turkwyfe4lyfe88

New Member
Ataturk Airport
Hi,

I was wondering if you you guys could help me out. Sorry for the essay.

My husband is coming from Gaziantep to the UK via Istanbul and I am as a surprise, ( lame i know =D ) flying out to meet him there. My original itinery from turkish airlines has now changed which means i arrive 5pm instead of 10.30pm when my hubby wont get there until 10am the next day. So ive booked Hotel Osaka as its near the airport.

I have a few questions :

1) Is Hotel Osaka walkable and is it safe, being a foreign woman on her own?

(2) The Metro train, ive seen the service M1 on metro rail, and people on the internet going from the airport to wherever theyre going.....but not the other way....Can that service be used to go back to Ataturk and is it direct like it shows on the map....

(3) If i chose to go by taxi, how can i make sure that I wont be messed about since i will be by myself.

Thankyou.
 

evo80

Member
Ataturk Airport
Hi,

I was wondering if you you guys could help me out. Sorry for the essay.

My husband is coming from Gaziantep to the UK via Istanbul and I am as a surprise, ( lame i know =D ) flying out to meet him there. My original itinery from turkish airlines has now changed which means i arrive 5pm instead of 10.30pm when my hubby wont get there until 10am the next day. So ive booked Hotel Osaka as its near the airport.

I have a few questions :

1) Is Hotel Osaka walkable and is it safe, being a foreign woman on her own?

(2) The Metro train, ive seen the service M1 on metro rail, and people on the internet going from the airport to wherever theyre going.....but not the other way....Can that service be used to go back to Ataturk and is it direct like it shows on the map....

(3) If i chose to go by taxi, how can i make sure that I wont be messed about since i will be by myself.

Thankyou.
Shame you did not book Hotel Basileus as they send their own taxi to pick up free if staying there .B,fast is included and nice restaurant right outside the Hotel .plus same driver takescyou back to Atatürk.
 

turkwyfe4lyfe88

New Member
Ataturk Airport
Thanks for your reply.

Its my first time going outside the actual airport in Istanbul so i guess thats one to look for next time x
 

evo80

Member
Ataturk Airport
Thanks for your reply.

Its my first time going outside the actual airport in Istanbul so i guess thats one to look for next time x

If booked with Hotel Basileus a Hotel rep meets you as you come through the doors from the plane and he takes you to the taxi. It's only 30 mins drive to the hotel and the always use the same taxi driver. Excellent service.and a classy fairly new Hotel at ridiculous cheap price. With Fi and B,fast.
 

delal

Member
Ataturk Airport
1) Is Hotel Osaka walkable and is it safe, being a foreign woman on her own?

I've never heard of it or seen it but it's on the main road where the metrobus runs, quite near the airport. I'm sure it's fine.

(2) The Metro train, ive seen the service M1 on metro rail, and people on the internet going from the airport to wherever theyre going.....but not the other way....Can that service be used to go back to Ataturk and is it direct like it shows on the map....

From Sirinevler, you go to the metro station ATAKOY and take it a few stops to the airport. Easy. If you can't be bothered, just get a taxi.

(3) If i chose to go by taxi, how can i make sure that I wont be messed about since i will be by myself.

Make sure the meter is on.
 
Ataturk Airport
If I understand correctly you will catch the metro from the airport to a stop near your hotel and want to know if you can catch the train back and if it is easy. If you tell me which stop you need to get off I can tell you if it is easy or not. I live in Istanbul and often use the metro/tram/metrobus to get to and from Ataturk airport.
 

beyazbayan

Member
Ataturk Airport
İf you use Atakoy it is direct by Metro and they have machines where you can buy jetons or re-charge an İstanbul card if you have one. Be a bit careful that you get the correct turnstile to your platform as it can be a bit confusing. The Metro is direct ( about three stops) but a bit of a walk when you get to the airport. The area is good but like all cities don't walk alone late at night. Taxis are fine but always sit in the back and do not make direct eye contact or smile at men they may see this as flirtatious. Taxis are a problem when the roads are very busy and i would not use them at peak times.
 
