Travel Arrangements

Country delegations traditionally receiving assistance from the Budapest Process Secretariat for their travel arrangements please indicate this in your delegations’ registration form. Upon such notification the Secretariat will contact you to explain the options and details of such assistance. 

There are two international airports in Istanbul: Istanbul Atatürk Airport and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.

Atatürk Airport is located in Yesilkov district, on the European side of the city. The distance to the conference venue is 26 km and 24 km to the City Centre. We would like to encourage you to arrange your arrival/departure to/from Istanbul Atatürk Airport as this would facilitate logistical matters for the airport transfers.

The Budapest Process Airport Information Point will be located in the international arrival hall at Istanbul Atatürk Airport where our liaison officers will welcome each delegation (Terminal 2).

Sabiha Gökcen Airport is located on the Anatolian shore of Istanbul at Pendik / Kurtkoy, at a distance of approximately 40 km to the conference venue. Please indicate your arrival at Sabiha Gökcen Airport for the arrangement of your airport transfers.

 Lost and found items:

The items lost by the passengers at the airports are kept at the Lost & Found Office in International Terminal Arrivals Floor which is open 7/24:  Phone: +90 (212) 444 9 TAV (828)

·         Lost luggage offices are located at the baggage claim area.

Medical service:

·         Port clinics are located in the Arrival Hall of both the International and Domestic Terminal buildings and are open 24 hours, to provide rapid health service. Contact: +90 212 463 77 77 extension: 5555

·         Pharmacy (Turkish: Eczane) is located in the Arrival hall of the airport

Currency exchange / ATM:

·         There are Bank and Currency exchange offices located in the airport as well as various ATMs.

The Turkish Ministry of Interior will provide limousines for Ministers and Deputy Ministers only and cars / minibuses for delegation members upon their arrival in Istanbul.

All delegations will be welcomed by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Turkey at the airport and directed to their transfer cars to the hotel. Heads of delegations and delegates arriving with their heads of delegation will be received through the VIP Entrance.

The Ministry will also provide airport transfers for members arriving separately from their heads of delegation.

Delegates are kindly requested to enter their flight arrival/departure details in the registration system in order to arrange for airport transfers. If your flight details are not available during the registration period, please e-mail them to info@budapestprocess.org when available, but latest until 8 April 2013.

Depending on the traffic it takes between 30-60 minutes to Swissôtel The Bosphorus from the Atatürk International Airport. Taxis can be taken from Atatürk airport to the hotel for approx € 25. Please note that taxis from Sabiha Gökcen airport may cost up to 50€. For further alternative airport transfers please refer to the airport information point in the arrival hall.

Alternatively, shuttle buses (Havas) leave from Atatürk International and Sabiha Gökcen Airports as well and operate non-stop to Taksim Square.

For general requirements on visa to enter Turkey, please consult the following link: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa 

Delegates from countries requiring visa for Turkey are encouraged to apply for their visa at the Turkish Embassy in their respective country. Furthermore please check your passport for its validity. It must be valid at least 90 days over the expiration date of the requested visa.

Further details on visa information can be found under the link:

http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa

Nationals from countries who are allowed to have their visas issued upon arrival are asked to arrange their visa at the airport before proceeding to customs control. The visa sales point is located at the left-hand side of the border control gates in the Atatürk airport.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Budapest Process Secretariat will provide support for all visa applicants. Please indicate your visa information in the registration form and tick the box “visa facilitation needed”. We will then contact you with further details on the visa procedure.