Istanbul Airport Taxi Fare Calculator & Booking

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Istanbul Airport Taxi

Istanbul is known as travel destination that can produce unpleasant taxi experiences. While the city is a major tourist destination, many travelers have left Istanbul unhappy with their experience with taxi drivers. It isn’t uncommon for tourists to avoid using Istanbul taxis during a visit. Yet, tourists do not always have the choice and must use Istanbul taxis on occasions.

Istanbul’s new airport is located outside the center of the city. Due to its location, public transport has not caught up, making it difficult – if not impossible – to reach the airport and major parts of Istanbul using buses, trams, or the underground.

Taxis are the most convenient way to travel from the airport to the city center and vice versa. Istanbul taxis are an inexpensive way to travel around the city and are safe despite many of the horror stories that linger on the Internet.

If you are traveling to Istanbul soon, you may wonder whether or not getting a taxi is worth the time and effort. It certainly is and you can find out all the information needed below to safely use Istanbul Airport Taxis.

About Istanbul Airport Taxis

When exiting Istanbul International Airport, you will need to queue in the taxi rank. You cannot walk outside and hail a taxi at the airport, rather you must join the queue of other travelers to get in the next available taxi.

You need to be aware that Istanbul Airport taxis provide different services. The service and experience you receive from one taxi are different to another. The taxis are different colors, which signify the difference in carrying capacity and comfort each vehicle possesses. Before getting in a taxi to travel to the city, you need to ensure it meets your budget.

Istanbul’s Yellow taxis are the regular ones used by people every day. Blue taxis are higher quality cars that provide more comfort and are slightly more expensive than yellow taxis. Black minivans have larger carrying capacity and are slightly higher in cost. Each taxi has a meter that tallies the cost of a trip.
You may encounter some toll roads in Istanbul. Your final cost for the taxi will include toll roads if they are used. The meter’s final price is related to the distance you traveled. If you cross the bridges that connect the east and west sides of the city, you will need to pay these fees too. Tips are not required and most drivers will help you with your luggage.

Where is the Taxi Rank at Istanbul Airport?

You should always take an official taxi when leaving Istanbul International Airport. Locating an official taxi is easy as they are at the airport’s taxi rank. The Istanbul International Airport taxi rank is outside the domestic and international arrivals area located in the Plaza Section. There is also an official taxi rank at the departures floor and the arrivals floor. Some travelers prefer to pre-book their taxi and these vehicles can be located on the –2 floor.

Uber operates in Istanbul, but you are unable to book Uber taxis at the airport. Therefore, you must go to an official taxi rank and use an official Istanbul taxi to travel from the airport. There are no fixed prices or pre-determined prices when traveling from the airport to destinations around the city.

The airport is in the Arnavutköy district which is 40 kilometers from the Taksim area. It should take around 40 minutes to reach the city center from the airport. The price is approximately €31.60 or $34.70. Keep in mind that Istanbul’s traffic, which can be quite congested, can increase the price of your overall journey. Traffic jams and congestion are an everyday part of life in Istanbul.

If you have any reservations about using an Istanbul taxi, then consider the ease they offer you on your trip. Taxis at Istanbul Airport are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The cars will drop you off at your exact destination. Istanbul taxi drivers are well-verse with the roads and locations of destinations around the city. This is very important in a city known for being a bit chaotic.

Istanbul Airport Taxi Tips

Before leaving Istanbul Airport in a taxi, there are a few things you should know about taxi services around the city. For one, you should always carry cash with you. Most taxi drivers in Istanbul do not accept debit cards or credit cards. The majority of cars do not have credit card machines inside them, meaning you need cash to pay for your journey.

Although you may have euros, dollars, or pounds on you, it is never wise to pay with this currency. Taxi drivers won’t give you a favorable exchange rate. In addition, they are unlikely to have change for you when paying with foreign currency. You should always have Turkish lira on you to pay for an Istanbul Airport taxi ride. While riding in the taxi, you should open a navigation app on your smartphone. This will ensure the taxi driver has chosen the quickest route to your destination. A driver could pick a longer route to charge you more money.

The meter will tally up your journey and present you with the final cost. The driver should not tally up the journey’s cost, so make sure the meter is on when you get into the car. The meter should be reset and switched on when setting off on your journey. If it isn’t, inform the driver it should be reset.

English may be spoken by many people in Istanbul, but it isn’t commonly spoken by many taxi drivers. You should have your destination’s address written down, allowing your driver to read it. If you have a limited budget, you shouldn’t travel via taxi during the city’s peak rush hours. Rush hour traffic occurs from 7:30 am to 9:00 am and 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm.

You should always pick up a taxi from an official taxi rank. Do not accept a taxi ride from elsewhere. Finally, smartphone apps BiTaksi and iTaksi are great for pre-booking taxis in Istanbul. Although using an Istanbul Airport taxi can be daunting, these tips should help you navigate the tricky waters of Istanbul travel.

To pre-book your Istanbul Airport Taxi please click here