M11 Metro from Istanbul Airport: Fares, Times and Connections

The M11 is Istanbul Airport's metro line and, if you're travelling light, by far the cheapest way into the city. It runs from Gayrettepe via the airport to Halkalı, 15 stations in all; the section between Arnavutköy and Halkalı opened on 20 June 2026. Unlike most of the city's lines, it is operated by TCDD Taşımacılık rather than Metro Istanbul, and it charges by distance instead of the standard ₺46.20 fare.

The M11 from Istanbul Airport at a glance

Times are for the ride on the M11 only; add the walk to the platform, up to 15 minutes' wait and your change. Fares are full Istanbulkart fares (September 2026) and assume you tap out at the end. The ₺165 card and any connecting line are extra, with a transfer discount on the connection.

Sources — fares and timetables checked on 29 September 2026: M11 fares – TCDD Taşımacılık · M11 timetable – TCDD Taşımacılık · Istanbul Airport · Istanbulkart

Where to find the M11 at Istanbul Airport

The station is beneath the terminal. After passport control and baggage claim, follow the metro signs from the arrivals hall down to the ticket machines and gates. Trains leave the airport in two directions, so check the destination before you board: Gayrettepe for the M2 towards Taksim, or Halkalı for the Marmaray.

Buying an Istanbulkart and paying

You need an Istanbulkart, the city's rechargeable transport card, sold and topped up at the machines in the station. The card costs ₺165 and comes with no credit, so load enough for your first journeys straight away. You can then use it on the metro, trams, buses and ferries for the rest of your stay.

Contactless bank cards are accepted on İBB city lines at the single-ticket price of ₺65 a ride, but it isn't confirmed that they work at the M11 gates, so don't count on one at the airport. With the Istanbulkart, connections within two hours are also discounted: ₺34.40 for the first transfer, then ₺26.42 and ₺17.18.

How the M11 distance fare works

The M11 charges by the number of stations you travel. When you tap in, the gate deducts the highest fare possible from your boarding station, which at the airport is ₺47.89. When you tap out, the difference goes back onto your card, so the trip to Gayrettepe or Kağıthane ends up costing ₺42.34. Forget to tap out and you lose the refund.

The higher bands only matter for longer trips along the line; from the airport you never pay more than the ₺47.89 taken at the gate. With the transfer discount on the M2, the whole trip to Taksim comes to about ₺75–80, not counting the card.

M11 timetable: first and last trains

Trains run every 15 minutes. From the airport, the first train towards Gayrettepe leaves at about 06:10 and the last at about 00:21; towards Halkalı, the first leaves at about 06:14 and the last at about 00:29. There is no overnight service.

The M2 runs from about 06:00 to midnight, roughly every 4 minutes, so the last M11 trains of the night reach Gayrettepe after it has stopped. If you land late in the evening, check the time before you head down to the platform.

Changing trains: Gayrettepe, Kağıthane and Halkalı

• Gayrettepe (M2): the end of the line on the city side and the change most visitors need. The M11 platform is very deep, so allow several minutes of escalators and corridors to reach the M2. Towards Yenikapı it's three stops to Taksim (Şişli-Mecidiyeköy, Osmanbey, Taksim); the other way, the M2 serves Levent.
• Kağıthane (M7): the stop before Gayrettepe, 27 minutes from the airport, with a change to the M7 metro.
• Halkalı (Marmaray): the other end of the line, 33 minutes from the airport. The Marmaray runs from here to Yenikapı and Sirkeci and on under the Bosphorus to the Asian side.

By metro to Taksim, Sultanahmet, Beşiktaş and beyond

• Taksim: M11 to Gayrettepe, then three stops on the M2 towards Yenikapı; roughly 60–75 minutes in total including the change, for about ₺75–80. See Istanbul Airport to Taksim.
• Şişli and Beşiktaş: Gayrettepe is on the edge of both districts, and Şişli-Mecidiyeköy and Osmanbey are the next stops on the M2, with Levent the other way (about ₺42–80 in total). For the Beşiktaş waterfront, finish with a short taxi ride. See Istanbul Airport to Beşiktaş and Şişli.
• Sultanahmet: no single line goes there. Take the M2 on from Gayrettepe to Vezneciler-İstanbul Ü., then walk or take the T1 tram from Beyazıt-Kapalıçarşı. Alternatives: M2 to Taksim, the F1 funicular to Kabataş (2.5 minutes) and the T1; M2 to Yenikapı and the Marmaray one stop to Sirkeci; or, new since June 2026, M11 to Halkalı and the Marmaray to Sirkeci. Allow about 75–90 minutes; the fares add up to about ₺75–105. See Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet.
• Galataport: M11, M2 to Taksim, F1 to Kabataş and the T1 tram, about ₺120–150 in total. See Istanbul Airport to Galataport.
• Kadıköy and Sabiha Gökçen: the Marmaray from Halkalı crosses to the Asian side, but with the connections it's a long trip (about ₺120–130 by rail to Sabiha Gökçen). With luggage, Havaist's direct coaches to Kadıköy and Sabiha Gökçen (₺515, about 2 hours) are simpler. See Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Gökçen.

With luggage, late at night or in a group

The M11 works best for one or two people with light bags arriving during the day. The platforms and the Gayrettepe change mean escalators and long corridors, and the connecting lines get very crowded at rush hour, which is hard going with large suitcases or a pushchair. With no overnight service and no M2 connection for the last trains, late arrivals need another plan.

The Havaist coach to Taksim leaves from floor -2, costs ₺470 per person and takes about 90 minutes; cash isn't accepted (see our Havaist guide). A yellow taxi to Taksim costs about ₺2,150–2,700 on the meter, plus any tolls (see taxi prices). A private transfer to Taksim is €44 per vehicle for up to 6 passengers in a Mercedes Vito, with flight tracking, meet and greet in arrivals and no extra charge for traffic or flight delays. As the price is per vehicle, it gets more competitive the more of you there are, and it ends at your door.

Frequently asked questions