Destination Istanbul (Sabiha Gökçen)

Practical information

At the border
To travel to Turkey, you will need a valid passport or a European identity card that will be valid for at least another three months upon your return to the Netherlands. Upon arrival in Turkey, and before you go through passport control, you will have to purchase a visa at the visa counter. The cost for this visa is currently about €15/person and should be paid in the right change in Euros. This visa will be valid for 90 days from your day of arrival. If you want to stay longer than 90 days, you will then have to report to the alien police. Please note: Because Turkey accepts NO emergency travel documents anymore, make sure that your papers are in order ahead of time.

Airport
From Amsterdam it will take about three hours to fly to Istanbul where you will land at Sabiha Gökçen Airport. A transfer from the airport to the centre of Istanbul takes about 45 minutes.

Public transport
To get a real taste of Istanbul, board a Dolmus! These little buses don’t leave until all the seats are taken, so be prepared to sit among mothers and children and old men until the bus is full.

For a nostalgic tram trip, take the tiny tram that shuttles back and forth over the shopping street Istiklal Caddesi. Tokens cost less than one lira.

Or take a cable car to cross Maçka Park in the valley between Taksim and Maçka. The cable car gets you to the Hilton or Swissotel hotels in just a few minutes.

There is one modern metro line in Istanbul that runs from Taksim Square to Levent.

Travelling between Europe and Asia? The ferryboat is inexpensive, quick and enjoyable as well. The routes are indicated on the boat houses. You can purchase a token at the counter for about one lira that will get you through the gate.

AKBIL smart ticket
The AKBIL smart ticket is a rechargeable public transport ticket that can be used for city buses, the metro, the tram and the ferryboat. You can buy and charge this smart ticket, which looks rather like a key ring, at the AKBIL kiosks located in places as the Taksim Square or in Sultanahmet near the Blue Mosque. The AKBIL smart ticket gives you a 10% discount and is handy to use when travelling with more than one person.

Taxi
Taxis are yellow and have a taxi sign on their roofs. Try to avoid travelling during rush hour; the city turns into one big traffic snarl after 5:00 p.m. Taxi fares go up by 50% between midnight and 6:00 a.m.

Post
You can recognise Turkish post offices by their PTT symbol. The main post office, called the Merkez Postanesi in Turkish, is open 24/7.

Chemist’s
Chemists are called Eczanesi in Turkish. Each chemist’s shop lists its name and telephone number along with the hours it is open at night.

Telephone
Country code: +90

Electricity
220 Volt

Currency
New Turkish Lira (YTL). 1 YTL is equal to approximately one million old liras.

Business hours
Banks are usually open on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon. In tourist areas, banks are also open from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Istanbul has many ATMs. Shops are open from Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and then from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. There are exceptions, however.

Tourist information offices
Tourist information offices are found in various locations in the city and can be recognised by a white ‘I’ on a green background.

Emergency number
112

Time difference
GMT +2

Immunisations
Immunisations for Hepatitis A and DTP are recommended for all travellers to this country. The most recent information is available at www.lcr.nl (in Dutch only).