What taxi app to use in Istanbul and how much does a taxi from the old airport to Sultanahmet cost?

In a recent airport comparison, Yandex Taxi was cheaper than Uber and BiTaksi: for a trip of about 45 km, the app showed a fixed fare of roughly 1,700 TRY, with no extra charge added. Payment worked with a foreign bank card.

At the airport, Yandex Taxi is generally not cheaper than a regular taxi or transfer, and arranging a pickup through the app can be difficult. Unofficial private drivers are not recommended: they are illegal and may not offer meaningful savings.

In Istanbul you can hail taxis directly on the street. Taking the Havaist airport bus to Sultanahmet and then catching a street taxi from there will cost less than taking a taxi all the way from the airport.

Yandex Taxi operates in Istanbul. Before paying, confirm the final fare with the driver — it should match the taximeter reading. Wait until the driver closes the trip and enters the fare in the app before making payment.

The most commonly used taxi apps in Turkey are BiTaksi (local service) and Uber. BiTaksi is more widely used by local drivers, while Uber also operates in Istanbul.

A taxi or transfer from the old Atatürk Airport area to central Istanbul (Sultanahmet) costs approximately 30 euros one way, similar to organized hotel transfers in the region.

Organized hotel transfers from Istanbul airport to Karaburun area are offered at around 30 euros one way. Regular taxis cost roughly the same.