clifford
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Last week I had a one night layover in Istanbul and decided to take the Metro train system From the airport (IST) to my hotel in Avcilar. I usually take the H3 and 76O buses, as this is the fastest and cheapest way to get to Avcilar on public transport. However, the H3 runs quite infrequently, so having just missed one I took the Metro line M11 (for the first time).
According to Google Maps, everything looked quite straightforward, so armed with my IstanbulKart I looked forward to a trouble-free journey, which involved changing to the M2 line at Gayrettepe station. This required a 5-minute walk under cover, which was quite well signposted. Then I proceeded on the M2 line to Yenikapi station, where I was to change to the "B1" railway line to my destination,
That's where the fun started. According to Google Maps I had to leave the station via one exit, proceed overland for a few minutes and then re-enter the station at another entrance to access the "B1" line. So I followed the instructions (as best I could) and re-entered the station as directed. Well, that left me completely confused, as there was no signage at all for this "B1" line. However, there was plenty of signage for the "Marmara" line, which I figured out after a while was what Google was calling "B1". So enter the Marmara line platforms and all was plain sailing (railing?) after that. The other glaring fault with the Google directions was that the M2 line platforms and the Marmara line platforms were adjacent, so no need to exit the station at all!
On my return journey to the airport the next morning, I handled it like a long-time resident of Istanbul.
I have provided this detail to hopefully help any first-time traveller on the Metro from Istanbul airport to the centre of Istanbul or beyond. Sometimes Google Maps just doesn't cut it.
According to Google Maps, everything looked quite straightforward, so armed with my IstanbulKart I looked forward to a trouble-free journey, which involved changing to the M2 line at Gayrettepe station. This required a 5-minute walk under cover, which was quite well signposted. Then I proceeded on the M2 line to Yenikapi station, where I was to change to the "B1" railway line to my destination,
That's where the fun started. According to Google Maps I had to leave the station via one exit, proceed overland for a few minutes and then re-enter the station at another entrance to access the "B1" line. So I followed the instructions (as best I could) and re-entered the station as directed. Well, that left me completely confused, as there was no signage at all for this "B1" line. However, there was plenty of signage for the "Marmara" line, which I figured out after a while was what Google was calling "B1". So enter the Marmara line platforms and all was plain sailing (railing?) after that. The other glaring fault with the Google directions was that the M2 line platforms and the Marmara line platforms were adjacent, so no need to exit the station at all!
On my return journey to the airport the next morning, I handled it like a long-time resident of Istanbul.
I have provided this detail to hopefully help any first-time traveller on the Metro from Istanbul airport to the centre of Istanbul or beyond. Sometimes Google Maps just doesn't cut it.
