Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2024/Guide

Time

Clocks in Türkiye are set to Turkey Time (TRT/UTC+3 hours). In October 2018, it was announced that UTC+03:00 would remain the country's year-round permanent time zone. The sun rises at around 05:44 and sets at around 17:39.

Money

Sign of Turkish Lira (TL)

Turkish lira (TRY, TL, or ₺) is used in Istanbul and throughout Türkiye. You can use your credit, debit, or prepaid card in the city (restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, pharmacies, etc.). However, please note that you should only use Turkish lira (₺) as cash and that you will have to change money at a currency exchange office or use an ATM. There are currency exchange offices and ATMs (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) at Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW). This will allow you not to waste time withdrawing money or converting currencies. You can pay in Turkish lira in cash in all taxis and with your card in most of them.

We recommend paying everywhere in Istanbul with a bank card (Visa, MasterCard). If you prefer digital payment methods such as Apple Pay and Google Wallet, you can also use these methods in most places.

Turkish lira banknotes
Turkish lira coins

Electricity access

Europlug Type C, E, and Type F plug types are used in Türkiye. Plug type C has two round pins, and plug type F has two round pins with two earth clips on the side. The current voltage across the country is 230 V/50 Hz.

If you do not have a type C, E, or F plug, it is recommended that you obtain a converter.

Type C plug (Europlug) and socket
Type E plug and socket
Type F socket

Accommodation

The scholarship recipients for the Wikimedia CEE Meeting will stay at Holiday Inn İstanbul Kadıköy (Hasanpaşa, Egitim Mahallesi, Azra Sk. No6, 34722 Kadıköy). Self-funded participants could also stay at the same hotel. Please make sure that you tell the hotel that you are a Wikimedia CEE Meeting participant. Please find more information about the recommended hotel here.

Public transport

There are several types of public transport available in Istanbul, which are:

Metro

Istanbul is among the cities with the most metro lines in the world. Weekday function starts at 06:00 and ends at 00:00. However, on weekends (between 06:00 on Friday morning and 00:00 on Sunday), there are 36-hour uninterrupted metro services. The places where you see the and symbols are metro stations. The Istanbul Metro is the fastest and most efficient way to get around the city.

Bus

One of the most effective ways to get from one place to another in Istanbul is by bus. You can access the timetables of the buses, which can be easily distinguished by their yellow color, from this link: https://iett.istanbul/en

Metrobus

Metrobuses, operated by IETT, the public institution that operates the buses, are highly preferred because they are fast, traffic-free, and have their own private highway.

The places where you see the symbol are Metrobus stations.

Taxis

Applications such as BiTaksi and Uber can be used to find taxis in Istanbul.

Please be aware that, like many other touristy cities, Istanbul taxis are driven by profit and may try to scam tourists. Regrettably, Istanbul taxi drivers are not reputed for their honesty, so we suggest minimizing the use of taxis. If needed, consider using taxi apps or relying on public transportation.

Payment

Istanbulkart

You can make your public transportation expenses with İstanbulkart or your own debit card or credit card (You will pay more if you use your card; Bus: ₺30, Metrobus: ₺60).

Istanbulkart price: ₺130
Boarding fee (for one person): ₺20

If you do not want to buy an İstanbulkart, you can get one of the limited pass İstanbulkarts:

Single ticket: ₺30
Two-pass ticket: ₺50
Three-pass ticket: ₺80
Four-pass ticket: ₺100
Five-pass ticket: ₺120
Ten-pass ticket: ₺225

From Airport to city center

From Istanbul Airport (IST)

To reach the hotel from Istanbul Airport, you can follow this route:

Option 1 (Metro + Metrobus)

To reach the hotel from Istanbul Airport, you can follow this route:

Go to İstanbul Havalimanı (Istanbul Airport) metro station ( line*);
Get off at Kağıthane metro station;
Transfer to metro line;
Get off at Mecidiyeköy station;
Transfer to Mecidiyeköy Metrobus stop;
Get off at the Fikirtepe Metrobus stop;
Walk about 5 minutes.

Note: *Same metro line is also referred to by the codes U1 and U2.

Option 2 (Havaist)

Take the Havaist bus with the code HVIST-14;
Get off at Kadıköy stop.

From Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW)

To reach the hotel from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, you can follow this route:

Option 1 (Havabus + bus)

Go to Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı (Sabiha Gökçen Airport) Peron 2;
Take Havabus bus code E-10;
Get off at Yüzbeşevler bus stop;
Take the buses with the following written codes and head towards Kadıköy;
Get off at the bus stop named Kadıköy Belediyesi (Kadıköy Municipality);
Approximately 10 minutes walk from the hotel.

Bus codes towards Kadıköy
2	8	8A	8E
9K	10B	10E	10G
13Y	14AK	14B	14CE
14ES	14Y	14ÇK	14ŞB
15SK	15YK	15ÇK	17
19ES	19F	19K	19M
19S	19Y	20D	20K
ER2

Option 2 (Metro + Metrobus)

Go to Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı (Sabiha Gökçen Airport) metro station ( line);
Get off at Ünalan metro station;
Walk to Uzunçayır Metrobus stop (approx. 10 minutes);
Take a bus to Söğütlüçeşme direction;
Get off at the Fikirtepe Metrobus stop;
Walk about 5 minutes.

Mobile connection

There are three mobile operators across Türkiye:

Turkcell
Türk Telekom
Vodafone

You can also use the İBB Wi-Fi service provided free of charge by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in many points of Istanbul (public transportation, city squares, and public areas).

Also, if your mobile supports e-sim, you can activate apps like Airalo or Mobimatter.

Important phone numbers

Emergency Hotline

International Calling Code for Türkiye: +90
Police, Ambulance, Fire: 112
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (24/7 Help Desk for transportation, Istanbulkart etc.): 153
Havaist: +90 850 888 33 34
Havabus: +90 444 26 56

Health

Pharmacies

Below are the pharmacies near the hotel.

Kent Eczanesi (Kent Plus Kadıköy)

Egitim mh. Abdi Bey sk. KENT PLUS KADIKOY No:24/BH, 34722 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Türkiye

Tel: +902169694248

Nihan Er Eczanesi

Fikirtepe, Mandıra Cd. No: 34/B, 34720 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Türkiye

Tel: +902165510006

Sağlık Eczanesi

Osmanağa, Vişne Sk. No:41, 34714 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Türkiye

Tel: +902163485454

Meydan Eczanesi

Osmanağa, Söğütlü Çeşme Cd No:57, 34714 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Türkiye

+905012402233

Pharmacies in Istanbul are open until 19:00 on weekdays and Saturdays. Click on this link to see the pharmacies on call for the rest of the day and on Sunday. (Select Kadıköy as the district (ilçe)). If you need help, please get in touch with the Organizing Team.

Hospitals

Göztepe Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın Şehir Hastanesi

Eğitim, Göztepe Araştırma Hst., 34722 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Türkiye

Tel: +902166065200

Kadıköy Belediyesi Dr. Rana Beşe Sağlık Polikinliği

Eğitim Mahallesi Fahrettin Kerim Gökay Caddesi, Patika Yol Sk. No:16 D:16, 34722 Kuyubaşı-Kadıköy/Kadıköy, Türkiye

Tel: +902164188830

Medicana Kadıköy Hastanesi

Zühtüpaşa, Recep Peker Cd. No:11, 34724 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Türkiye

Tel: +908504606334

Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Sultan Abdülhamid Han Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi

Selimiye, Tıbbiye Cd, 34668 Üsküdar/İstanbul, Türkiye

Tel: +902165422000

Yeditepe Üniversitesi Koşuyolu Hastanesi

Koşuyolu, Koşuyolu Cd. No: 168, 34718 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Türkiye

Tel: +902165785000

Medipol Koşuyolu Hastanesi

Acıbadem, Lambacı Sokağı, 34718 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Türkiye

Tel: +902165446666

Language and useful Turkish phrases

Turkish is the mother tongue of 90 percent of the country's population.

Turkish phrases
Turkish	English	Pronounce
Merhaba	Hello
Günaydin	Good Morning
iyi akşamlar	Good Evening
Nasilsiniz?	How are you?
Güle güle	Goodbye
Evet	Yes
Hayir	No
Pardon	I'm sorry
Teşekkürler	Thank you