Image credit: Michel Huhardeaux/FlickrIt’s definitely the worst way to get to Taksim if you’re travelling with luggage, as all these modes of transportation – metro, tram and füniküler – get crowded during rush hours (morning 08:00 – 09:30, afternoon 17:00 – 20:00). And you have to change the mode of transportation from metro to tram and then füniküler.
We can say that this combination is the slowest way to get to your destination. The only thing that encourages you to do so is the saving this method can bring about. You can save up to $25 (compared to Efendi and taxi), just like you would if you got on a Havatas airport bus (see above).
The Airport Railway station is only a few minute walk from the airport. Take the metro (M1 Red line) to Zeytinburnu and then get on the tram (T1 line) and reach the terminal station, Kabataş.
Then you should take füniküler (F1 line), which is just a short walk from the tram station, and get to Taksim.
Travel time: 15 minutes (by metro) + 50 minutes (by tram) + 5 minutes (by füniküler) = 1:10 hours
Cost: (total for metro, tram and füniküler) 12 TL (6.05 TL via Istanbulkart) = $4 ($2)
Service hours: 06:00 – 00:00 (metro), 06:00 – 00:00 (tram), 6:15 – 00:00 (füniküler) daily
Service schedule: Metro every 3-7 minutes | Tram every 2-15 minutes | Füniküler every 3 minutes
