Arrival in Turkey

By Air

Turkey's primary international gateway by air is Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport . Ankara's Esenboga Airport handles a comparatively limited selection of international flights, and there are also direct charters to Mediterranean resort hot spots like Antalya in the peak summer and winter seasons. In 2005 customs at Istanbul international airport was rearranged to the effect that one is now required to go through customs and "enter the country" there, rather than first travel to a regional destination and pass customs there. Luggage will generally travel to the final destination without further ado, but on occasion you may have to point it out to be sure it will be transported on. The information given by flight attendants in the incoming flight may not be adequate so until the procedure is changed (it is supposed to be only temporary) it is wise to inquire on Istanbul airport. Since one must pass security again for any inland flight, it is advisable to hurry and not spend too much time in transit.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW )
Of special interest to those traveling on low-cost carriers, this airport is situated some 50km east of Istanbul's Taksim Square on the Asian side of Istanbul. Airlines servicing this airport include EasyJet , Germanwings , Condor , THY (Turkish Airlines) and many more. Very interesting is the possibility of catching a plane from Emirate's budget carrier Air Arabia to Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) and from there to India for a very competitive price. All those low-cost options though, entail departure and arrival times in the middle of the night.

Airport Transportation
From Istanbul International airport, you can catch the light rail, which will take you directly to the Otogar (bus station) or to numerous stops within Istanbul (Aksaray is the last stop, near Sultanahmed where most of the famous tourist sites are). It is possible to be at the Otogar within less than one hour after landing. Another way of getting to downtown Istanbul is by bus, either on Havas coaches (special airport shuttle leaving every 30min night and day) to Taksim, Etiler, Kozyatagi (Asian side) or on public buses (Line 96T) to Taksim. Public bus and the light rail costs 1.30 YTL, Havas about 9 YTL. Taxi is about 20 YTL (2007). Travel times depend a lot on traffic, and Istanbul is heavily congested!

From SAW, Havas coaches depart regularly to Levent, Taksim, and Kozyatagi for about 7-10 YTL. If you arrive in the middle of the night, you can move to the departure hall after passing customs and rest on very comfortable seats — you will even find coin-operated Japanese massage chairs. Then, at about 4:00 AM (but better ask to be sure) the first Havas bus will take you to town. The Havas bus schedule is sometimes linked to the arrival/departure times of planes.

Turkish Airlines (THY): THY has regular flights on Boeing 737-400’s, 737-500’s, Rj 100’s, and Airbus 310-200’s, 310-300’s, and 340-300’s to Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Adana, Trabzon and Dalaman from principal capitals and major cities of the world.
International Airlines: Regular flights from all major cities of the world come to Turkeys International Airports.

Lufthansa Airlines: From the east coast of the USA, Lufthansa along with the Star Alliance has very reasonably priced more..

By Coach
There are regular bus services between Turkey and Austria, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece as well as Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Syria.

By Sea

Passenger Ferries: Apart from numerous cruises in the Mediterranean, several foreign shipping companies have regular services to the ports of Trabzon, Samsun, Istanbul, Dikili, Izmir, Cesme, Kusadasi, Bodrum, Marmaris, Antalya, Alanya, Mersin and Iskenderun.

Car Ferries: There are several car ferries for tourists who wish to bring their cars while sightseeing: Connections run from Venice, Ancona, Brindisi and Bari to Istanbul, Izmir, Cesme, Kusadasi, Marmaris and Antalya.

By Rail

You can still travel from Europe to Turkey by train, although these days this is more of historical or perhaps even romantic interest than fast or practical. The famed Orient Express from London now travels no further than Vienna, but you can take the daily TransBalkan from Budapest (Hungary) via Bucharest (Romania), a two-night journey with a scheduled 3-hour stop in Bucharest. 1st/2nd class sleepers and couchettes are available, but the train lacks a restaurant car so stock up on supplies. From/to Greek stations there are two daily services, from Istanbul to Pythion every morning and from Istanbul to Thessaloniki every night. There are also daily trains to Istanbul from Sofia (Bulgaria).

Turkey is in Zone G of Inter Rail along with Greece, Italy and Slovenia.

