of Istanbul.
To get to central Istanbul from Sabiha Gökçen Airport, you have two options: the Havabus bus to Taksim Meydanı (18 TL, €3, 1.5 hours) or a cab (about €25) to Taksim Meydanı and Sultanahmet.
Elsewhere in the country, major cities have their own airports: Ankara International Airport(esenbogaairport.com); Izmir International Airport(adnanmenderesairport.com); Antalya International Airport(antalya-airport.aero); Bodrum International Airport (milas-bodrumairport.com).
A direct flight from Paris to Istanbul takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes. Many low cost airlines offer daily flights to the Turkish megalopolis from Orly, Marseille, Strasbourg, Nantes, Lille, Toulouse, Lyon, Bordeaux, direct or with stopovers in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Geneva or Rome. Shuttle, bus and cab services are available in front of each airport.
Please note: internal flights are not very environmentally friendly but can be very practical when you have little time to go from one point to another far away. This saves a lot of time and often costs very little. Many choices from Istanbul.
Public transport Turkey
The bus is the most used means of transportation in the country; very efficient, clean and comfortable, it is a good (and inexpensive) way to travel. The bus network is very well developed and all cities are served. To reach a somewhat remote point, you will probably need to complete your journey with a dolmuş (collective shuttle bus). Very frequent services between major cities and tourist destinations.
Gradually high-speed train lines are increasing throughout the country and form a direct competition to buses. Normal" trains, on the other hand, are very slow, much slower than buses.
There are regular boat connections from the Aegean to the Sea of Marmara. About sixty ferry connections are operated each week.
By car Turkey
Renting a car is the ideal way to explore the Turkish territory at your own pace, in complete freedom, and to stop where the buses do not go. You will find many international (Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt...) or local rental agencies throughout the country. The offices are often located in the city centers and airports. It is also possible to enter Turkey with your own vehicle. In this case, the authorized length of stay for the latter cannot exceed one month. Remember to bring your vehicle registration document and your insurance certificate with you. A document will be given to you when you enter the country, indicating the date on which you must leave the country.
