EICH Istanbul 2023 – Media Guide
European Athletics Indoor Championships Media Services information site
Istanbul International Airport (IST) is the official airport for the European Athletics Indoor Championships.
The LOC will have a Welcome Desk at the airport for all those arriving in Istanbul to take part in the event, including media representatives.
Transfer services from the Airport to the Media Accreditation Centre or to the official media hotel will be provided.
Please see below for more details.
Citizens of the following countries need a visa to enter Turkey (Visa on arrival):
Citizens of the following countries can freely enter Turkey without a visa:
You can apply for your visa at a Turkish Embassy or Consulate. Please ensure you do so in due time and prior to leaving your country.
Participants who require a visa should contact the LOC as soon as possible in order to obtain a special invitation letter and the visa application information. Please contact:
transportation@istanbul2023.org
The following information shall be included in the request:
The invitation will be sent to you as soon as possible.
The official airport of the European Athletics Indoor Championships is the Istanbul International Airport (IST).
The LOC will have a Welcome Desk at the Airport. Please find in the “Appendices” section of this Media Guide, the map with the location of the Istanbul 2023 Welcome Desk at the Airport.
Transfers will be provided from the Airport to the Media Accreditation Centre (MAC) to all accredited media, during the opening hours of the MAC:
| 28.02.2023 | 01.03.2023 | 02.03.2023 |
| 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 |
| 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 |
| 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 |
| 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 |
The transfer time from Istanbul International Airport to the Main Accreditation Centre is approximately 1 hour.
Outside the opening hours of the MAC, transfers will be provided only from the Airport to the official media hotel Courtyard by Marriott Istanbul West:
| 28.02.2023 | 01.03.2023 | 02.03.2023 |
| 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 |
| 22:00 | 22:00 | 22:00 |
| 00:00 | 00:00 | 00:00 |
In order to use the transfer service, please ensure you enter your travel details in the Event Management System at least 72h prior to your departure to Istanbul.
Return transfers from the official media hotel to the Istanbul International Airport will be provided according to your departure details.
The timetable for this service will be available at the Hotel Information Desk and at the Media Centre Help Desk at least 48h before the departure date.
You can update your departure details at any time, either directly in the Event Management System or at the Media Accreditation Centre (see “Media Logistics/Accreditation” for operations hours of the Media Accreditation Centre).
No transfers will be provided from the Arena to the Airport.
Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is a transcontinental country located in South Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is divided into 81 provinces and is the third most populous country in Europe. Istanbul is Europe’s largest city and also the financial centre of Turkey. Other major cities include the capital city Ankara, İzmir, Bursa, Antalya, Adana, Konya, Diyarbakır and Mersin.
| Form of Government | Presidential Constitutional Republic |
| Location | East Europe (partly in South Western Asia) |
| Area | 783,356 km2 |
| Population | 84,680,273 (2022) |
| Coastline | 8338 km |
| Climate | Differs from every season. Average temperature in Istanbul in March is 8.3०C during the day. |
| Language | Turkish |
| Religion | Islam 92%, other 8% |
| Capital | Ankara |
| Local Time | During European Athletics Indoor Championships Istanbul is in UTC+4 time zone. |
| Electricity | Power plugs and sockets are of type C and F. The standard voltage is 220 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. |
| Driving | Right |
| International Calls | 00 |
| Telephone Country Code | +90 |
| Mobile Phone Networks | Turkey’s three main operators provide good 2G, 3G and 4G services on a GSM platform. |
| Currency | Turkish lira (TL, ₺), the approximate exchange rate: 1 EUR to 18.50 TL and 100 TL to 5.35 EUR. Coins: 50 kr (kuruş, 1kr=0,001 TL), 50 kr, 1 TL, Notes: 5₺, 10₺, 20₺, 50₺, 100₺, 200₺ |
Istanbul is one of the most historic, vibrant, and colourful cities in the world. It bridges two continents, Asia and Europe, and Istanbul is located in the heart of Turkish sporting, cultural and economic life.
With more than 16 million inhabitants, Istanbul has a myriad of different cultures and unique history, which passes through into Roman, Byzantium and Ottoman Empires. Bisected by the Bosphorus, the city is host to 10 million tourists from an estimated 190 countries each year, which makes it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.
Istanbul previously served as European Sports Capital in 2012, the year which hosted World Athletics Indoor Championships in Ataköy Arena, and that championship still remains one of the biggest and most important sporting event ever held in Istanbul.
Istanbul has also hosted events such as WTA Tennis Championship Finals in 2011-13, the UEFA Champions League Final in 2005 and 2011, the World Basketball Championships in 2010 and many more.
Istanbul-based sports clubs well known around the world. Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray (named the Three Giants) all have huge fan bases, especially among the Turkish diaspora, and these three big clubs are also involved with athletics with each of them having more than a century of history in this sport.
Yes Evet
No Hayır
Please Lütfen
Thank you Teşekkürler/Sağol
Thank you very much Çok teşekkürler
Good morning Günaydın
Good afternoon Tünaydın
Good night İyi geceler
Hello Merhaba
Goodbye Hoşçakal
What is your name? İsmin nedir?
My name is… İsmim …
How are you? Nasılsın?
Fine thanks, and you? İyiyim teşekkürler, ya sen?
I understand Anladım
I don’t understand Anlamadım
Do you speak English? İngilizce konuşuyor musun?
A coffee please Bir kahve lütfen
How much does it cost? Ücreti ne kadar?