There are also once-weekly services from Istanbul to Aleppo and Damascus in Syria, Tabriz and Tehran in Iran.

Train journeys can be made to Istanbul directly from and via some of the major cities in Europe.
London to Istanbul

The journey from London to Istanbul takes three nights, using Eurostar to Paris, the 'Orient Express' overnight to Vienna, a connecting 'EuroCity' to Budapest and a direct couchette car from Budapest to Istanbul (or more comfortable sleepers with an additional transfer in Bucharest). Departures from London are daily. The recommended journey is now via Bucharest because of the effects of the recent war on more..

TURKISH AIRLINE OFFICES ABROAD
ABU-DHABI
GSA: Sultan Bin Yousuf and sons Harib Tower/Ground Floor Intersection of Airport Rd and Elettra Rd. P.O. Box 69B Abu Dhabi UAE Road
Tel:(9712)211 5194
ADANA
Turkish Airlines
Turk Hava Yoltari Stadyum Cad. No:32 01120
ADANA
Tel:(0322)453 08 67
ADIS-ABABA
Ethiopa/Etopya
Ethiopian Airlines Bole Airport P.O. Box 1755
ETHIOPIA
Tel:(251-1)182 222
AFYON
Gold Turizm ve Seyahat Acentasi Cumhuriyet Meydani Otogar Girisi No:1
EMIRDAG
Tel:(272)441 51 94-441 50 44
AKSARAY
Aksaray Seyahat Acentasi Zafer Mah.Devlet Hastanesi Karsisi No:1 Ortakoy-AKSARAY
Tel:(382)351 8462-351 3471
ALANYA
Ari Turizm Seyahat Acen. Carsi Mah. Damlatas Cad- Kanmaz Apt.ALANYA
Tel:(242)513 1194
ALMATY
Kazakhstan-Kazakistan Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Hotel Otrar Room 102-103
Gogol Str. No: 73
Tel:(7)(3272)506220-331154
AMMAN
Jordan/Urdun Turkish Airlines-Türk Hava Yollari Jabal Amman Third Circle A.Riyadh Centre 8th Floor P.O.39177 AMMAN
Tel:(962-6)659102-659112
AMSTERDAM
Netherlands-Hollanda Turkish Airlines-Türk Hava Yollari Stadhouderskade 2.1054 ES AMSTERDAM Tel:(31-20)685 38 O1
(4 Lines/Hat)
ANKARA
Turkish Airlines- Turk Hava Yollari Ataturk Bulvari No:154 Kavaklidere ANKARA
Tel:(312)428 0200
ANTAKYA
Ant-Tur Turizm ve Seyahat Acentasi Inonu Cad.Rana Apt.15/D Antakya/HATAY
Tel:(90)(891)57532-57252
ANTALYA
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Ozel Idare Ishani Alti Cumhuriyet Cad.
Tel:(242)243 4380)-81-82
(242)242 8522
ASHKHABAD
Askabat-Turkmenistan
Turkish Airlines-Türk Hava Yollari Magtymguly Av. 71-744000 Ashkhabat
Tel:(7)(3632)510666-511666-512219
ATHENS-Atina
Greece/Yunanistan Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Philelilon Str.
No:19 10557 ATHENS Tel:(30-1)322 2569
AYDIN
Osman Turizm Seyahat Acentasi Inonu Bulvari No:18/A Kusadasi/AYDIN
Tel:(256)612 4205
BAHRAIN-Bahreny
Manama Travel Company WLL P0. Box 828 Manama-Bahrain
Tel:(973)211 896
BAKU
BAKU/Azerbaijan/Azerbeycan Turkish Airlines Türk Hava Yollari
Husi Haciyev Cad.No.11
Tel:(789)(22)941943-942505-651219
BANGKOK
Thailand-Tayland Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari
Gulf Express Transport Agency CP tower 3rd Level 313 Silom Road Banqkok 10500
Tel:(66-2)231 0300 -07
BARCELONA
SPAIN-Ispanya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Paseo de Gracia No:49 1st floor- BARCELONA
Te:(34)(3)4875349(PBX)
BATMAN
BAT-AIR Turizm Seyahal Acantasi Diyarbakir Cad. PTT Karsisi Bayramoglu Apt
No:l2 BATMAN
Tel:(839)39149-39222-340815
BEIRUT-Beynit
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Mazda
Building 5th Floor Autostrade Jal EI Dib Tel:(961)(1)40806-407236
BEIJING-Pekin
Rep. Of China-Cin Halk Cumhuriyeti CAAC Beijing Sales Office 117 Dongsi West
Street
Tel:(665)558861-551031
BELGRADE·Belgrad
Yugoslavia-Yugoslavya
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari TRG Nikole Pasica No:8/IV BEOGRAD BELGRADE
