Istanbul has two international Airports, Atatürk Airport (IST) on the European side of the city
Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) on the Asian side.
By Taxi
Taking a taxi is by far the easiest and most likely the fastest way to get to the university. A taxi
stand with dispatcher can be found immediately outside the terminal building. Taxis should be
officially licensed by the Metropolitan Municipality and at every circumstance avoid any other
ride than the officially licensed yellow cabs. While leaving the arrival hall at Atatürk Airport you
will eventually be solicited for presumably cheaper fares on private limousines or by someone
approaching you by offering a "TAXI". Simply ignore these options and head straight for the
official cab stand outside the terminal, otherwise you will end up paying up to three times more
for your ride.
A single ride from the airport to Bogazici University will cost about 60,- TL (appr. 20 & 22- €).
Kindly give the taxi driver the following directions:
Boğaziçi Üniversitesi
34342 Bebek/İstanbul Türkiye
Telefon: +90 212 359 54 00
By Shuttle Bus - Havataş
A private bus company called Havataş (pronounce: HAVA-TASCH) operates regular (every 30
minutes) shuttle buses to central locations in Istanbul. Shuttle buses can be found immediately
outside the terminal building. Tickets are sold on the bus and cost about 11,- TL (appr. 4,- €).
Take the shuttle bus to Taksim, which will take approximately 40 minutes, but largely depends
on traffic conditions.
From Taksim, take the M2 subway line to Levent station and transfer to the M6 subway to
Bogazici University (the M6 only goes in one direction and Bogazici University is the terminal
station on this line).
Alternatively, you can take a a taxi after exiting the Levent subway station, which will cost about
10,- - 15,- TL, or from Taksim, which will cost 25,- - 30,- TL.
Havataş shuttle buses between Atatürk Airport and Taksim run every half-hour between 04:00
A.M. - 01:00 A.M. Please visit the Havataş website (http://www.havatas.com/) for further
information.
Because the Sabiha Gökçen Airport is 50 km away from the city centre it is strongly
recommended to use the Havataş shuttle buses to transfer to the city.
Shuttle buses can be found across the the terminal building. Take the shuttle bus to Taksim
(double check!!!, there are two different shuttle lines leaving from Sabiha Gökçen Airport).
Travel time is approximately 1.5 hours, but it may vary with traffic conditions. Tickets are sold
on the bus and cost 14,- TL (5,- €). By comparison a taxi to Taksim will cost you approximately
120,- - 140,- TL (around 50,- €) and might not be any faster.
You can also get off the bus in Levent and then take a taxi to the university campus or connect to
the Metro line in case you want to get to your hotel. If you miss the stop at Levent continue to
Taksim and use one of the options detailed above. Shuttle buses run every half-hour between
04:00 A.M. - 01:00 A.M.
Please visit the Havataş website (http://www.havatas.com/) for further information.
Taxi
Using a taxi is usually the best and fastest way to get to your destination. Istanbul Taxi drivers
have an amazing knowledge of the city and usually an approximate address is sufficient to get
you to the right place. Please take care that you use only licensed yellow cabs and avoid Pirate
cabs. You can hail for a cab on the street or find them at the many cab stands located throughout
the city. Istanbul cabs use a meter and there is a single fare valid all day.
Here are some approximate fares between main locations in İstanbul:
from Taksim to Bogazici University around 25 TL, ~$12, ~€10
from Beşiktaş to Bogazici University around 20 TL, ~$10, ~€8
from 4.Levent or Levent (Metro station) to Bogazici University around 15 TL, ~$7, ~€5
from Atatürk Airport to Bogazici University around 60 TL, ~$30, ~€25
from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Bogazici University around 120,- TL, 50,- €, 65,- $
from Taksim to Sultanahmet (old town): around 25 - 30 TL
Public Transportation
Public Transportation in Istanbul works amazingly well but is hopelessly chaotic. This is in
particular true for transportation by bus and is more relaxed on subways and trams. You need
an electronic pre-paid boarding pass (Istanbul Card) to enter public transportation vehicles
(http://istanbulkart.iett.gov.tr/en). You can obtain a card (for a non-refundable fee of 6,- TL) at
most major transportation hubs and all subway stations. Look for the IETT (Istanbul Public
Transportation Authority) counters or vending machines. You have to charge money onto your
card, which you can do at bus and metro stops or at most of the thousands of newsstands around
the city. Look for Akbil Dolum Noktası) to identify newsstands that would recharge your card.
