IST Airport to Central Istanbul in 33 Minutes by Metro Begins January 22

Istanbul’s long-awaited M11 Metro line which links Istanbul’s IST Airport to central Istanbul is due to open in eight days on January 22. The new high-speed line will travel from IST Airport to the Gayrettepe Metro station in 33 minutes. From its terminus at the Gayrettepe metro station, Taksim Square can be reached in just eight minutes by transferring to the M2 Metro line and travelling three stations. Transfers to other destinations in the city linked to the M11 metro line also are possible.
The new route means travelers now will have a fast and reliable option to get into central Istanbul from IST Airport by public transit. Istanbul’s IST Airport, which opened in 2019, is located about 30 miles from Istanbul’s center. Traffic in Istanbul—with its 15 million residents— has made the journey to and from the airport a lengthy one that could take up to two hours in congested traffic. Istanbul’s IST Airport handles the second largest number of international passengers in the world, with Dubai having the most.