Popular Airport | Heydar Aliyev Intl. Airport |
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Popular Airlines | |
Approximate Flight Duration | 10 hour |
Approximate Travel Distance | 8053 Km |
Taking a taxi in the morning or evening outside of rush hours is probably the most reliable method of transport to the airport in densely populated Durban. It’s also possible to reach the airport with rented cars or shuttle company buses.
You can reach the airport by taxi from the city centre in around 30 to 50 minutes depending on traffic conditions. It might be a good idea to speak with the taxi driver beforehand and let them know your time of departure to not have any bad surprises for your journey.
The shuttle buses that leave for the airport depart from Durban Station in the city centre, depart once every day at 8:00, 11:00, and 16:00 and reach the airport in around half an hour.
The traffic flows on the left side in Durban, so if you come from a country where you drive on the right it might be a better idea to hire a car with a driver rather than getting behind the steering wheel yourself. If you come from country where cars drive on the left side, you might be more at home with this option.
There is only one terminal in King Shaka Airport where there is an ABSA bank, which opens half an hour before the first flight and closes half an hour after the last flight. In addition, you can find financial services from the ATMs of First National Bank, Nedbank, and Standard Bank. There is a prayer room for Muslims, and a post office that offers services depending on the first and last flights of the day. There are baby and childcare rooms that mothers can use.
In addition to these services, the airport has many lounges. The most exclusive ones are the South African Airways Business Class Lounge, found near the entrance of the terminal, and BIDVest Premier Lounge. In these lounges you can order some food and rest on comfortable seating areas to read books or newspapers.
Airport restaurants include; Cape Town Fish Market, Cosmic Candy, Big Five Duty Free, Fego Coffee Shop, Kauai, KFC, Milky Lane, Mugg&Bean, Panarottis, Rhapsody’s, Spur, Steers, Sweet Treat, The Airport Cellar, and Wimpy. There is also a Yemaya Nail Express, Woolworts, Vodashop, Tie Stop, The Urban Retreat, The Scoin Shop, NWJ Fine Jewellery, Sneakers, Sunglass Hunt, Nike, MTN, Moda Luggage&Leather, Khasav, Jeep, EM Native, and Electro Electronics for your shopping needs.
Located along the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan’s capital Baku is a rising star in the East gaining notoriety for its oil, gas, and caviar. Baku is a city that attracts the attention people migrating from Asia and other countries in the region, and businessmen from all around the world.
The city’s only airport is the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, named after the National Leader and third President of Azerbaijan. The airport serves 5 million passengers annually. You can get to the airport, which is located 25 km away, from the city center by car or a combination of the metro and airport buses.
From the airport there are buses that provide transportation to Vurgun Park on 28 May Street, that run every 30 minutes. These buses take approximately 50 minutes and are very affordable. Bus line 116 takes off from the 1st floor of each terminal. Vurgun Park is the last stop on the bus line. From here the Gobustan National Park along the Caspian coastline is 15 minutes away on foot. The Old City is 2.5 km away. You can get there by taking bus lines 120 or 124 in about 25 minutes.
Baku’s metro network dates back to the 1960’s. Out of the two metro lines unfortunately neither connect directly to Heydar Aliyev International Airport. From the airport you can take bus line 116 to Koroglu Metro Station; this bus ride takes about 35 minutes. From the Koroglu Metro Station you can get to other central locations in the city like 28 May Street or the Old City. Azerbaijan’s largest stadium, Tefik Bahramov Stadium, is also located on this line.
To get from the airport to the city center you can also take a taxi. Taxi stands are located at the terminal exit. Taxis from the airport to the city center take around 20 minutes and will cost between 15-20 Azerbaijani Manat. You can also book a luxury transfer service. Fares for luxury transfer services start from 65 Azerbaijani Manat.
Renting a car to get from the airport to the city center and to get around within the city is a great idea. The city is frequented by a lot of businessmen who usually choose to rent a car. Traffic in the city is mild and fuel is cheap so it makes renting a car an even more attractive option. The airport features a rich variety of rental car options. There are many vehicles to choose from, from luxurious vehicles to standard ones. To get to the city center follow the airport road to the Boyuk Shor Highway. This highway will connect you to Heydar Aliyev Avenue, after the Ziya Bunyadov Avenue junction. Heydar Aliyev Avenue will connect you to the Old City and central Baku.
Although it is not very large Heydar Aliyev International Airport is an important junction, especially for passengers traveling between Europe and Asia. The airport offers passengers a variety of eating, drinking, and shopping venues.
The airport has 2 terminals, Terminal 1, which was completely renovated, and Terminal 2, which serves domestic flights. The airport contains world famous fast food chains like Burger King, McDonald’s, and KFC, as well as restaurants that offer delicious flavors unique to Azerbaijani cuisine. The international terminal has a large Duty Free shop as well as souvenir shops where you can buy items unique to Russian and Azeri culture. The airport features free wireless internet connection.