You can find information on the Public Transportation Network under
http://www.iett.gov.tr/en
Major bus lines that connect to the conference venue at Bogazici University:
43R Kabataş - Rumeli Hisarüstü
559C Taksim - Rumeli Hisarüstü
59R Şişli - Rumeli Hisarüstü
59RS Sarıyer - Rumeli Hisarüstü
125 Kadıköy - Rumeli Hisarüstü
Boat / Ferry
Ferries are the most convenient transportation between the European and the Asian side of the
city. Boats go frequently, either connecting opposite neighborhoods on the shores of the
Bosphorus or long distance.
For more information on the Istanbul Ferry system, please visit http://www.sehirhatlari.com.tr .
Special water taxi service is also available:
http://www.deniztaksi.com
Weather
September is the end of summer and start of autumn in Istanbul. At the start of the month,
temperatures are still high, it’s likely to be hot and dry. But by the end, temperatures have fallen
rapidly, rainfall averages have risen, and it will feel much cooler.
Dress
You can wear any clothes you feel comfortable in. If you are planning to visit a mosque, it is
advisable to bring a scarf to cover your hair if you’re a woman (although these are often
provided in many tourist sites), and to avoid shorts above the knee if you’re a man. When
entering a mosque, it is compulsory to take shoes off.
Language
Turkish is the main language. While English is widely spoken in tourist areas, it is not very
common outside these areas.
Electricity
Turkey operates on 220 volts, 50Hz, with European-style dual round-pin plugs that fit into
recessed wall sockets. Please make sure to check your appliances before leaving home to see
what you’ll need to plug in when you are in Istanbul. Many appliances with their own power
adapters (laptop computers, cameras) can be plugged into either 110-120 volt or 220-240 volt
sockets and will adapt to the voltage automatically. Nevertheless it is advisable to bring a travel
plug adaptor or power converter with you just in case.
Time
Istanbul has Eastern European time (UTC/GMT+2).
Money
The Türk Lirası (Turkish Lira/TL) is the national currency. You can check the latest exchange
rates here before you travel.
ATMs, credit cards and exchange offices
ATMs are widespread throughout Istanbul. Major credit cards are accepted in most
shops, hotels and restaurants. It is easy to exchange money in the money exchange offices or
banks that are located throughout the city. The exchange rate is higher in exchange offices, and
they do not charge fees.
Mobile phones
Most foreign mobile phones work in Istanbul. Please make sure to check with your provider
before you travel. Pre-paid SIM cards can be easily purchased at the airport upon arrival. These
cost around USD$20.
Getting around
Public transport in Istanbul is excellent. Buying a rechargeable Istanbul Kart can save time and
money. You can buy these cards at local newspaper kiosks around public transportation stops,
and they can be used on the tram, ferry, metro, funicular and bus.
Taxis are plentiful, but it’s usually easiest to ask the hotel to call one for you. Always ask the
driver to use the meter, which should be publicly displayed (usually on the rear view mirror or
near the handbrake).
Food & Water
Standards of food hygiene are generally high in Istanbul. Visitors experience few food-related
illnesses. To be safe, treat street food with caution. Please avoid drinking tap water, even though
it is chlorinated. Bottled water is cheap and sold everywhere.
Security
Istanbul is generally quite safe. However, pickpockets target tourist areas and crowded places.
Keep handbags, camera bags and wallets secured. Accepting tea in shops and bazaars is
common, but it may not be advisable to accept the offers of friendly strangers offering drinks
outside these circumstances (especially invitations to bars). If you go for dinner in touristy
areas, only order from menus that indicate prices for the dishes, otherwise you might end up
with a very expensive bill. It’s best to leave your original passport in a secure place, such as a
hotel safe, but it’s advisable to keep a copy on hand.
Useful Expressions & Words
Merhaba! (hello! hi!)
Evet (yes)
Hayır (no)
Günaydın (Good morning)
Iyi akşamlar (Good evening)
Iyi günler (Good day)
Hoş geldiniz (welcome)
This is the first thing you’ll hear when you arrive anywhere, at a shop or a restaurant.
The customary response is “Hoş bulduk”.
Teşekkür ederim/teşekkürler (thank you)
“Teşekkür ederim” means “thank you”. The customary response is “rica ederim”, which is
equivalent to“you’re welcome”.