How to get from Istanbul Airport to the city center and pay by card without cash?
Based on 1 discussion with 3 participants · Last activity: 20 days ago
TL;DR
From Istanbul Airport, take the Havaist buses (the metro doesn't cover this route well); book taxis via an app if you need cashless payment, and a working foreign Visa/Mastercard often lets you skip buying a local Istanbulkart.
What the community said
If you're flying without cash and want to pay by card, book a taxi through an app like BiTaksi or Uber instead of hailing one on the street — street taxis usually expect cash only.
22 days ago App-based taxi (BiTaksi/Uber)
On the Havaist bus from the airport, tell the driver in advance where you need to get off, or he may skip your stop. Heading back to the airport, a full bus might not stop for you at all.
30 days ago Havaist bus
If you arrive during the day (not at night), buses are convenient — the metro doesn't really work for this route. With a working foreign bank card, you can skip buying a local Istanbulkart transit card altogether.
42 days ago Istanbulkart (optional with foreign card)