In addition to a private car, passengers are provided with several different transportation options including taxi, car rental, public bus, sea bus and train.
Bus
With the help of HAVABUS buses, passengers can travel to and from Sabiha Gokcen Airport, as well as get to Kadikoy and Taksim.
The shuttles are white and parked in front of the arrivals level in the terminal. They run to Taksim for 15 TL (220 rubles) and to Kadıköy for 10 TL (147 rubles). Shuttle Taksim is located opposite Taksim Divan Hotel and Point Hotel. Shuttles operate from 03:30 to 01:00 hours. Travel time is 90 minutes. The bus passes the main stops: metro junction, Besiktas and Bosphorus Bridge.
Flights and route in Istanbul to Sabiha airport:
- E3 - 4.Leven;
- E9 - from Bostanji;
- E10 - from Kadıköy via Kurtköy;
- E11 - from Kadıköy;
- KM33 - Pendyk - Esenkent metro;
- 130H from Deniz Harp Okulu;
- 132H - from Pendyk;
- 122H - 4.Levent - Yenişehir - airport.
The bus from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Kadikoy departs every half hour, starting at 04:00 am and ending at 01:00 am. Route movement: Sabiha Gokcen Airport - Tem Baglanty Yolu - Yeni Sakhra - Kadikoy. Travel time is 60 minutes.
The bus from Kadikoy to Sabiha Gokcen Airport departs every half hour, starting at 04:15 am and ending at 00:45 am. Route movement: Kadikoy - Yeni Sahra - Tem Baglanty Yolu - Sabiha Gokcen Airport.
The bus from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Taksim departs every half hour starting at 04:00 am and ending at 01:00 am. From Taksim to the airport, the bus also departs every half hour, starting at 03:30 in the morning and ending at 01:00.
Bursa, Yalov, Gemlik and Sakarya can be reached by Akmis Seyahat buses.
Sea ferry
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport is 14 km from Pendik Port Port. To clarify the schedule of the sea ferry, call the number: +90 212 444 44 36. Ferries depart from there to the Princes' Islands and Bostanci pier.
Metrobus
This is the fastest way to get from the Asian part of the city to the European one, as well as to get to Ataturk airport. In addition, fares are beneficial for long-distance travel, since the longer the trip, the less it costs. From the airport, you can take the metrobus only from the Yunalan stop or otherwise Uzuncayir, by bus E10 go E11.
Metro
The Kadıköy Kartal metro line, which went into operation on August 17, 2012, has since reduced travel times between Kartal and Kadıköy to about 32 minutes. The extension of the Kartal-Metro line was completed by Pendik-Tavşantepe stations.
The tunnel under the Bosphorus - Marmaray, makes it possible to move the Asian part of the city to the European one, in just four minutes. From the airport to the metro line you can take the bus No. KM 22 to the Kartal or Ayrylikchesme stops.
Road to Sultanahmet
To go to Sultanahmet, passengers can either go to Taksim or Kadikoy, and then change to another transport to Sultanahmet. A bus runs every half hour between Taksim and Sabiha Gokcen. The bus company name is HAVABUS. The duration of the trip is about an hour and a half, depending on city traffic, the transfer cost is 15 TL (220 rubles). From Taksim, you can go to Sultanahmet either by taxi or by public bus.
Another route is to go to Kadikoy and take a ferry to old Istanbul. You can change to the public bus E10, IETT or the Havabus transfer to Kadikoy for 10 TL (147 rubles). Travel time to Kadikoy is maximum 1 hour, and the ferry to Eminonu will take about 25 minutes. From Eminon you can walk or take a tram to Sultanahmet.
To travel on the IETT public bus and ferry, passengers must obtain an Istanbul Kart, which can be purchased from the IETT kiosks near the bus stop. All public vehicles and taxis stop in front of the terminal building at the arrivals level.
Every half hour they run between Taksim and Sabiha Gokcen. The duration of the trip is about one and a half hours, depending on the city traffic, the cost of the transfer is 15 TL.
