Travel

Location

Istanbul is located in the Marmara region, in the northwest of Türkiye. The city is divided by the Bosphorus Strait, which also separates Europe from Asia.

Istanbul Airports

There are two international airports in Istanbul; both can be used to travel to Istanbul for FEBS 2025 Congress.

Istanbul International Airport (IST) 

Istanbul International Airport, opened in 2019, replaced the Istanbul Atatürk Airport and contributes to Istanbul becoming a hub between Asia and Europe with a higher capacity and state of the art handling services.

The airport is located in the European side and northwest part of the city on the coast of the Black Sea. We recommend to use this airport because the commute is shorter for the FEBS 2025 Congress venue and proposed hotels.

Visitors can make use of subway, airport shuttle busses and taxi cabs to reach the “Congress Valley”, which is 40km distance from Istanbul International Airport.

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW)

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, opened in 2001, has been the hub for the low-cost international and domestic flights to and from Istanbul.

The airport is located in the Asian side and southeast part of the city. Although the distance from the airport is not so much different than for Istanbul International Airport, travelling by car might take longer due to Bosphorus bridge traffic.

Visitors can make use of subway, airport shuttle buses and taxi cabs to reach the “Congress Valley”, which is 43km distance from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.

Public Transportation

Istanbulkart (a contactless smart card for fare payment) is used for public transportation (train and bus).

Istanbulkart Mobile Application:
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.belbim.istanbulkart&hl=en
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/tr/app/i-stanbulkart-dijital-hesab%C4%B1m/id1352307391?l=en

Istanbul offer a wide range of subway and railway options. Detailed maps and subway schedule of the Istanbul Railway System can be found here: https://www.metro.istanbul/en.
The Congress venue is located in the middle of Osmanbey and Taksim stops of the M2 Metro Line. 

Bus schedules and routes can be found here: https://iett.istanbul/en

Taxi Cabs and Uber

Taxi cabs can be found anywhere in Istanbul. You can hail a cab in the street or call one via the Bitaksi mobile application. The taxi cabs are metered and you can pay in Turkish liras. Most of the cabs accept credit cards; however, make sure to check with the driver before you get in.

Bitaksi Mobile Application:
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bitaksi.musteri&hl=en&pli=1
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/tr/app/bitaksi-your-taxi/id589500723

Uber operates in a limited capacity in Istanbul, offering only VAN XL type taxis. The fare is higher than regular taxi cabs and the number of cars available might be limited.