Wheelchair Accessible Transfer in Istanbul: Airports, Vehicles, Tours

Yes, a wheelchair accessible transfer can be arranged from both Istanbul airports, but it is not an off-the-shelf product: tell us about the chair and the traveller, and we arrange a suitable vehicle on request and confirm it to you in writing before you fly. For travellers who can move from their wheelchair to a car seat, our standard private airport transfer in a Mercedes Vito, from $60 per group, usually has room for a folding chair in the back. For anyone who needs to stay seated in their wheelchair, we look for a vehicle with a ramp or lift for your date, and you get the details in writing before you travel.

This page explains what we need to know from you, what the two airports provide (most of it is free, and some of it has to be booked through your airline), and how to see the city by car with very little walking.

How we arrange an accessible transfer

We are a private tour operator, and we do not run a fleet of adapted vehicles. What we do is find the right vehicle for your dates, check it against your needs and send you the details in writing. The more precise you are, the better the match.

Please send us:

1. The chair. Manual or powered; folding or rigid; approximate width, length and weight. For a powered chair, the battery type matters to your airline, not to us, but the weight matters to the vehicle.
2. The transfer. Can the traveller stand and pivot into a car seat with help, or do they need to stay seated in the chair for the whole journey?
3. The group. How many people, how many suitcases, and any other equipment (walker, shower chair, medical devices).
4. Flights. Airline, flight numbers and arrival airport: Istanbul Airport (IST) on the European side or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side.
5. The hotel. Its name, so the driver can plan the drop-off point.

We then reply with the vehicle we have arranged, what it can and cannot do, and the price. Nothing is assumed until you have that confirmation in writing. If we cannot find a vehicle that fits, we will say so, so you can make other plans in good time.

Choosing the right vehicle

Most of the time the question is simply whether the traveller can transfer to a seat.

Drivers help with luggage and with folding and lifting a manual chair. They are drivers, not carers: if the traveller needs physical support to move, plan for a companion to do that, or tell us in advance and we will discuss what is possible.

Istanbul Airport (IST): what the airport provides

Istanbul Airport runs its accessibility services under the name "İGA Yanımda" ("İGA with me"). These are the points that matter for a wheelchair user, from the airport's own pages:

• Assistance comes from your airline. At IST, wheelchair assistance with an assistant is provided by the airline you are flying with. The airport asks passengers to book it when buying the ticket, or at least 48 hours before the flight, to avoid waiting.
• Call points at the entrances. If you have booked assistance and arrive by car for a departure, there are assistant call phones to the right just in front of the terminal entrance doors, with a bench to wait on after the first door.
• Drop-off points. On the departures level there are drop-off and pick-up points for disabled passengers opposite entrance doors 1, 3 and 7, with tactile guide paths on the pavement. Tell us if you want the driver to use them.
• Free wheelchairs for people meeting you. A friend or relative with walking difficulties who comes to meet or see you off can ask for a free wheelchair at the information points before passport control.
• Toilets and care rooms. Accessible toilets are in every toilet area in the terminal and car park, with Braille signs, an audible occupied signal, an emergency button and a door that opens outwards. There are also adult care rooms with height-adjustable beds and stoma sinks.
• Charging. Charging units for powered wheelchairs are at the M check-in island, near gate C4 in international departures, and in the domestic departures area.
• Sunflower lanyard. For hidden disabilities such as dementia or autism, the free Sunflower lanyard is available from information desks.
• Other ways into the city. The airport lists wheelchair-accessible İETT city buses, accessible Havaist midibuses (request at least 6 hours ahead when coming to the airport, and at least 1 hour ahead when leaving it), black accessible taxis with a seat mechanism that can be requested at the arrivals taxi desk, and a metro station with lifts, Braille signs and guide paths.

The airport's call centre is 444 1 442.

Sabiha Gökçen (SAW): what to know

Sabiha Gökçen, on the Asian side, is the base of Pegasus and is also used by AJet and other airlines. Its page for passengers with disabilities says:

• Wheelchair service is through the airline. Contact your airline before you arrive at the airport.
• Help phone at departures. Next to the disabled entrance on the departures level there is an assistance phone: press 1 for Turkish Airlines or AJet, 2 for Pegasus, 3 for other airlines.
• Airline service desks. For wheelchair questions, Pegasus passengers can call PortClinic on +90 216 588 87 80 or 81, and AJet passengers Airclinic on +90 216 588 22 22.
• On the day. Staff accompany you through check-in, security and boarding to your seat, and there are service vehicles with access for disabled passengers between terminal and aircraft. There are also accessible toilets, lowered pay phones and dedicated accessible parking.

The airport recommends arriving early and finishing all procedures before check-in closes.

The two airports side by side

From IST the drive to central districts usually takes 45 to 90 minutes. From SAW the drive to the European side can take longer at rush hour, because it crosses the Bosphorus. Our Istanbul airport private transfer page explains how pickups and waiting time work.

At the hotel: kerbs, slopes and drop-off

Istanbul is a city of hills, and parts of the Old City and Beyoğlu have steep streets, cobbles and narrow pavements. A hotel that looks central on a map can be hard to reach at the door. When you choose a hotel:

• Ask the hotel directly for an accessible room, a step-free entrance and the width of the lift door, and get the answer in writing.
• Ask whether a car can stop at the entrance. Some streets in old districts are pedestrian or too narrow for a larger vehicle.
• Flat waterfront areas are often easier to get around than hilltop streets. Our guide to where to stay in Istanbul and the page on Bosphorus-view hotels can help you compare districts.

When we know the hotel, we check where the vehicle can stop and tell you in advance.

Seeing Istanbul by car, with little walking

A private car changes what is possible. Instead of a full walking day, you can plan short stops with the vehicle waiting close by.

• Along the Bosphorus. The shore road from Beşiktaş to Bebek and on towards Sarıyer runs past palaces, mosques and wooden mansions; you can see much of the Bosphorus Strait from the car and stop for tea at the water.
• Dolmabahçe Palace from outside. The waterfront façade is one of the best-known views in the city; see Dolmabahçe Palace. Ask us to check access for the interior visit you have in mind.
• Çamlıca Hill. On the Asian side, with a wide view over the city; see Çamlıca Hill and Çamlıca Mosque.
• On the water. Boats vary a lot. For a private Bosphorus boat, boarding depends on the pier and the boat, so we confirm the boarding arrangement in writing before you book. See Bosphorus yacht rental for how private charters work.

For historic sites, access varies from building to building and can change during restoration work. Tell us which places matter most to you, and we will tell you what we can confirm about access for each.

Tours that cover this

Prices below are for our standard services. An adapted vehicle with a ramp or lift is quoted separately, on request, once we have confirmed one for your date.

• VIP private airport transfer in a Mercedes Vito: from $60 per group. Suits travellers who can transfer to a seat; a folding chair travels in the back.
• Private Mercedes Vito city tour with driver: from $299 per group, up to 8 hours, with stops planned around your mobility.
• Dolmabahçe and Bosphorus tour with private guide: from $150 per person; tell us about access needs when you book.
• 2-hour private Bosphorus yacht cruise: from $600 per group; boarding arrangements confirmed in writing first.

For a multi-day trip planned around access, see our tailor-made Turkey tour page or the Istanbul destination guide.

Frequently Asked Questions