Tel:(38-11)333277-332561
BENGHAZI-Bingazi
Libyan Arab Jamahiria/LIBYA Turkish Airlines Turk Hava Yollari
Tel:(061)922011-12-13
BERLIN
Germany-Almanya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Budapestar Str.8 10787 BERLIN
Tel:(49)(30)2624034-2624035-2624033
BOMBAY
India-Hindistan Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Maker Chambers V 3rd Floor
No:305 Nenman Points 400-201
Tel:(91-22)2040744-2875657
BRUSSELS-Brüksel
Belgium-Belcika Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari 51.Catersteen 1000 BRUXELLES
Tel:(32-2)5126781-5126782-5140453
BUCHAREST·BUKRES
Romania-Romanya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari BD.N.Bakescu 35-A Bucharest-Bukres
Tel:(401)3112410-3112920-3113210
BURSA
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Hasim Iscan Cad.Tuglas Ishani No:73 BURSA
Tel:(224)2211167-2212838
CAIRO-Kahire
Egypt-Misir
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Mustata Kemal Sok. No: 3
Tel:(20-2)3908960-61
COLOGNE·Koln
Germany-Almanya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Trankgasse 7-9
50667 KOLN
Tel:(49-0221)134443(49-0221)134071-72-73
COPENHAGEN-Kopenhag
Denmark-Danimarka Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Ved Vesterport 6 1612
Copenhagen Tel:(45-33)144055-144499
CORUM
Cavusoglu Turizm ve Seyahat Acentasi Gazi Cad. No:22 Kat:3 CORUM
Tel:(364)2243928
DALAMAN
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Tel:(252)6925899
DALLAS
AMR GSA Services 4255 Aman Corter Blvd. MD4235 Forth Worth TX 76155
Tel:(800)288-2520
DAMASCUS-Sam
Syria-Suriye Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Alfardos Str.
Ibem Zaidun Bldg 3 rd Floor Tel:2227266-2239770
DENIZLI
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Istiklal Cad.
No:27/B Denizli 20100
Tel:(258)2648661-2648671
DHAHRAN-Dahran
ABC Travel Agency
King Abdulaziz Street Alnimran Complex Centre P.o. Box 739 ALKHOBAR 31952 SAUDI-ARABIA
Tel:8950044-8954904
DHAKA-Dakka
Bengladesh-Benglades Bengal Airlift Ltd.54,Motijheel C.A. DHAKA 1000
Tel:243059
DIYARBAKIR
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Inonu Cad.No.8 Diyarbakir
Tel:(412)2212314 226143
DOHA-QATAR
Al Rayan Travel Agency P.0.Box:363,
DOHA/QATAR C.R. No.4664 Tel:(974)329962
DUBAI
United Arab Emirates-Birlesik Arap Emirlikleri Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari
63-B Sheikh Hamdan Bidg Al Maktoum Str.P.O.Box 1200 Dubai/UAE
Tel:(971-4)226038-215970
DUBLIN
Ireland-Irlanda Aerlingus Dublin Airport Tel:(3531)370011
DUSSELDORF
Germany-Almanya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Graf Adolf Str.21 40212 Dusseldorf
Tel:(49)(211)373062
ELAZIG
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Elazig Satis Setligi Sehd Ilhanlar Cad.No.26/D
Tel:(424)2183730
ERZINCAN
Polat Turizm Seyahat Acentasi Hukumet Cad.13 ERZINCAN
Tel:(0446)2146784
ERZURUM
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari 50.Yil Cad.SSK Rant Tesisleri No:24
Tel:(422)2181904-3409
ESKISEHIR
YORE Turizm Isletmecilik ve Ticaret A.$.Tel:(222)2316500
4 Haulines
FRANKFURT
Germany-Almanya Turkish Airlines Turk Hava Yollari Tel:(49(069)27300720-21-22-23
GAZIANTEP
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Ataturk Bulvari No:30/8 GAZIANTEP
Tel:(342) 2301 63-4
GENEVA-Cenevre
Switzerland-Isvicre Turkish Airlines- Turk Hava Yollari Rue de Chantepoulet No:1-2-3 1201
Tel:(41-022)7316120-7316129-7387796
HAMBURG
Germany-Almanya Turkish Airlines-Türk Hava Yollari Hermann Str 46 20095- HAMBURG
Tel:(49)(1040)32580511-12-13-14-15

