Are you looking for ways to book your transportation from Istanbul Airport before your arrival?
Booking a private shuttle from Istanbul or Sabiha Gokcen Airport is a common method for passengers visiting Istanbul.
Before your arrival, you can schedule both your arrival and departure transfers from and to the airports in Istanbul.
Private airport transfer is a good choice for you, especially if you are not traveling alone and carrying multiple luggage to have a comfortable journey in Istanbul.
With this guide, I will walk you through details on how to book a private Istanbul Airport transfer.
Why Choose a Private Istanbul Airport Transfer?
There are various reasons for a passenger to pick private transfers for Istanbul airport depending on the special requirements and the budget.
Comfort and Privacy
Usually specially designed minivan vehicle models are served for private airport transfers with passenger and luggage capacity up to 8. In Luxury (VIP) models, vehicles also have multiple luxurious features such as a refrigerator, televison, desk, adjustable seats, free Wi-Fi, etc.
Those are some of the benefits of using private airport transfers in Istanbul, which offer the most comfortable and private way to travel from Istanbul airport to your destination.
Private transfers can also be a cheap option for journeys made with multiple passengers since rates are paid per vehicle, not per passenger.
Time Efficiency
Booking your airport transfer before arrival also saves time for you to avoid spending time on finding the right options to travel from Istanbul airport.
When Istanbul airport transfers are booked via IST11, we also have a welcoming team at the airport arrival gate to escort you to the driver's point, where your assigned driver will be waiting for you.
Our team also tracks your flight and we re-schedule the time of your pickup without any extra charge in case of a delay.
Considering them, booking your Istanbul airport transfer helps you avoid spending extra time to schedule your trip from the airport.
Safety and Reliability
Safety is another key benefit of booking the airport transfer with the private option as our drivers hold the necessary transportation licenses to carry passengers in Istanbul.
Passengers picking taxis in Istanbul may encounter drivers who do not meet safety requirements during their journey. Our fleet has experienced drivers who are being monitored and trained regularly to build professional and safety discipline for a safe and reliable journey.
Our fleet also does not include any vehicle model that is older than 5 years, this helps us to maintain the safety of the vehicles as well providing reliability.
When booking the airport transfer for your journey, you should also consider the safety and reliability of the fleet.
Step 1: Select Your Transfer Service Provider
Research and Compare
There are multiple service providers for airport transfers in Istanbul and finding the one with reliable service and affordable prices can be challenging. You can use forums like TripAdvisor or Google reviews to see the reviews that other passengers have left for the companies.
Unfortunately, there is no single marketplace that lists all service providers, but I always recommend doing a little research on Google if you already have a quote to search other competitors as it is very common for hotels to act as a between man and add premium rates on top of the original airport transfer prices.
Try to book your airport transfer always through the company that provides the service directly rather than agencies or hotels between them to get the best rates.
The Ultimate Guide to Istanbul Airport Transfers: Everything You Need to Know
Key Factors to Consider
Besides the mentioned comfort factor, you should consider the number of passengers and luggage when deciding which vehicle to choose.
Our fleet includes 3 types of vehicles: a Luxury minivan with 6 passengers and 4 luggage capacity, a Standard minivan with 8 passengers and 6 luggage capacity, and an Economy minibus with 16+ passenger capacity.
Feel free to check out our fleet comparison and images of the vehicles via Our Fleet page.
You may also have a special requirement, such as having a pet or a baby on the journey, which you can mention during your booking to make sure we provide you with the required services to meet your expectations.
Feel free to contact us via our Contact Us Page for any special requests.
Recommended Services
If you are looking to have your journey from Istanbul Airport via private airport transfer service, I recommend quoting the lane via our Home Page and selecting Luxury Minivan as the vehicle to get the most comfortable vehicle which also includes features such as free wi-fi, television, desk, refrigerator, etc.
Step 2: Choose Your Vehicle Type
Understand Your Needs
The first factor to consider when choosing the vehicle type for Istanbul Airport transfer is the group size. As long as you are not traveling with a large group, usually a luxury minivan or standard minivan is the vehicle to select with a 6 or 8-passenger capacity for your regular transportation, which would also meet your luggage capacity of 4 or 6.
Please be aware that in Istanbul, it is not legal to provide Airport Transfer with the usual sedan models, you should pick regular Taxis instead of Minivans if you would prefer to have your transportation through regular sedan models. But in terms of affordability, the taxi prices are very similar to the private airport transfer prices, so my recommendation would be to book a private transfer since regular taxis do not have a pre-booking option, and their prices would be similar.
