How to get to Istanbul from Sabiha Gokcen airport

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen airport is located 45 kilometers from the center of Istanbul (airport on map). It is believed that it is more and more expensive to get from it than from the new airport, since the path passes through frequent traffic jams. But in fact, the difference is not so big, and if you go on toll roads, you will not notice the time difference at all.

Also see:

• How to get to Istanbul
• How to get to Istanbul from Istanbul New Airport
• How to get from one Istanbul airport to another
• How to get to Bursa from Sabiha Gokcen airport

You can get from Sabiha Gokcen airport to the tourist center of the city by taxi, buses, rent a car. The metro line has not yet been brought to the airport, but work is underway. Below is about each of the methods in detail.

If you prefer not independent rest, but organized travel, you can pick up ready-made tours online:

Taxi

• Working hours: around the clock
• Travel time: 1-1. 5 hours
• Cost: 160 lire (3.42 USD)

A taxi ride from Sabiha Gokcen airport to the city center will cost about 150 liras (3.2 USD, see Turkish currency and exchange rate). There are order counters in the arrival and departure halls. A little cheaper will cost the car when ordering through the BiTaksi application, you can also use Uber, but it is a little more expensive. You can use free airport Wi-Fi to book a trip through applications, but it does not work very steadily, and only the first 240 minutes are given for free.

If you decide to go on the toll road, you will have to pay an additional 20 lire (0.43 USD) for the passage, and 8 lire for the passage of the bridge. There is an even faster road through the tunnel, but it will have to pay even more, so discuss this issue with the driver in advance before the trip.

Another more convenient way is to book a tourist transfer in advance. This is an analogue of a taxi with more comfortable cars and service. You can order and pay for it at home using the Kiwitaxi form or on the website intui.travel, and then the driver will meet you at the airport after landing the plane with a sign, and take you to the desired hotel:

Bus

• Working hours: from 04:00 to 01:00, every 30 minutes
• Travel time: 1.5-2.5 hours
• Cost: from 13 lire (0.28 USD)

From Sabiha Gokcen airport to the city center and other areas can be reached inexpensively by bus, but in some cases you will have to change trains, including part of the way by ferry. You can even go to Bursa or move to the new Istanbul airport. There are city buses and branded Havabus (formerly called Havatas).

Here are brief instructions on the areas:

• Beyoglu district and Taksim Square. It is best to get there on Havabus branded buses for 18 lire (0.38 USD). They depart from 04:00 to 01:00 every 30 minutes, and arrive in the city at a stop near Taksim Square (stop on the map).
• Eminenyu and Sultanahmet districts. You can take the Havabus to Taksim Square, and then transfer to a taxi, minibus (dolmushi), or Metro Line M2. But it is cheaper and even faster to take Havabus buses or city buses E10, E11 to Kadikoy pier (Marina on the map), from where for 3 lira (0.06 ) take the ferry to Eminonu Marina in the tourist area of Eminonu and near Sultanahmet (Eminenyu Marina on the map).
• Istanbul New Airport. The fastest and most convenient way is Havaist buses, iST-8 route. Costs 30 lire (0.64 USD), two hours on the way. Go around the clock every hour on schedule. Schedule - https://hava.ist/en/Voyage/VoyageTime.

But in detail about each of the types of buses and routes:

• City buses

  There are 9 flights of city buses from the airport to different parts of the city, but for tourists only these are interesting:

  • E10, E11 - go to the Asian part of the city to a stop near the Kadikoy Marina (on the Kadikoy map), from where it is easy to move to Sultanahmet by ferry for 3 lira. Route E11 on the map and schedule, route E10 on the map and schedule.
  • E3, 122H - go to Besiktas district to Metro Station 4. LEVENT METRO line M2. Route 122H on map and schedule, E3 route on map and schedule.

  For other routes, see the of.airport website - https://www.sabihagokcen.aero/.

  The fare is paid with one-time contactless cards or with a single Istanbul Kart Transport Card at the entrance to the bus. You can buy cards at the vending machines at the exit from the airport near the bus stop. The stop is easy to find, it is located across the street from the exit from the arrival hall.

  Depart on schedule from 06:00 to 01:00 from the airport, and from 04:00 to 00:00 from the city. See the schedule on the links to the map with the route.

• Havabus branded buses

  They are more expensive than the city, but more comfortable and faster. Travel costs 10-18 lire on different routes, the journey is more than one and a half hours. Payment is made only in cash, transport cards Istanbul Kart and bank cards are not accepted. Payment in the cabin, you do not need to buy tickets in advance. Bus parking at the airport is located at the exit from the arrivals hall. Depart from 04:00 to 01:00 on a schedule every 30 minutes, schedule - http://www.havabus.com.

  There are three Havabus routes:

  • Airport-Taksim Square (Sabiha Gökcen Airport-Taksim)

    Most suitable for tourists as it arrives/departs for a stop in Beyoglu tourist area near Taksim Square (stop on the map). Be careful, the official Havabus website indicates an inaccurate stop position, we have an exact one on the map. From here, the hotels within the district can be reached on foot, for example, or take the M2 metro line or the T2 tram (to the station and stop 10 minutes on foot). The fare on the route is 18 liras.

  • Airport-Port Kadıköy (Sabiha Gökcen Airport-Kadıköy)

    It takes you to Kadikoy Marina (Marina on the map), Where to take the ferry to Eminönü Marina for 3 lira, here ferry schedule. The fare on the route is 14 liras.

    Eminenyu Marina is located in the tourist area of Eminenyu and near Sultanahmet (Pier on the map). The hotels from it can be reached on foot, by taxi, or take the T1 tram or the Marmaray city train.

  • Airport – Yeni Sahra station (Sabiha Gökçen-Yeni Sahra)

    This bus goes to Yeni Sahra metro station on the M4 line in the Asian part of the city. For tourists, it is not very useful, because even on the M4 metro you can not get to tourist areas. The fare on the route is 10 liras.