Going to Ephesus!
 

After receiving all of your encouragement in answer to my last question (in a most entertaining thread: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ng-ephesus.cfm), I have managed to convince DH to do the day trip to Ephesus. Many thanks to you all!

But, now of course it's something else. We will be flying to Ephesus on an AtlasJet flight leaving from Ataturk at 7 AM on a Tuesday. So, we will need to get to the airport no later than 6 AM (we have electronic tickets, will have checked in online already [if AltasJet lets you do that], won't have any luggage or anything, so an hour lead time is enough? Or need more?) We will be traveling to the airport from our accommodations in Beyoglu that morning.

So, first, how long does it take to get from Beyoglu to Ataturk at that time of day on a Tuesday?

And then, which method of transport should we use? These are the options as I see it:

-- Public transportation (tramway and then metro, a trip that the guidebooks make sound confusing and tiring). We're troopers and would give it a try, but does it start that early in the morning?
--The Havas bus no longer runs? Website says, " We were forced to suspend our services on January 14, 2012, at 09:00 am." So that's out (if that's correct)?
--Taxi. Are taxis available on the street at 5ish AM, or lined up at hotels (we're staying in an apartment but could go to a nearby hotel)? Or does one call for a taxi in Istanbul at that hour, and if so, how long to allow them to get there?
--Private car/driver? Our hostess has offered to arrange a driver for us when we arrive in Istanbul (probably her brother-in-law or something) and I assume she could do the same for this, or I know that there are companies for hire for airport transfer.

We're flying back at 6 PM, so the return won't be a problem. I just don't know what's best choice at 5 AM (or earlier, depending on what you tell me).

Thanks again, everyone!

You will need more than an hour. There is security just to enter the airport and then there will another security check. And some airlines have restrictions on the time you must be at the boarding gate.

- "Havatas" has replaced Havas. Takes off from same place at Taksim. You would probably need to take the 5 AM bus.

- forget about tram-metro

- can easily find taxi cruising the streets

- even better if hotel arranges a 50TL transfer or calls a cab from a nearby taxi rank which should have a better driver than a cruising cab.

- traffic will be very light. You may get taxi at 5:15.

You will hit very heavy traffic when you fly back, so I suggest that you treat yourself to a great meat dinner at "Beyti" at Florya, quite close to the airport, upon arrival.
Ask for their heavenly lamb chops and not the mixed grill with a "piyaz" on the side (that is a salad of great northern white beans) and tell them that you will have a "Kunefe" for desert afterwards, when you are ordering because the kunefe may take up to 20 minutes to prepare. If you have no problems and like sweets order one each. otherwise you can share one. It is not very large.

If you wish for more meat after the lamb chops you can always ask for some doner or kofte to share.

Wash it all down with a bottle of DLC or KAV Okuzgozu or Kalecik Karasi wine. I believe they will serve you glasses also.

before or after your dinner, you can marvel at the fact that you are joining a very elite group of patrons like former presidents, queens, primeministers, etc. for a reasonable price, by looking at their photos taken at the restaurant with the owner and their letters of thanks, presents sent by some of them, awards, placards, and cards of VIPs and CIPs.

You do not need to be dressed up but just decent will do.

The security people at airports have one look at Adu and they force him through at least two additional security checks. However he is always disappointed that they do not conduct a strip-search.

Don't you find "wash it all down" a rather demeaning comment to make on accompanying wines?
Perhaps better to suggest "Stuff all food down so you can savour a nice wine"...and show a different perspective?

Excellent advice, OC! Leave it to you to find a way to work in a culinary adventure in response to a question about buses and taxis. DH agrees that this is an excellent plan, and he knows nothing about the Fodorites, except that you all end up making him do things even though he's not entirely sure why.

So, when should we plan to leave Beyoglu, to allow for travel time and arduous security (I don't know if AtlasJet has any restrictions about time, as its website is in Turkish...) Now that I know it's Havatas, I see that they leave Taksim every 30 minutes beginning at 4 AM and it says that the trip to Ataturk is 40 minutes depending on traffic. I would assume the trip by taxi would be about the same time, and if anything, shorter at that hour?

The bus is 10 TL. Other than not being a sexy mode of transport and having to make our way to Taksim, is there a downside to choosing that?

Thanks again.

Just take a cab, preferably called or taken from a nearby taxi rank.

Will take 20-25 minutes to airport at that time, that is why I said 5:15. I also do not know of any Atlas requirements.

There are not too many 7 AM flights. Hence waiting lines at security checks should not be long, especially in October.

Tommo, I utilize "understatement" more than "exaggeration" in my writings. With good wines, we wash our mouths, with house wines, our hands and feet. Champagne is for drinking from ladies' shoes, and not for pouring on yourself after a Formula 1 win.

The security people at airports have one look at Adu and they force him through at least two additional security checks. However he is always disappointed that they do not conduct a strip-search.
_____

Other is on "The let him fly but please do make me touch him list." He shows them where he likes to be patted down.

Purdue please be aware:

Other is not only a university professor but drives the 5 AM bus to Ataturk and has been reprimanded numerous times for bilking American tourists. He gets away with it by splitting the pelf with his supervisor (his beautiful wife, Eser).

Adu, many thanks for the warning. But I am a university administrator (and teach a graduate seminar on nonprofit/NGO administration) so am fully aware of faculty shenanigans. So, this does not surprise me at all.

OK, we'll go to the nearest hotel and grab a taxi. Seems to be the most elegant solution.

Thanks very much!

I'd like to jump in here with sort of the opposite question. Our trip involves Istanbul and Ephesus......should we make an effort to get over to see Cappadocia??

@Abbyo - Hard to say, basically the standard tourism triangle is usually Istanbul-Cappadocia-Ephesus, but it really depends on how much time you have available. 10 days or less and all 3 will be a bit of a rush, in my opinion.

What are your interests? West coast has loads of Classical Hellenistic sites and obviously beaches, Cappadocia has nice geological formations and Christian cave churches with nice frescoes plus Silk Road caravanserais and the occasional ancient Assyrian/Hittite site.

Cappadoica has some of the most interesting and oddest natural formation we have seen. We spent four days there and we could have stayed longer.