Bicycle transport from Burgas/Bugaria to Istanbul

When I was going to bring my bike on the bus from Prague to Istanbul, the driver said that they would take it in the belly of the bus provided there was room. (There was room. And I've taken long-distance buses through eastern Europe about six times, and they've never been very full).

Turkish buses have taken my bike without even mentioning extra payment.

Trains shouldn't be a problem provided there is a baggage car. However, I think the train from Burgas is slow and inconvenient. If I were in your place, I would look for a bus first.

If you arrive in Istanbul by train, you'll be just 1 km away from the main tourist area - no problem at all. If you arrive by bus, you'll be dropped off at the main European bus station. From the station, there is a metro which goes to more central spots. On-foot travellers take the metro to Aksaray, and then walk over the road (following the crowds) and transfer to the tram.

If you arrive outside rush hour, it should be no trouble to put your bike on the metro to Aksaray. However, you almost definitely won't be able to transfer it onto the tram. You will just have to ride Aksaray to Sultanahmet, the hotel district. Just ask directions, and be prepared to push your bike most of the way - this district is effectively a giant street market, and biking on either the road or the sidewalk is virtually impossible. It's only about 1-2 km so not a big problem, and the walk from Aksaray to Sultanahmet is quite an introduction to Istanbul!

If you arrive in the middle of rush hour, you will have to make your own way to the centre. The first thing to do is to ask if there is a service minibus that can take you and your bike to Sultanahmet, or nearby. The answer will probably be no, but Turks can be very accommodating over strange and unusual things like bikes, so it's worth asking! Service buses are always free.

Otherwise, you will be stuck riding into the centre. There really is no good way to do this - just take a look at the sun, and bike due south-east until you come to Sultanahmet.

One minor possibility on the metro is the direction you are travelling. You want to go east, into town, but if you take the metro west to the last stop, you'll find yourself at the airport. From the airport, you can go 1-2 km south to the water, and then follow the coast road all the way into town. The metro is quieter during rush hour going west-bound, so it would definitely be worth asking if you can take it to the airport, if the guards refuse to let you take your bike on the train.
From the airport, you can follow the coast road or you can also try to take the commuter train. THe stop closest to the airport is Yesilyurt (ye-shil-yurt). The coast roat is busy but there are two definite lanes so you won't get so much traffic trying to use the shoulder and run you over. It's also very easy to navigate - impossible to get lost.

pm me if you need any help!

hello,

i came down from burgas last week, so maybe you have passed by already. my friend took a bus from kirkarelli in turkey to istanbul. said it was very easy. they put his bike on without having to remove panniers and it was pretty cheap. maybe this is helpful for you if you can.t get all the way to istanbul from burgas..hope it goes smooth...maybe see you in istanbul as i'll be here for a week or longer.

scott