The ferry ride is about 20 minutes. Detailed timetable can be found on the information page
For travel by public bus and ferry, the passenger will need to purchase an Istanbul card from the IETT kiosks located in the bus waiting area
All public vehicles and taxis are located in front of the terminal building at the arrivals level.
Alternatively, take the Havabus bus from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Taksim and from Taksim to Ataturk Airport. The entire trip to Ataturk can take about 2 hours depending on traffic. Another route is to take the public bus to Bostanci (E9) and take the ferry to Bakirkoy and from there Ataturk Airport is very close to the taxi.
Another option to get to Ataturk Airport from Sabiha Gokcen Airport is to use the Secure Drive Shuttle service
If it is most convenient for you to get to the airport by transfer, then use the form below. We recommend a company that is one of the most popular and reliable transfer service providers for the price of a local taxi. You can also see this international company that operates in 135 countries and 20,000 cities.
updated 02/26/2019
Merhaba, arkadaşlar!
I don't know why myself, but I am always a little unnerved by the independent transfer from the airport to the city. That is why I always study this issue very carefully.
Today's post will primarily be of interest to those who are going to Istanbul in the near future, but in any case, there will be no dry presentation of the material. I got to the hotel with little adventures, which I will tell you about.
Important! Always, in addition to the main transfer option, it is better to keep a couple more in reserve. You never know what kind of force majeure awaits you. Of course, the easiest way is to order a taxi, but this is the most expensive of all the standard ones, albeit the most comfortable one.
After I was happy, with tickets in hand, got into the Internet to deal with the transfer, my enthusiasm dropped to zero. Well, judge for yourself, I read a cheerful report from another traveler: “first you take such and such a bus, get to such and such a stop, change to the ferry, then from the ferry station you go to the tram stop and take the tram to the station you need”. Shta ?!
My plane arrives in Istanbul at 19.00, plus half an hour / hour for various airport troubles and money exchange. It's 20.00. It sleeps. A girl with a suitcase, alone in an unfamiliar city, some ferries, trams. Kapets! The evening ceases to be languid.
Districts of Istanbul are scattered on both sides of the Bosphorus. The most interesting, from the point of view of a tourist, is the Sultanahmet area. There is the Blue Mosque, Ai Sophia, Topkai Palace, Basilica Cistern and much more.
The map shows that Sabiha Airport (green circle) is much further from Sultanahmet (yellow) than Ataturk Airport (blue). But don't worry too much, because Ataturk will be closed from March 1, 2019 for passenger traffic.
Somehow I immediately decided for myself that despite the difficulties with the transfer, I would not trade Sultanahmet for any other district of Istanbul.
Passport control at Sabiha Gokcen airport was passed fairly quickly. A visa to Turkey is not needed for Russians. They slapped a stamp in my passport and released me in peace.
While waiting for the luggage, I decided to exchange some money. The course is quite acceptable, but it's still better in the Grand Bazaar area).
The photo was taken in early March, today the lira exchange rate is much more pleasant - 12.28 rubles. And in general, due to the fall of the national currency, travel to Turkey has become quite budgetary.
Transfer options from Sabiha airport:
1. Taxi
The most convenient, fastest, but quite expensive way of transferring to the hotel. I was not interested in the cost of a taxi at Sabiha airport. Taxi drivers are on duty at the gate exit, but we know that their prices are always too high))
KiwiTaxi international service announces the cost of 2700 rubles (depending on the course). Provided that there are 3-4 travelers and taking into account the distance of the trip, it is quite possible to order a taxi.
A child seat will cost 300 rubles. Additional services are indicated when booking. The driver will meet you at the airport with a sign, so you don't have to run and look for a car.
You can still look for private transfers on Getyourguide, but I didn't find anything cheap there from Sabiha airport. Suddenly they will come to their senses in the season))
2. Minibus or shuttle
The cost is about 15 euros. It is better to book the shuttle in advance, it runs once an hour. See point 1. Sometimes a taxi is cheaper or in proportion to the cost of the shuttle.