Ataturk Airport
Beyazbayan is correct about payment. As you will only take two trips you may as well buy two tokens and use one when you arrive and one when you leave. As for finding the metro entrance at the airport, it's easy. After you pass through the nothing to declare lane and go through the automatic exit doors, turn right. Stay inside the airport and look for the signs pointing to the metro. Keep walking until you come to a down escalator. At the bottom turn left and exit the airport. At this stage you'll be underground. Follow the people and the signs to the first turnstiles. From memory these are the ones you go through to get to your destination. Once there ask a security guard to help you get a token. Most of them speak some English and are used to helping tourists. Tell them which station you want to go to just to check you are in the right place. It's very easy and much less stressful than getting a taxi. Make sure you draw a map of the location of your hotel in relation to the metro stop where you exit. Include landmarks (buildings mentioned on Google map etc) as people here go by places and not street names. Have a nice trip.
 

beyazbayan

Member
Ataturk Airport
Very good tip about landmarks near your hotel as a lot of taxi drivers don't have sat nav and we found we had to ring the hotel often three times before the driver found it.
 

evo80

Member
Ataturk Airport
seems a lot easier to cancel that Hotel and get Basileus to pick you up right from the A/Port gate.
 

turkwyfe4lyfe88

New Member
Ataturk Airport
Ok well I got a transfer to hotel booked as I figured there's more people so better for me. So I will need the metro back to the airport only. I know about the not smiling at men etc...I'm married to a turk!!! Thanks soo much for all the advice.... But a question or 2.....is peak time metro the same peak time as most big cities as I will need to get bk to airport for 10am....does the jeton machine take notes or coins? Is a taxi at 9.30am a bad idea???
 

evo80

Member
Ataturk Airport
Yes agreed .we stayed for 2 still got free pick up and 25 Euros ret fare for 3 of us . They all speak English there which makes life easier.

I cannot praise this Hotel high enough . Great friendly staff ,spotless rooms ,can walk to the Cistern ,Blue Mosque,Haglia Sophia Grand Bazaar.
 
Last edited:

newhorizon

"Light Years Away"
Ataturk Airport
evo80, just saw your recommendation on Basileus Hotel sounds ideal for sight seeing. Wish I'd spotted it before when I was looking for an overnight airport hotel http://www.turkishliving.com/forums/istanbul-forum/76740-overnight-istanbul-hotel-near-airport.html
It's the same price as Holiday Inn airport Istanbul which also includes free shuttle but perhaps too far for sight seeing.

Thanks for the posts on this thread for the Metro information, this is a service I intend to use in future.

turkwyfe4lyfe88 hope your return Metro journey to the airport goes ok.
 

beyazbayan

Member
Ataturk Airport
Don't use a taxi at that time we could see the airport road when we went out each day and it was often gridlocked after 7.30am.
 

turkwyfe4lyfe88

New Member
Ataturk Airport
Its fine. I found the Elite World Business Hotel 5 *..... for about 10 pounds more than what i reserved at Osaka and theres free shuttle services to and from the airport for free..

Thanks everybody so so much for the information and advice. Initially this hotel was more than 100 when i looked, then it went to 89 and then to 58 for a single room with no breakfast( which i dont mind )
 

newhorizon

"Light Years Away"
Ataturk Airport
Let us know how the Elite Business Hotel is...it's one I was looking at as well last month.

Instead booked this Holiday Inn Istanbul airport, with free breakfast, shuttle but was only around £45 and seemed to have the facilities of hotels double the price (costs even less if booked direct thru hotels own website for a double room) supposedly 5 star too. review here: on this thread http://www.turkishliving.com/forums/istanbul-forum/76740-overnight-istanbul-hotel-near-airport.html


Holiday Inn Istanbul Airport
 

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