Wikidata Trainings For Turkic Wikimedians 2022/Guide

Wikidata Trainings For Turkic Wikimedians	Program	Registration & Participants	Location	Logistics	Contact	Documentation
	Program Submissions	Scholarships & Registration Information Participants' List Friendly Space Policy Data privacy policy	Venue and Hotel	Guide Travel and Hotel Booking Information Visa	Team	Budget Newsroom

Transportation

To download the summit guide, please click on the cover page

Public transport

İstanbulkart is the prepaid public transportation card for Istanbul, and it is the cheapest and the most efficient way to get around Istanbul. You can purchase İstanbulkart via yellow/blue vending machines (biletmatik) and via kiosks located by the majority of the public buses’ stops. When you ride a bus, metro, ferry, funicular, or tramway, you can pay for your fare by ‘waving’ your İstanbulkart within 8 cm of the reader. Upon making a successful payment, the reader will make a sound and the screen will light up showing the amount left on the card.

Fees

To obtain İstanbulkart you need to pay a non-refundable fee of ₺50. The cost of 1-ride public transportation is ₺7,67.

Alternatively you can choose from 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 10-Day-Pass or İstanbul City Card (for tourists) options.

Websites

• Bus: https://www.iett.istanbul/
• Metro: https://www.metro.istanbul/
• Ferry Lines: https://www.sehirhatlari.istanbul/

From the Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to hotel (Mercure Altunizade)

Take the metro line integrated with Sabiha Gökçen Airport to «Tavşantepe» which is last station to route. By transferring here, you can reach «Kadıköy» with the metro line. After leaving the metro, walk 200 metres to the north-eastern side and you will reach the bus stop for the transfer. Get on a bus number 13 and go to the station of «Şehit Erol Olçok». At this point, pay attention to the direction you are going (direction: «Batı Ataşehir Peronlar»). After leaving the bus, walk 100 metres to the left forward till you reach to Mahir Iz St. After crossing the road, walk 150 meters along Aka Gündüz Street. Turn left and cross Kısıklı Street and walk another 200 meters along Oymacı Street. You'll see the Mercure Hotel next to the Baskent University Hospital.

If you arrive late hours (23:00-01:00), you need to use Havaist vehicles to reach Kadıköy. (Note: There is no departure between 01:45 and 06:15, see Departures times of Havaist) Ticket price is 35 ₺ (1.90 $). You can pay by credit or debit card on vehicles or make online payment with QR code received on Havaist app (Android) and Havaist app (iOS). You can also pay cash at cash payment points when you land at the airport. When you arrive in Kadıköy, you have no other option than to get a taxi. In taxi you can pay only with cash (sometimes credit and debit card) and it will cost something around 65 ₺ (3.52 $).

From Istanbul Airport (IST) to hotel (Mercure Altunizade)

Exterior of Üsküdar University Central Campus D-Block, Istanbul

From the international arrivals gate, walk to the «VIP Terminal-Mülki İdare-Emniyet» bus stop. Get on a bus number H-2 and go to stop «Mecidiyeköy», which is last station to route. ( Note: The bus departs every two hours between 01:00 and 05:00.) After leaving the bus, walk 30 metres to the underpass and you will reach the metrobüs stop for the transfer. Here, make sure you are get on the right direction (Direction: Söğütlüçeşme). After crossing the Asian side, get off at the «Altunizade Metrobüs» station. After you get to the footbridge, walk to the left on the pathway and reach Mahir Iz street. Walk on Kısıklı Street for 400 meters and turn right on Oymacı St. After 200 meters, you'll see the Mercure Hotel next to the Baskent University Hospital.

If you arrive late at night (00:00-06:10) you need to use Havaist vehicles to reach Kadıköy. (Note: Pay attention to the long interval departure times between 00:00-07:15, see Departures times of Havaist) Ticket price is 74 ₺ (4 $). You can pay by credit or debit card on vehicles or make online payment with QR code received on Havaist app (Android) and Havaist app (iOS). You can also pay cash at cash payment points when you land at the airport. When you arrive in Kadıköy by Havaist bus, you have no other option than to get a taxi. In taxi you can pay only with cash (sometimes credit and debit card) and it will cost something around 65 ₺ (3.52 $).

Note: First of all, we will arrange you being met at the airport by a member of our team, who will help to get you to the hotel. But, still it is probable that you will have to go to the hotel on your own.

From Hotel (Mercure Altunizade) to Venue

The hotel is 450 meters from the venue. The route you will reach on foot in 5 minutes is as follows:

• After leaving the hotel, walk 200 meters to the right, and then walk another 200 meters along Kısıklı Street to side of right.
• After passing the EsteWorld Clinic around the corner, you will arrive the venue after walking another 50 meters along Üniversite Street.
• Main conference venue is Üsküdar University Central Campus D-Block, Ayhan Songar Hall.

Important Phone Numbers

Emergency telephone number for Türkiye

• International calling code for Türkiye: +90
• Ambulance, Fire, Police, Gendarme: 112
• Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (24/7 Help Desk for transportation, Istanbulkart etc.): 153
• Consulates General of the Countries in Istanbul (Hotline)
  • Azerbaijan: +90 536 613 86 48
  • Georgia: +90 541 818 44 00
  • Iran: +90 212 513 82 30-33
  • Kazakhstan: +90 212 662 53 47
  • Uzbekistan: +90 212 323 20 37
  • Russia (Bashkortostan, Sakha and Tatarstan): +90 212 292 51 01

City

Istanbul is Turkey’s (Türkiye from now on) largest city as economically, demographically, culturally and historically. Also, it is the most populous European city, and the world's 15th-largest city by population. The city is located on two sides of the Bosphorus Strait, a 31-km-long waterway that separates Asia from Europe. Wikidata İstanbul Conference 2022 will be held in the Asian (Anatolian) part of the city at the entrance of the Bosphorus. The venue of the event, Üsküdar University, takes its name from the Üsküdar district it is situated in. Üsküdar is a major transport hub, with ferries and rail service (Marmaray) to the European side where the historical peninsula; and home to about half a million people, numerous historic buildings and Maiden's Tower, one of the symbols of İstanbul from Byzantine times.

Some tourist attractions

A collage of views of the city

• Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque Hagia Sophia is a mosque and former basilica, cathedral and museum. Built 1485 years ago, it remained the largest cathedral in the world for a thousand years. Located opposite of Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque is Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque located in Fatih District. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
• Galata Tower, which is one of the symbolic structures of Istanbul, was built by the Genoese in 1348 as a watchtower.
• İstiklal Avenue, is a popular pedestrian-street located between Tünel and Taksim Square and many historical buildings, including St. Anthony of Padua Church and Çiçek Pasajı, are located on the street.
• Topkapı Palace was the primary royal residence of the Ottoman Sultans in Istanbul between 1465 to 1856.
• Çamlıca Tower and Çamlıca Mosque, Çamlıca Tower at an altitude of 369 meters, hosts two restaurants and an observation terrace and it's located 2.9 km from the Hotel Mercure Altunizade. Completed in 2019, Çamlıca Mosque is Türkiye’s largest mosque in terms of capacity. It's located 3.8 km from the Hotel Mercure Altunizade.
• Beylerbeyi Palace, located in the Beylerbeyi of Üsküdar district, the palace was built in 1865 by the Ottoman Sultan Abdülaziz.
• Cevahir Shopping Mall, located on the Şişli District. It was the largest shopping mall in Europe between 2005 and 2011.

Enjoy your stay!