Vehicle Features
To get the most comfort during your journey you should select Luxury Minivan as your vehicle type. Luxury minivans have adjustable seats, a free wi-fi option, a television, a refrigerator, and a separator between the driver and the passenger section.
If you are not looking for luxury, you can select the standard minivan as the vehicle type for your journey, which does not have the additional luxury features, but they are similar vehicle models with additional passenger and luggage capacity.
The luxury minivan models include VIP Volkswagen Transporter or Mercedes Vito models with specially designed interiors.
Standard minivan models include Volkswagen Transporter or Caravelle models with standard interior design.
Take a look at Our Fleet page to see the photos of our vehicles.
Step 3: Provide Your Travel Details
Flight Information
Providing your flight number when booking the airport transfer is very important as service providers monitor your flight and assign drivers based on your arrival time.
If there are any delays on your flight, our team makes sure to monitor the live arrival time and reschedule the drivers accordingly in case of a delay with no additional charge.
Did you also know that we have 1 hour of waiting time at the airport? Our drivers can wait for you for up to 1 hour free of charge for your exit from the terminal. You can also request any additional wait times with a fee if needed.
Pickup and Drop-off Locations
You should also make sure to provide accurate locations for your destination; for example, it is very common to have different hotels under the same business name in Istanbul.
I suggest you always validate the address of your destination beside the place name to make sure the address matches with the actual address of your destination.
Special Requirements
Mention your special requirements during the booking, as some companies can charge additional fees for special requests, such as the baby seat if you are traveling with a baby.
You can also mention any other custom requests during your booking such as adding a stop between your destination with a wait time to do some shopping.
Step 4: Confirm and Pay for Your Booking
Review Your Booking
After filling in the necessary fields when making the booking, always make sure to review the summary of your booking to validate the accuracy of the fields and correct them accordingly to avoid any issues for your Istanbul Airport Transfer.
Payment Methods
Depending on your preference, most service providers provide multiple options to pay for the booking including online payments during the booking process or cash options during your transfer.
We also provide an option to pay either cash or with a credit card during your journey to our drivers. Please be aware that we accept most of the major currencies so you can make your payment of your airport transfer in different currencies if preferred.
Booking Confirmation
Once you have booked your Istanbul Airport transfer, you should receive an email with a PDF file that has all the details of your booking.
Most service providers provide a similar feature to share the booking details with the passengers. Make sure that you received the booking confirmation with the booking details via email, and feel free to contact the service providers in case of a missing confirmation to avoid any last-minute issues at the airport.
Step 5: What to Expect on the Day of Your Transfer
Arrival Procedures
When you arrive at Istanbul Airport, depending on the company you choose to book your airport transfer, you may be welcomed by the welcoming team at the arrivals gate.
At IST11, we provide the welcoming service free of charge. Check out our Main Page to book your transfer today!
Our welcoming team waits with a sign outside of the arrivals gate and escorts you to the assigned driver for your journey.
Make sure to get the welcoming team details before your arrival at the airport from the service provider to avoid any issues meeting with the welcoming team.
During the Transfer
Once you get in the assigned vehicle, you can enjoy your ride to the destination. Depending on the selected vehicle, you can also enjoy additional features such as using the wi-fi, watching the television, etc.
Make sure to always mention any special requirements before your arrival when making the booking such as adding a stop between your destination or requesting a child seat to the vehicle.
Final Destination
When you arrive at the final destination, make sure to make any outstanding payments to the driver if you have selected payments during the journey. Please also be aware that our drivers will also load and unload the luggage for you.
Make sure that you do not leave any of your belongings in the vehicle, and always feel free to contact us for any items left behind on the vehicle.
Tips for a Smooth Booking Experience
Book in Advance
Always book your Istanbul airport transfer in advance to avoid any last-minute issues and get a vehicle that meets your expectations.
Communication with the Service Provider
Most service providers speak English, so always make sure to communicate with the service providers through their communication channels to ask for any questions or any special requirements.
Check for Promotions or Discounts
If you have regular flights to Istanbul, always communicate with the service providers to ask for any discounts for regular rides.
Did you know that we provide a 10% discount on bookings with return transfers?
Check out our Main Page to see the price of your airport transfer.
Conclusion
As a conclusion, most service providers provide a feature to enable making pre-bookings for your Istanbul Airport Transfer. Always make sure to book your trip at least 24hr advance, communicate with the service providers to ask for any special requirements and compare prices of different service providers to get the most comfortable and affordable airport transfers in Istanbul.
Ready to book your Istanbul Airport Transfer?
Check out our Main Page to book your Istanbul Airport Transfer with us!