By air: Istanbul Ataturk Airport is the main air hub in the city with Sabiha Gokcen International Airport reserved for use by budget airlines and charter carriers. The former is situated 28kms from the city on the European side, the latter on the Asian side of the Bhosphorus. Istanbul is well connected, particularly to destinations in Asia and Europe with an ever-growing list of routes on low-cost airlines, meaning it has never been cheaper to fly here.

By train: international train services to the European half of the city go to Sirkeci station which links to a number of East European cities including Budapest in Hungary and the Serbian capital Belgrade. On the Asian side, there are regular services to Tehran in Iran and other major cities in the Middle East that go into Haydarpasa station.

By boat: with its large port that links to both the Black Sea and an outlet into the Mediterranean, Istanbul is well connected to destinations throughout the region. Karakoy Port is the main international terminal with services to various destinations in Greece, and cruises are available that pass throughout southern Europe.