Flights & Transport
New routes, airports, carriers and regional accessibility.
01Editorial visualEleven killed in Manisa tour-bus crash; cause under investigation
A tour bus and a towing vehicle collided near the Akhisar toll area on the Bursa–İzmir motorway. Authorities report 11 deaths and 27 injured people; the cause has not been established.
5 min read · today, 18:15
02Editorial visualTouristic Eastern Express 2026–27: ticket sales open 26 October
The Ankara–Kars winter train will run 70 trips from 21 December 2026 to 12 March 2027. Individual tickets go on sale through TCDD on 26 October; fares have not yet been announced.
6 min read · today, 17:20
03Editorial visualTurkey cuts rail open-ticket minimum validity from 180 to 90 days
From 10 October, open tickets offered after qualifying train delays or cancellations must remain valid for at least 90 days rather than 180; refund options remain in the regulation.
5 min read · today, 04:20
04Editorial visualÇerkezköy–Edirne fast trains begin: six daily services, no new border train
TCDD has started three trains each way between Çerkezköy and Edirne. The 54-minute domestic service does not yet create a new direct Istanbul–Bulgaria train.
6 min read · today, 14:25
05Editorial visualIstanbul public transport is free on 6 October—but only with a personalised Istanbulkart
The one-day offer marks the anniversary of Istanbul's liberation. Airport buses, the Tünel, the nostalgic tram and several other services are excluded.
5 min read · today, 12:18
06Editorial visualEastern Turkey heavy-rain alert expands for 6 October
MGM has widened its alert to parts of eastern and southeastern Turkey, while a separate warning covers coastal Hatay and southern and eastern Osmaniye.
5 min read · today, 17:28
07Editorial visualTurkey expands flight-inspection rules to satellite navigation and surveillance systems
The new SHY-UK regulation covers GNSS, radar and visual approach aids as well as ground-based navigation. Operators have two years to align their procedures and authorisations.
6 min read · today, 19:25
08Editorial visualKaraelmas Express starts 2026 season: the Ankara–Zonguldak plan
The tourist sleeper train begins on 2 October with four autumn tour dates, 120 places and long sightseeing stops in the Western Black Sea region.
7 min read · today, 00:27
09Editorial visualAnkara launches 100-ride teacher pass: what foreign educators should verify
The TRY 1,300 pass is valid for 30 days on central EGO buses, Metro, ANKARAY and Başkentray, but excludes private buses and outer-district fare lines.
7 min read · today, 23:24
10Editorial visualGESTAŞ changes Çanakkale, Bozcaada and Gökçeada ferry times from 5 October
The winter timetable reduces island sailings and removes several late Strait departures. Weekend-only late ferries remain on the Bozcaada route.
5 min read · today, 21:24
11Editorial visualHeavy rain warning for Ankara and central Turkey through Monday afternoon
MGM warning No. 478 forecasts local totals of 21–50 kg/m² in six central provinces from 22:00 Sunday to 14:00 Monday, with flash-flood and transport risks.
4 min read · today, 23:18
12Editorial visualTurkey ferry cancellations widen on 3 October as Marmara storm hits
GESTAŞ has cancelled 24 island departures, BUDO 12 sailings and Istanbul City Lines two pier calls on 3 October; four Gökçeada sailings are already cancelled for Sunday.
8 min read · today, 19:20
13Editorial visualIstanbul overnight traffic: Eurasia Tunnel lane works and bridge closures
One lane in each direction of the Eurasia Tunnel will close overnight for maintenance; Galata and Atatürk bridges close from 02:30 to 03:30.
7 min read · today, 22:26
14Editorial visualRize–Artvin severe-rain warning has expired; MGM lists no active warning
MGM warning No. 464 ended at 15:00 on 19 September. The agency listed no active meteorological warning on the afternoon of 20 September.
5 min read · today, 11:26
15Editorial visualIstanbul Airport opens fourth main runway: first departure operated to Helsinki
The airport's first east–west runway entered service on 18 September with Turkish Airlines flight TK1763 to Helsinki. The infrastructure may improve flexibility, but it does not announce new routes or guarantee shorter journeys.
