Getting around Ataşehir
Ataşehir sits on Istanbul's Asian side, at the junction of the O-2 and O-4 motorways, and is bordered by Ümraniye, Sancaktepe, Maltepe, Kadıköy and Üsküdar. It is a district of high-rise towers and business campuses rather than a historic quarter, so getting around is mostly a matter of using the metro and bus network to hop between neighbourhoods and connecting onward to the rest of the city. The good news for a visitor is that the district is served by two metro lines, which makes it far easier to reach than its motorway setting might suggest.
Rail: the metro network
Ataşehir is served by two lines of the Istanbul Metro. The M4 line stops at Kozyatağı and Yenisahra, while the M8 line serves Kozyatağı, Küçükbakkalköy, İçerenköy, Kayışdağı and Mevlana. Kozyatağı is the key interchange: it is the station where the two lines meet, and it also functions as a transfer point for onward shuttle and bus connections.
For practical purposes, treat Kozyatağı as your anchor station. If you are heading to the eastern or southern parts of the district, the M8 stops at İçerenköy, Küçükbakkalköy, Kayışdağı and Mevlana put you close to residential and institutional areas, including the university quarter around Kayışdağı. The M4 gives you the link toward the Kadıköy side of the city and the wider Asian-side metro network.
Buses and minibuses
IETT buses and minibuses fill in the gaps the metro leaves. For the Yeditepe University campus on Kayışdağı Caddesi, IETT buses run from Kadıköy, Üsküdar and Küçükyalı, and minibuses run from Kadıköy, Bostancı and Küçükyalı. From Kadıköy and the E5 highway, routes 19, 19F and 16F are the IETT buses to look for, along with Küçükbakkalköy minibuses departing from Kadıköy.
Minibuses are a useful local option: they run on fixed routes but are typically flagged down and paid on board, so keep small change handy. If you are visiting the university, its own shuttle services run from most Istanbul districts (though not from Çatalca, Silivri, Beylikdüzü, Şile or Sultanbeyli), and university buses pick up at Exit 3 of Kozyatağı Metro Station — look for the yellow Yeditepe University bus.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis are the most direct option for reaching specific addresses in a district where buildings are spread across a large footprint. Traffic is the variable to plan around — the district's position at a motorway junction means journeys can stretch considerably at peak times.
Walking
The practical implication is that walking works well within a neighbourhood or between a metro station and a nearby destination, but longer cross-district walks are better replaced by the metro or a short taxi ride. If your destination is a specific tower or campus, check which metro station is closest before setting out.
Getting in from the airports
Istanbul has two international airports serving the Asian side, and both connect to Ataşehir.
- Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is the closer of the two. Taxis take roughly 30 to 60 minutes. HAVATAŞ buses run every 30 minutes to Kadıköy, from where you can continue by metro or bus into Ataşehir. IETT buses also connect the airport area, and you can search "Yeditepe University" as a destination to find a suitable route.
- Istanbul International Airport is farther away, with taxi journeys of roughly 40 to 90 minutes depending on traffic. HAVAIST shuttles run every 30 minutes between 06:00 and 24:00.
For both airports, the combination of an airport shuttle or bus into Kadıköy followed by the metro is a sensible way to avoid unpredictable road traffic, while a taxi is the simplest choice if you are carrying luggage or heading to a specific address.
Practical tips
- Use Kozyatağı as your interchange hub — it links the M4 and M8 lines and is where university shuttles and onward buses connect.
- For the university area, the M8 stops at Kayışdağı and Küçükbakkalköy are the closest metro stations; from there, use IETT buses or minibuses.
- Allow extra time for any road journey: the district sits at a major motorway junction, and taxi times vary widely with traffic.
- Keep small change for minibuses, and confirm current metro ticketing at the station on arrival.