The terminal is connected to the metro, which is also the cheapest transport to central Istanbul.
The more expensive express buses are the only direct connection to the European part of Istanbul.
| Route | Destinations | Price | Travel time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro M4 | Kadiköy | 20 try | 55 minutes |
| Havabus | Taksim | 217 try | 90 minutes |
| Bus E3 | Levent | 60 try | 100 minutes |
Metro to Istanbul
Sabiha Gökcen Airport is connected to the Asian Bosphorus waterfront by metro line M4, which terminates at Kadiköy Station. From here you can take the very frequent ferries to the historic centre of Istanbul in the European part. At Ayrilik Cesmesi station (the penultimate station before the terminus) you can also change to the city train running through the tunnel under the Bosphorus.
You can buy an anonymous Istanbul Kart at the yellow Biletmatik machine for 130 try (non-refundable card issuance fee) and you can choose any amount of money to load onto the card at the time of purchase. This will then be debited depending on how many times you take public transport.
The Istanbulcard is valid for the metro, IETT buses, trams, cable cars and ferries. One metro ride costs 20 try regardless of the distance travelled.
- Kadiköy journey time: 55 minutes
- Frequency: 8 minutes
- Price: 20 try
- Official metro website: www.metro.istanbul
- Official IETT website (buses, trams, boats, cable cars): iett.istanbul/en
- Tip for hotel near Kadiköy harbour: My Dora Hotel ***
The first metro departs from the terminal always at 6:00 am, the last one from the airport departs at 11:59 pm.
From Kadiköy station you can get to the other shore approximately every 5 minutes by ferry on many routes throughout the day and night. The cruise takes around 10 minutes and costs 20 try.
The journey to the historic centre of Istanbul by metro with a ferry transfer takes about 60 to 70 minutes and costs 40 try.
Prices for ferries vary according to the specific route and range between 17 and 35 lira.
Havabus buses to the centre (without transfer)
If you're heading to the city centre in the Taksim area and don't want to change from the metro to the ferry, you can use the special Havabüs airport bus service (Havaist used to run the routes).
Line SG-2 goes directly to Taksim Square. You can buy your ticket at the Havabüs kiosk in the arrivals hall or from the driver/conductor when you board the bus.
- Travel time Taksim: 90 minutes (morning/night even under 45 minutes)
- Frequency: every 30 minutes
- Price: 217 try
- First bus from Taksim Square - 3:30
- Last bus from the airport - 0:30
- Official website: www.havabus.com
- Tip for hotel right by the bus stop - Ramada By Wyndham İstanbul Taksim ****
The SG-1 line runs to Kadiköy station, but due to the identical route with the metro and the significantly higher ticket price (77 try), it is only worth using at times when the metro is not yet/already running. The first connection from Kadiköy to the airport runs at 4:15, the last from the airport to Kadiköy at 0:30.
Public buses (IETT)
An alternative way to mostly reach the surrounding neighbourhoods is by public transport buses.
Individual fares cost 60 try for express lines, or 20 try for line 16S when purchasing an Istanbul Kart. If you plan to take local transport around Istanbul, including ferries, this card is definitely worthwhile.
Most of the city's buses go to neighborhoods on the Asian side of the city, such as Bostanci or the Kadiköy ferry terminal. These lines are not worthwhile once the metro is operational, as they run significantly longer for the same money.
The direct line E3 may be worthwhile (map and timetable: iett.istanbul/Route-E3) to the Besiktas district (Levent metro station) in the European part if, for example, you have a hotel booked in the area and don't want to change from the metro to the ferry and another metro.
Metro and bus map
To Istanbul Airport (IST)
Direct connections between Istanbul's two airports are provided by the HAVAIST-13 express bus service.
Detailed information, prices and online ticket purchase can be found on the website: hava.ist.
Buses on this route run approximately once every 90 minutes and the journey time is between 120 and 150 minutes depending on the traffic situation.
The ticket costs 258 try.
