Practical information for Istanbul, Turkey

In a big city like Istanbul you can easily get lost or lose someone. There're also some differences between Turkey and the United Kingdom. We will give you an overview with important points to keep in mind.

• Approximate Air Distance: 5370 miles / 8642 km
• Approximate Flight Duration: 10 hrs 44 min
• Busiest Airports: Departure from Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN) / Arrival at Atatürk International Airport (IST) / Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW)
• Temperature: The temperature is approximately 26˚C during the summer and approximately 8˚C during the winter period.
• Time difference: Istanbul is 2 hours ahead of London.
• Currency: The Turkish Lira (YTL).
• Language: The languages spoken are Turkish, Armenian, Kurdish and English. The official language is Turkish.
• Required travel documents: The rules and regulations of travel documents and visa applications change frequently. And there can be different requirements. On the website of the visa service the required and current information is listed.
• Health: Information about the (mandatory) vaccinations change constantly. Current information can be found on Travel Health Pro and NHS or consult your GP surgery.
• Major Airlines: Emirates, Air France, Qatar, Air China as well as KLM-Royal Dutch, Malaysia, Lufthansa German Airlines etc. Singapore & Turkish Airlines have direct flights from Singapore to Istanbul.