2026 EUR-ACE Connect

Before travelling to Türkiye, make sure you have the appropriate visa for your stay and take the necessary steps to obtain it in a timely manner.

Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Who needs a visa: Visa Information For Foreigners

Important Note

• Please contact the Embassy of Türkiye in your country of residence to obtain information on visa requirements.

• Ensure you check the specific visa type you need, along with all the necessary requirements.

Contact us

If you require a visa, organizing committee will provide you with an invitation letter to assist with your application.

Transportation: ITU is a large city university with campuses located in the central points of Istanbul. It provides education in 5 campuses, namely Ayazağa, Gümüşsuyu, Maçka, Taşkışla, and Tuzla. For the Ayazaga Campus, the M2 metro line has an ITU metro stop in front of the main campus in Ayazağa, named İTÜ Ayazağa.

The Istanbul Railway Network Map for Istanbul can be reached from here.

In addition to the transportation information written above, our recommendations are:

Option 2: HAVAİST (90 min)

Use HAVAİST, the bus from the airport to 4. Levent, from which you can take the M2 metro line in the Hacıosman direction to ITU or hop on a Taxi or Uber. The trip from 4. Levent is two metro stops or approximately 5 km. The timetable for the HAVAİST buses can be checked from:

https://www.hava.ist/?lang=en

Tickets can be purchased online from here or they can be purchased directly on the bus using a credit card.

Price: 8 euros as of October 2025.

Option 3: Use UBER or the Airport Taxi Service (app. 30 to 50 min based on traffic)

The Airport Taxi Service offers three different types of Taxis; the yellow taxi is the basic one, the Turquise offers a more comfortable ride while the Black taxis offer luxury rides. UBER is also directly connected to the Taxi system in Türkiye; you do not get a private car or a driver but a taxi that’s connected to the UBER system.

Price: The approximate prices for a traffic free ride for all three types of taxis from Istanbul Airport to İTÜ are around 35, 40 and 55 euros. The prices will unfortunately rise with traffic.

How to make a payment: You can pay with cash; credit cards are accepted in most taxis, please ask before you take one to avoid difficulties.

Option 1: Metro (approx. 2 hours)

Take the M4 line headed for Kadıköy; get off at Ayrılık Çeşmesi (21 stops). At Ayrılık Çeşmesi, change to the B1 line (Marmaray) headed for Halkalı and get off at Yenikapı (3 stops). Change to the M2 line headed for Hacıosman and get of at İTÜ Ayazağa Campus (11 stops).

Option 2: Public Bus (approx. 2 hours)

Take the E-3 Sabiha Gökçen-4. Levent Metro bus from the airport to the final station, 4. Levent Metro. From there, you can take the M2 metro line in the Hacıosman direction to ITU or hop on a Taxi or Uber. The trip from 4. Levent is two metro stops or approximately 5 km. The bus leaves every 30 minutes from the airport, from 5.30 to 23.00; every 40 minutes from 23.00 to 01.00.

Option 3: HAVABUS (approx. 2 hours, 8 euros as of october 2025)

You can take the private bus, HAVABUS, from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Taksim Square. The bus will leave you a few steps away from the M2 metro line, from which you can hop on the metro in the Hacıosman direction and get off at İTÜ Ayazağa Campus (7 stops). You can also take a Taxi or Uber; the trip from Taksim to the Campus changes from 20 minutes to 1 hour depending on the traffic. The timetable for HAVABUS can be checked from:

https://www.havabus.com/yolcuservisi/taksim-sabihagokcenhavalimani.aspx

Option 4: Use UBER or the Airport Taxi Service (app. 40 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on traffic)

UBER and the Airport Taxi Service both offer three different types of Taxis; the yellow taxi is the basic one, the Turquise offers a more comfortable ride while the Black taxis offer luxury rides. The approximate prices for a traffic free ride for all three taxis from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to İTÜ are around 45, 50 and 75 euros. The prices will rise with traffic.

During your stay in İstanbul, you can choose your accommodation from the options below, given here due to their positions close to the ITU Campus or close to the M2 metro line.

Hilton Istanbul Maslak ★★★★★

Maslak, Büyükdere Cd. No:233, 34485 Sarıyer/İstanbul

Right across the University Campus, no transportation - app. 10 minutes of walking

Sheraton Istanbul Levent ★★★★★

Levent, Büyükdere Cd. 3-4 4, 34330 Kağıthane/İstanbul

2 metro stops (6 minutes) to the ITU campus

 Wyndham Grand Istanbul Levent ★★★★★

Esentepe, Büyükdere Cd. No:177 D:183, 34394 Şişli/İstanbul

3 metro stops (8 minutes) to the ITU campus

 Hyatt Centric Levent Istanbul ★★★★★

Levent, Büyükdere Cd. No:136, 34330 Beşiktaş/İstanbul

3 metro stops (8 minutes) to the ITU campus

Avantgarde Urban Levent ★★★★★

Esentepe, Büyükdere Cd. No:161, 34394 Şişli/İstanbul

3 metro stops (8 minutes) to the ITU campus

Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Istanbul City Center ★★★★★

Ergenekon, Halaskargazi Cd. No:63, 34373 Şişli/İstanbul

In the Osmanbey Area – 6 metro stops (app. 15 minutes) to the ITU Campus

Point Hotel Taksim ★★★★★

Kocatepe, Topçu Cd. No:2, 34437 Beyoğlu/İstanbul

In the famous Taksim Square area – 7 metro stops (app. 20 minutes) to the ITU Campus

