Getting here
Booking your flights and getting around in Turkey
has direct flights to Istanbul from Toronto and Montreal. We’d recommend this airline since it is a Star Alliance partner with Air Canada and is generally very comfortable on international flights.
When booking your flights, please keep in mind the Welcome Reception on September 8th, 2016. Also, please note that Istanbul has two international airports – Ataturk Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gokcen (SAW). Ataturk Airport is the more conveniently located of the two. Sabiha Gokcen is across the Bosphorus on the asian side of the city.
Visitors to Turkey will also need to apply for an e-Visa before arrival.
Money
The currency in Turkey is the Turkish Lira (TRY ₺). The exchange rate is approximately 1 CAD = 2 TRY or 1 USD = 3 TRY. Best not to exchange too much money at the airport. You will find better rates downtown. Credit cards are widely accepted and you should be able to withdraw cash from the ATMs (check with your bank to find out the fees involved in withdrawing foreign currency abroad).
Transport from the airport
There are two main options to travel downtown from either airport. Both options will require cash in Turkish lira, so make sure you have some on hand.
- Taxi – This is probably the easiest option. A taxi downtown from Ataturk Airport should cost about 60₺ (30CAD). Generally the trip will take about 30 minutes, but times can vary widely according to traffic. From Sabiha Gokcen airport it will cost about 85₺ and take approximately one hour.
- Havatas – The Havatas is an airport bus that departs roughly every 30 minutes, across the street from the arrivals exit. For Ataturk Airport, the cost is 11₺ (6CAD) and the trip takes 40 minutes to 1 hour. For Sabiha Gokcen Airport, it will cost 14₺ and takes about 90 minutes. Coming from either airport, be sure to take the bus heading to Taksim (not Kadikoy) and get off at the last stop, very close to the Nippon Hotel. Click for website.
Phones
You may feel the need to get a Turkish SIM card in order to stay connected while here. Either Vodafone or Turkcell are good options. A SIM card with data package will probably cost around 100₺ (50CAD). Both companies have kiosks at the airport, which you will see upon exiting the baggage claim area.
Note that free wifi will be available in most restaurants and cafes. If you use an application like WhatsApp on your smartphone, you can send messages over the internet.