HANNOVER
Germany-Almanya Turkish Airlines- Turk Hava Yollari Bahnhof Str.30159 Hannover
Tel:(49)(0511)3048219(4 LinesMat)
HELSINKI
Finland-Finlandiya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari,Aleksanterinkatu 48B 306 0100
Helsinki Tel:(358)(0)6281 73
HONG KONG
BEST HOLIDAYS LTD RMS 1603-4 Fleet House 38 Gloucesler Rd
Tel:(852)8613111

IZMIR (232)

ISTANBUL
ISTANBUL SATIS BAS MUDURLUGU
ISTANBUL SALES
HEADMANAGEMENT HARBIYF/ISTANBUL
Turkish Airlines/Turk Hava Yollari Cumhuriyet Cad.No.199/201 Kat:3
Tel:(212)2343173-248 2631 - 2464017 2471338
IZMIR
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Gaziosmanpasa Bulvari No:1/F Buyuk Efes Oteli Alti
Tel:(232)4841220/5 Hat
KUWAIT-Kuveyt Fahad AI- Salem Cad P0. Rox 23959 13100 Safat Kuwait
Tel:(955)2453820-21
LEFKOSE
Cyprus-Kibris
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Mehmet Akif Sok Lefkose
Tel:(392)2271061
LONDON-Londra
United Kingdom-Ingihere Turkish Airlines Turk Hava Yollari 11- 12 Hanover Cad.
London WIR 9HF
Tel:(44)(071)4994499
LOS ANGELES
AMR GSA SERVICES
5230 Pacific Concourse Drive Suite 200 Los Angeles-California 90045
Tel:(310)6434595
LISBON-Lisbon
Porlugal Ponekiz (TAP) Editico 25, Aeroport Lisbon-5 Ponugal Te1.899121
LYON
France-Fransa Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari 91 Rue bugeaud 69006
Tel:(33)78241324
MADRID
Spain-Ispanya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Princesa,1 Torre de Madrid,
PLT 0F.7 28008 MADRID Tel:(9-9-341)5416426-5416849
MALATYA
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Kanal Boyu Cad. No.10 Orduevi Karsisi
Tel:(422)3211920-3211922-3214053
MALTA
Arrigo Group Limited 248 Tower Road. Sliema Tel:(356)316645-316705
MANCHESTER
United Kingdom-Ingiltere Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari ROOM 1163 Terminal Two
Manchester Airport M22 5 WY
Tel:(061)4896161
MARMARIS
Turkish Airlines- Turk Hava Yollari Ataturk Cad. No:5O-B MARMARIS
Tel:(252)4123751-4123752 MECCA-Mekke
ABC Travel Agency AL Mansour Str. AL Khazindar Bidg.
Tel:(966)(02)5434887
MEDINA-Medine
ABC Travel Agency Kurban AI Nazil Str.Behind Sony Co.
Tel:(966)(04)8224426-8221828-8224106
MERSIN
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Istiklal Cad.27 Sok. Celebi Ishani No:7 MERSIN
Tel:(324)2330275-231 5232-2321278 2330274
MILAH-Milano
Italy-Italya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Largo Augusto 1/A 20122-Milan
Tel:(39)(2)76007255
MOSCOW-Moskova
Russian Federation Rusya Federasyonu
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari KUZNETSKY Most
No:1/8 Moscow
Tel:(7)(095)2924345-2921667-2925121
MUGLA
1)Bodrum Touralpin-Travel Agency Yeni Carsi 6.Sok.
No:6 BODRUM
Tel:(252)3168733-3163325
2)Fetur Fethiye Turizm Seyahat Acentasi Kordon Boyu 48300 FETHIYE
Tel:(252)6142034-6142443-6146076