7 min read · today, 17:20
16Editorial visualStorm warning covers the Mersin, Adana and Hatay coast until 17:00
MGM warns of locally strong thunderstorms, flash flooding and transport disruption along parts of Turkey's eastern Mediterranean coast on 18 September.
5 min read · today, 04:25
17Editorial visualHeavy rain warning covers seven Turkish provinces through 23:00
MGM warns of local flooding and travel disruption in Muğla, western Antalya, Isparta, Burdur, Uşak, Afyonkarahisar and Denizli on 17 September.
5 min read · today, 12:20
18Editorial visualAJet puts 250,000 international seats on sale: routes, dates and exclusions
Booking closes at 23:59 on 18 September. Selected direct flights run from 5 October 2026 to 4 March 2027, with separate holiday blackout periods for inbound and outbound travel.
6 min read · today, 15:18
19Editorial visualAJet opens a 30% domestic-flight sale: booking deadline and blackout dates
Tickets must be bought by 23:59 on 15 September for eligible domestic travel from 5 October 2026 to 15 January 2027. Three holiday periods are excluded.
6 min read · today, 12:25
20Editorial visualTurkey and Bulgaria plan a second Kapıkule border gate — but it is not open yet
Officials inspected a site north of the existing Kapıkule–Kapitan Andreevo crossing. No opening date, lane plan or eligible traffic has been announced.
5 min read · today, 11:26
21Editorial visualAJet sets January launch dates for Istanbul–Almaty and Istanbul–Astana flights
The carrier says both routes from Sabiha Gökçen will operate twice weekly from January 2027. Travellers should check SAW—not IST—when planning Istanbul connections.
6 min read · today, 15:23
22Editorial visualTurkey's airports handled 167.55 million passengers in eight months
Official August data show international traffic at 95.86 million and strong volumes at Istanbul and Mediterranean gateways. The totals measure journeys, not guaranteed routes or seats.
6 min read · today, 21:24
23Editorial visualTurkey–UK passengers told to check flights after UK air-traffic system failure
NATS says the 8 September technical fault is fixed and operations are normal, but Turkish Airlines warns that some UK arrivals and departures may still be delayed or cancelled while the backlog clears.
5 min read · today, 04:15
24Editorial visualSamsun airport starts new terminal project with a 3-million-passenger capacity target
Construction has formally started on a 29,120-square-metre terminal at Samsun Çarşamba Airport. The project expands infrastructure but does not itself announce new routes or an opening date.
7 min read · today, 20:30
25Editorial visualBody recovered in FILOJET search; identity confirmation pending
A man's body believed to be around 50 years old was recovered on 2 September and taken to hospital for identification. Officials have not yet issued a centrally reconciled casualty balance.
6 min read · today, 21:25
26Editorial visualIstanbul Black Sea beaches face swimming restrictions on 9–10 September
Beykoz, Sarıyer and Şile have location-specific swimming restrictions through Thursday as MGM forecasts strong winds and high waves; Saray in Tekirdağ has a separate two-day ban.
6 min read · today, 16:26
27Editorial visualTurkey weather warning for 28 August: Giresun closes all beaches as rain and marine storms approach
Giresun has banned swimming at every beach on Friday. A separate Istanbul rain warning ended at 07:00; ten provinces remain in the wider rain alert.
6 min read · today, 18:19
28Editorial visualFree transport on 30 August: Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir have different rules
Istanbul requires a personalised Istanbulkart; EGO services are free in Ankara from 06:00 to 24:00; most Izmir municipal transport is half-price while İZBAN is free.
6 min read · today, 02:21
29Editorial visualTurkey's airports handled 138.8 million passengers in seven months
Passenger traffic rose 2.6% year on year; almost 26.8 million people passed through the country's airports in July alone.
5 min read · today, 08:30
30Editorial visualTurkey's air network covers 133 countries and 356 destinations
After 91 international negotiations, carriers received 22 new points and 1,071 additional flight frequencies.
6 min read · today, 07:27
31Editorial visualTurkish airports served almost 112 million passengers in six months
Istanbul airports received 63.45 million passengers and confirmed their role as the country's main aviation hub.
6 min read · today, 08:11
32Editorial visualHow to evaluate the accessibility of a region based on airport schedules
Flight frequency, seasonality and connections say more about a destination than just one new route.
5 min read · today, 09:21