Nippon Hotel Taksim ★★★★☆

Kocatepe, Topçu Cd. No:6, 34437 Beyoğlu/İstanbul

In the famous Taksim Square area – 7 metro stops (app. 20 minutes) to the ITU Campus

Taksim Konak Hotel ★★★★☆

İnönü, Cumhuriyet Cd. No:75, 34373 Şişli/İstanbul

Close to the M2 metro line, 7 metro stops from Taksim Gezi Park Station (app. 20 minutes) to the ITU Campus

Visit the official site for full details on ticket types, prices, and the best way to travel the city:

Places to See

https://visit.istanbul/

Local transport:

For local transport tickets, single tickets, rechargeable smart Istanbulkart, or an Istanbul City Card can be purchased. All cards are valid for rides on the metro, buses, metrobuses, ferries, and trams. 

Istanbulkarts can be purchased and loaded at the automatic machines at all subway stations, including the one at the Airport, in Turkish liras or via bank cards. As of October 2025, the price for a one-way ticket is 27₺ (0.57€/0.66$) for journeys of 1 to 3 stops, while tickets cost 34.83₺ (0.74€/0.86$) for the maximum number of stops on Line M11 (8 stops from Istanbul Airport to Gayrettepe). Children under the age of 6 travel for free. Moreover, the anonymous Istanbulkart isn’t a personal pass. The same Istanbulkart can be used to buy tickets for multiple passengers. Therefore, if traveling with a company, you can buy only one card and use it for both your transfers.

On the other hand, Istanbul City Cards offer unlimited rides for 1, 3, 5, 7, or even 15 days on all means of public transport. They can be bought at the airport or online. In the last case, the card will be delivered to your hotel within a 24-hour time frame of the purchase. It’s important to remember that these cards are personal, meaning that they can only be used by the person who purchased them.

Lastly, passengers can buy single tickets for their metro ride using the Biletmatik automatic machines. Additionally, there are reusable tickets valid for up to 10 rides. Please keep in mind that not all vending machines provide change. Therefore, it’s advisable to check the machine’s features in advance and, if necessary, pay with the exact amount.

 Please refer here for the current prices of İstanbulkart and İstanbul City Card.

Explore Istanbul's iconic sights and historical sites aboard panoramic convertible buses. A unique 33-kilometer tour awaits you!

To purchase tickets:  BUSFORUS | Turistik Otobüs Hizmeti - İBB Ulaşım

İstanbul buses and trams

Visit key and popular landmarks of İstanbul in efficient and eco-friendly way, using buses, trams, and funiculars provides by İBB.

For routes, schedules and tickets visit the official İBB website for full details

BUSFORUS | Turistik Otobüs Hizmeti - İBB Ulaşım

Istanbul has numerous museums to visit, all of which can be found on the Istanbul Directorate of Culture and Tourism Website.

 You can also follow the events taking place in the City through the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Art and Cultural Events Portal.

We remind you of a few must-haves you should not forget when packing your suitcase for traveling to Türkiye:

• Travel documents: ID, Passport, visa, insurance among others

• Electronic devices, chargers and power adapter: Türkiye uses the europlug (Type C) electrical outlet. Make sure to bring the appropriate power adapter for your electronic devices.

• Money and cards: The Turkish Lira is used in Türkiye. However, you can exchange it at a currency exchange office.

  To avoid any problems with your credit/debit cards, make sure you have cash with you and do not forget to inform your bank about your travel plans.

• Medications: Bring any necessary prescription medications and common useful meds, such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.

• Although tap water in Istanbul is clean and safe, it is generally not drinkable. You may need to purchase it.

Weather forecast

You can find daily and hourly weather conditions in Istanbul on the Turkish State Meteorological Service page.

Istanbul 5 Day Weather Forecast

CURRENCY AND FINANCIAL INFO

• TRY (Turkish lira) can be obtained at banks, currency exchange offices, and ATMs throughout Türkiye. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in Türkiye, especially in urban areas and tourist destinations. Visa and MasterCard are the most accepted, followed by American Express.

• ATMs are widely available in cities and towns. They offer a convenient way to withdraw TRY (Turkish lira) using your debit or credit card. Be sure to check with your bank about any foreign transaction fees or withdrawal limits. Banks in Türkiye typically operate from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 AM to 17:00 PM. Some may close for lunch between 12:00 PM and 13:00 PM or 12:30 PM and 13:30 PM. ATMs are available 24/7.

• Prices displayed generally include VAT.

• Look for shops displaying the "Tax-Free Shopping" sign and inquire about the process.

• Tipping is not mandatory, but it is a common practice in restaurants or cafes. Prices in shops and restaurants are usually fixed.

Emergency number: 112

In Türkiye, the emergency contact number for tourists are the same as those for residents. This number can be dialled for police, medical (including ambulances), or fire emergencies, no country code required. You can dial 112 from any phone, landline or mobile, free of charge, and it automatically routes you to the nearest regional emergency call center. Operators can assist you in English.