MUNICH-Munih
Germany-Almanya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Bayer Strasse 43
D-80335 Munchen
Tel:(49)(089)51410931-5140932
Mus
Mus Ovasi Turizm ve Seyahat Acentesi Cumhuriyet Cad. Yildiz Apt. No:6 MUS
Tel:0436-2122667
NEW YORK
USA-Amerika
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari 437 Madison Avenue 17-8 Yollari
New York N,Y 10022 Tel:(1-212)3399650
PARIS
France-Fransa Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari 1.Rue Seribe 75009 Paris
Tel:(33)(1)42664740
STRASBOURG-Stazburg
France-Fransa 2 Allee De La Robedsau 67000 Stasbourg/FRANCE Tel:(33)(88)521413
(3 Hat/Lines)
STUTGART
Germany-Almanya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Laufenschlager Str.20 70173 Stutgan
1 Tel:(49)(711)2258270-2258282
SYDNEY-Sidney
Australia-Avustralya Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Level 16, Suile 1602 388
Geogre Sireet Sydney N.S.W. 2000
Tel:2332105-2211711
SANLIURFA KALIRU TURIZM SEYAHAT ACENTESI
Atuturk Bulvari Ak.Apt.No:5/A 63100 Sanliurfa
Tel:(414)3122057-3122058
TAIF
ABC Travel Agency Shubra str. Opposite Saudi Cairo P.O. Box 2746 Tel:(966(02)7324777
TAIPE-TAIWAN-Tayvan
Golden Foundation Tours Corp. BF 134 Sec. 4 Chung Hsigo ERD Lung Meh Blgd
Tel:(02)773-3226
TASHKENT-Taskent
Tel(83712)332788
TEHRAN-Tahran
Iran-Iran
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Ostad Motahari Avenue No:239 Tehran
Tel:(98)(21)6469026-627383
TEKIRDAG,
Trakya Turizm ve Seyahat Acantesi Atatuk Bulvari Yildiz Apt.No.88/A
Tel:(282)2618438-2618439-2627962
TEL-AVIV
Israe-Israll Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Hayarkon STH 78 zip Code 63432
TEL AVIV/ISRAEL
Tel:(972)(03)51 722333/34/35 (972)(03)517 35505
TOKYO
Japan Japonya
Turkish Airlines Turk Hava Yollari Toranomon Rapport,
4 th Floor 1-15-6 Toranomon Minato-ku Tokyo 105
Tel:(81)(31) 5251-1551
TRABZON
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Kemerkaya Mah Meydan Park Karsisi No.37/A
Tel:(462)3211680 -3213446
TRIPOLI-Trablus
GSPLAJ Po Box 4565
Turkish Airlines Türk Hava Yollari Muhammed Megant Str.Cezayi Sq.
Tel:(218)(21)38236-48798
TUNIS-Tunus
Tunisia-Tunus Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Complex EIMechtel-Boulevard Qulet Haffouz
Tunis Etage 2
Tel:(216)(1)786473-787033
USAK
Vatan Seyahat Acentesi Ismet Pasa Cad.No:85 Kat.2
Tel:(276)2152033 2125129
VAN
Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Enver Perihanoglu Is Merkez Cumhuriyet Cad. No:156 VAN
Tel:(432)2161019 -2161241
VIENNA-Viyana
Austria Avusturya
Turkish Airlines-Turk-Hava Yollari Operngasse 3 1010
WIEN
Tel:(43)(1)5862024-5875795
YOZGAT
Cavusoglu Turizm ve Seyahat Lise Cad. No:16 Tonos Apt.YOZGAT
Tel:(354)2129193-123946
ZURICH-Zurih
Switzerland-Isvicre Turkish Airlines-Turk Hava Yollari Tal Strasse 58800i Zurich
Tel:(41- 1)2252311