Directions to Boğaziçi University

Boğaziçi University is located on a steep hill overlooking the Bosporus Strait. Founded in 1863, what is today called the South Campus is set on a plateau just above the 15th century fortress of Rumeli Hisarı.

Here is a map of the city showing the route from Atatürk International Airport to Boğaziçi University.

Routes

If you go with a taxi or a transfer service, the driver will choose which route based on the time of the day and the amount of traffic that can be expected.

The route that goes around the city, marked with color, follows the freeway that eventually goes over the second bridge. The exit for Boğaziçi University is the very last before the bridge.

The other route takes the older freeway through the city. Eventually that road goes over the first Bosporus Bridge. To get to Boğaziçi University the driver will take the last exit, cross over the freeway onto the major avenue that runs through the residential districts of Levent and Etiler to the University.

There is a third route, that which follows the shore line from the airport all the way to Boğaziçi, but this is only recommended for arrivals when traffic is light to medium, which is too difficult to predict for this post.

 

Taxi

Taking a taxi to Boğaziçi University will cost about 50TL (it might be more by the time you are reading this). Be sure to get a taxi from the designated taxi line. It is just to the right of the exit doors.

  • Do not get into the car of any person who approaches you and/or tries to grab your or your luggage. 
  • Do not get into a taxi that does not have the name of its neighborhood and telephone number on the door. 

For extra measure, take a photo of the license plate and side of the car (with its home station logo and telephone number) before you get in. If you somehow have a negative experience, yo can report the driver to the city. Complaints about taxis are taken seriously.

Istanbul is more than 60 milers from end to end and has more than 15 million people. It is impossible for all drivers to know all addresses. Drivers  will not know what you mean if you say “Superdorm.”  You are best off to start with the neighborhood, “Etiler,” and then say “Boğaziçi University.” Once you are in the neighborhood, the driver can ask for directions

Transfer Service

 It is possible to arrange ahead for a transfer service to meet you at the gate as you exit the airport and take you to Boğaziçi.

Istanbul Atatürk International Airport

offers such a service. You can arrange to have a car pick you up from the airport and take you to Boğaziçi University. It is more expensive than a taxi or other options, but without any of the hassles. This option will cost about 100TL.

When filling out the form, "Meeting Point" is the airport, and destination is "Beşiktaş," which is the area of the city in which Boğaziçi University is located.

 

Airport Shuttle to Taksim

Havataş, a transportation company owned by the Greater Istanbul Municipality, runs buses from the airport to Taksim at a cost of 11TL. Once you have reached the Havataş office in Taksim, you can take the subway to Levent, and transfer to the Boğaziçi line, or hop in a taxi. Visit the Havataş website for more information for more information.

Metro

Istanbul's metro system is open from 6:00 to 24:00. The stations and cars are clean and run smoothly. Because there are police stationed at the entrance to every station, you should not have any random weird experiences while traveling.

To get to Boğaziçi University by metro, you must change lines at Yenikapı and at Levent.  Please keep in mind that if you have luggage, it might be difficult to maneuver in crowded metro cars and escalators and you might have to climb stairs if an escalator is not working.

Every transfer requires you to buy a new token, on average 2.5 TL per person.

  1. Follow the signs inside of the airport to the metro.
  2. Buy 3 tokens from one of the machines located near the entrance.
  3. Board the metro car to "Yenikapı."
  4. At Yenikapı, transfer to the M2 line that goes all the way to "Hacıosman."
  5. Get out at "Levent."
  6. At "Levent," transfer to the M6 line to "Boğaziçi University."