Packages* - Prices - Programme* - Sightseeing* - Accomodation - Transportation
ACCOMODATION
During EUCO 2009, the participants will be accomodated in hotels situated on the European side (Beyazit), close to old city venues and just a few kilometers from main city centers. Accomodation pre and post conference options are available if informed 2 months in advance. You can also click here to search for the nearby hotels.
Our Hotels are Benler Hotel, Akgun Hotel, Buyuk Şahinler Hotel, Ozmen Hotel
TRANSPORTATION
Getting to Istanbul - Getting to hotels - Visa Info
How to get to Istanbul?
Getting to Istanbul by Plane
Istanbul has two international airports – Ataturk International Airport of the European side (Yesilkoy) and Sabiha Gokcen International Airport on the Asian side (Kurtkoy).
Ataturk International Airport
The biggest and busiest airport in Turkey is Ataturk International Airport. There are scheduled flights from all over the world. Ataturk Airport in Istanbul handles both international and domestic flights and is 25 kilometers (16 miles) to the west of central Istanbul. To travel from the airport to Taksim Square, the following alternatives are available. The best and biggest airline in Turkey is Turkish Airlines (THY). If booked fairly in advance, THY may offer good deals. See Turkish Airlines Web Site for online reservations & booking.
Sabiha Gokcen International Airport
The newer airport in Istanbul is Sabiha Gokcen International Airport. If arriving from Europe, the best tip is to fly in with one of the low-budget airlines that fly in to SGA. There are many airlines offering routes between various European cities and Istanbul. Easyjet, Skyeurope, Condor, Myair, Sun ExPRESS, Fly Norwegian, Corendon, Germanwings,Tulfly and Pegasus is some of many.
Getting to Istanbul by Train
Sirkeci Railway station on the European side of Istanbul is also known as the last stop of Bosphorus Express. There are trains to Istanbul from the following destinations, From Europe; Kishinev (Mol), Budapest (Hun), Beograd (Ser), Bucharest (Rom), Athens, Thessalonica (Gre) and Sofia (Bul). There are connections from Cologne to Istanbul on the "Istanbul Express", which also carries cars from several other European cities. There is a weekly sleeper from Moscow. Trains bound for Thessaloniki, Athens, Sofia, Belgrade, Bucharest and Budapest (with transfers to Munich and Vienna) also leave from Sirkeci. InterRail tickets are available in the European part of Turkey as far as Istanbul.
Getting to Istanbul by Bus
Istanbul has quite a big bus terminal, "International Istanbul Intercity Bus Terminal" which is at Esenler. (10 Km to Sultanahmet, Old city). With 168 ticket offices and gates, its own metro station, shops, restaurants, police station, clinic, the Esenler Otogar is virtually a town in itself. Almost all international buses first visit this bus terminal. There are regular Coach (Bus) services between Turkey and Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldovia and Switzerland. Buses from Europe are following the Greece and Bulgaria routes mainly. The two main routes are like this; Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria - Turkey and Germany, Italy, Ferry to Greece - Turkey.
How to get to Hotels (Aksaray)?
From Ataturk International Airport
A few committee members will be directing the incoming participants to the hotel. Please look for the EUCO 2009 desk at the International Arrival Terminal. Rail system or Havas Shuttles. There are frequent Havas buses that travel directly from the airport to Taksim, and vice-versa. A one-way ticket costs USD$6 and you can reach your hotel by taking a taxi from Taksim to Aksaray. Taxis are the easiest way to get into town and are available right outside the airport terminals. Public transportation (IETT) buses are plentiful for getting around Istanbul, but usually are rather crowded. But Ataturk Airport-Aksaray Light Metro line will come useful. Tickets are available from the kiosks close to main bus stops. A one-way ticket costs USD$0.8. If you prefer the bus, you will need number 96T bus to get to Taksim from the airport and the journey takes about an hour. Then you can take another IETT bus to go to Aksaray or take a taxi.
From Sabiha Gokcen International Airport
The airport is located on the Anatolian shore of Istanbul at Pendik / Kurtkoy, at a distance of 40 km to Kadikoy, 12 km to Pendik and 50 km to Taksim. It has a really convenient traffic in terms of transportation with its 1.5 km connection to the TEM motorway. Taxi's are available outside the terminal, but it can be quite expensive if you intend travelling all the way to central İstanbul. There are frequent Havas Shuttles that travel directly from the airport to Taksim, and vice-versa. One-way ticket costs USD$7.5. Bus Public transportation (IETT) departs from Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to central Istanbul right outside Terminal B which is the international terminal.
Line E3: 4.LEVENT - SABIHA GÖKÇEN AIRPORT
Line E10: KADIKOY - KURTKOY - SABIHA GÖKÇEN AIRPORT