SAW was a 30 minute and 300,00 TL taxi ride from our hotel in Bostanci. The terminal is…read moreconsiderably smaller than that at IST ... and easier to navigate. SAW is also now accessible by Metro. There are two levels of security -- first bag and person scanning to get into the terminal, and a second security screening after check-in on way to gates. Lines were long but moved quickly. Check-in for Turkish Airlines (TK) flights was long and slow. Fortunately, we used TK mobile check-in and didn't wait in a queue. Our flight was delayed by 30 minutes, and we passed the time at a relatively empty terminal coffee shop

Another trip, another gem, and by gem I mean SAW İstanbul, where travel dreams go to die. First…read moreoff, nothing screams "welcome" like being herded through security twice because why not spice things up with a little déjà vu and a bonus pat-down? The signage? Oh, it's there. Somewhere. Probably hiding behind a guy chain-smoking under a No Smoking sign. Yes, this airport smells like a tavern. Staff range from visibly annoyed to outright hostile, as if your very presence personally offended them. Honestly, I think the ticketing agents made a blood pact to make sure no one leaves here with their sanity intact. Are you hungry? Hope you brought a second mortgage. You can treat yourself to a sad sandwich that tastes like betrayal and costs more than your flight.

This bus takes you directly from the two Istanbul international airports to Taksim Square (almost…read moreright there) and then back again. The price is reasonable. I had some great naps on the bus. You can pick up the bus at either the international or domestic terminal.

Very easy, affordable way to get from Taksim in the European side of Istanbul to either Attaturk or…read moreSabiha Gokcem airport. The shuttle leaves every half an hour. I took the shuttle to Sabiha Gokcem and it took about 45 minutes (although on the website they said it takes an hour and a half). This cost us 14 Lira per person. Just walk on the bus and pay once the bus ride starts. We were not sure which shuttle to take to make it to the airport in time and messaged the company on Facebook and they got back to us promptly. I would definitely use this service is you are staying near the Taksim area

We did the Bosphorus long cruise. It was really nice to see both sides of the straight. Very…read morescenic. Before taking the long cruise, a few things to keep in mind. * The boat deck is not covered and the direct sun is brutal. We moved inside and couldn't see as well. * There are plenty of seats but the only good seats are the ones at the end, facing the direction you're going and on the side the boat is closest to. * It's not narrated, so you don't really know what you're seeing. * There are 2 bathrooms on the boat and a small concession. * The stop in Asia where you get off the boat was pretty lame and they left you there for 2.5 hours. There's really nowhere to sit or walk. The only thing you can do is eat a nice seafood lunch. But beware- the restaurant we chose didn't take credit cards.

This is a cruise company located at the Eminonu ferry terminal that does cruises along the…read moreBosphorus River. Some tour companies will try to sell you some package that includes this or will be a guided bus to the terminal, but you can show up here yourself and get it for much cheaper. There is a metro stop right near the terminal. Even the full cruise is only 25 lira (less than 4 US dollars!). Speaking of which, they offer a full 6 hour cruise which goes farther north along the river up to the Black Sea, but I do not recommend it unless you really have a lot of free time. The short 2 hour cruise was enough to see the city views of both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul and passes under many magnificent bridges. There are also some loudspeakers that give some history of what you are seeing, but I found the commentary fairly boring.

A long line tonight for a good. A direct trip to Taksim Square from Sabiha Gökçen International…read moreAirport, which is currently the second largest airport in the capital after Atatürk International Airport. Although I heard another airport is being constructed a little north of the city. After you exit the arrivals main building cross the street and turn right. You should see HAVAŞ written on the side of the buses. Yhe most convenient and cost effective way to get to downtown Istanbul.

Great way to get around Istanbul, especially if you need to travel to sight see. So interesting to…read morebe able to take a ferry from Europe to Asia and back and not need to go through passport control as Istanbul is the only city that straddles two continents. Tip: Sit inside. There are less people so you will get an unobstructed view through oversized windows. Plus you can have a tea or Turkish coffee that they bring around during your journey.

This is an important connecting station in the Istanbul metro system. We took the M2 metro line…read moreand got off here to transfer to the Marmaray suburban train line.' The station itself is huge....to go from the Marmaray tracks to the metro tracks, it took several long escalator trips and many hundreds of feet to connect. Still, the station is efficient and very busy. The Yenikapi transfer station is located in south-central Fatih in the old town part of the city. The complex is right next to the Yenikapı railway station serving the T6 light rail line and a short walk away from the Yenikapı Ferry Terminal and İDO ferry service. Yenikapı complex links two stations (M1 and M2) of Istanbul Metro to a railway station of the Turkish State Railways on the trans-Bosphorus Marmaray tunnel. Yenikapı is the largest rapid transit station in Turkey.

A new metro line that will stretch between Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and IST can also be…read morecaught here.Clean and efficient metro station. You can take several metro lines from here, including one that will take you directly to KEMAL Atatürk International Airport (IST). This is my second favorite mode of public transport to the airport. reasonable price too. The other is Havaş Bus (12 Turkish Lira now). A new metro line that will stretch between Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and IST can also be caught here.

I used this metro station last time I was in Istanbul since my hotel was just 2 blocks away…read more Osmanbey is an underground rapid transit station on the M2 line of the Istanbul Metro. It is located in south-central Şişli under Halaskargazi Avenue. Osmanbey was opened on 16 September 2000 and is one of the six original stations on the M2 line. As you get out of the station you will find a very commercial part of Istanbul, north of the famous Taksim Square area. Lots of hotels, restaurants, shops and residences as well.

Handy Metro station with multiple entrances - make sure you follow the signs to find the most…read moreconvenient exit to your destination!! One stop away from Taksim Square in one direction and just a few stops to Levant in the other for easy access to the Kanyon mall. Fast, request, clean and inexpensive public transportation. The only issue is that the trains are almost always packed and finding a seat is rare.