If you want to think over everything while still at home, I recommend using the services of the international transfer company intui.travel. A trip from Sabiha airport to the Sultanahmet area will cost 1279 rubles. Do not forget to indicate the current date, number of passengers and pieces of baggage. If you wish, you can request the cost of the transfer to the hotel.
3. Adventure trip: bus + ferry / metro
Ideally, my route should have looked like this: from the airport I take a bus to the pier Kadikoy, there I load onto the ferry, make a romantic night crossing to the pier Eminenu, I walk to the hotel, check in and exhale.
What was the reality?
You can get from Sabiha airport to the city by Havatas buses or regular city express trains. The difference in price and speed of movement. On the official website of the airport, it is Havatas that is called the shuttle.
For both, the bus stop is right in front of the airport building. I saw the Hawatash bus right away and rushed to him as if it were my own. There are signs on the buses with the end point of the route. Watch carefully, Hawatash can take you to the square Taksim... From there you can also get to Sultanahmet, but why do you need such adventures? Look for the sign Kadikoy.
Another plus, Hawatash buses have a luggage compartment. The fare is 10 liras to Kadikoy and 15 liras to Taksim, you can pay directly on the bus. The first part of the quest was completed. I relaxed a little, began to look around and found city routes right behind my bus. E10 and E11, which will also safely take you to the Kadikoy pier, but for 4 lira.
You can see the public bus schedule. It's up to you to decide - cheaper, but longer, or more expensive, but faster.
The road from the airport to the Kadikoy pier took about 40 minutes. The bus pulled up almost to the pier itself.
During the trip, I managed to meet a girl and a guy from Voronezh, who came to Istanbul for 2 weeks (!). By a remarkable coincidence, they also needed to go to Sultanahmet. The guys, like me, came to Istanbul for the first time, so we decided to stick together. Russians don't give up!
We found the necessary berth pretty quickly, but it turned out that the nearest ferry would only be in half an hour.
To be honest, I was looking forward to the ferry ride and was willing to wait. However, the only man in our newly minted company offered to get to the Sultanahmet area by metro. The young man knew for sure that there was a metro line under the strait. I did not prepare for trips in the Istanbul metro in advance, but due to some vague impressions from the reports I read, I remembered that the metro lines in Istanbul do not intersect. That is, it is impossible, as in Moscow, to pay one trip and ride all day. Each separate branch is a separate payment.
It was then that I had to give up joint movements…. Well…. the man said. We quickly sorted out the tokenomatic (a token vending machine) in the metro. We got our bearings on the map, waited for the train, arrived at the desired station and ... oops. Indeed, you can't just switch from branch to branch. Kindly pay another 5 lire. In Istanbul, travel by any type of transport costs 5 liras, if you do not have an Istanbul card.
I decided to refrain from the phrase “I told you so!”)). In any case, we got to the desired point of the route, only a little more expensive and crooked. At the metro station Sirkesi we parted, wished each other a great journey and went our separate ways.
I am right next to the Eminonu pier, so as not to change to the tram, but the guys chose to live in the center of the historical part of Sultanahmet.
Conclusion:
bus + ferry is the most optimal route.
What is the best way to get from Sultanahmet area to Sabiha airport?
Strange, but almost all travel guides in Istanbul advised to book a transfer to return to the airport.
Of course, nothing prevents you from repeating the route exactly the opposite, but in fact, it is really easier to order a transfer. The service is offered by almost all travel agencies and hotels. Pay attention to the departure time. Istanbul has a serious traffic congestion problem, so it is better to allow more time for the road. I didn't bother with ferries and buses and just ordered a transfer from one of the travel agencies. The cost is 30 liras or 10 euros.
The minibus will pick you up directly from your hotel. Be prepared for the group transfer and you will call in other hotels for tourists. Travel time is 1-1.5 hours.
This concludes my "technical" post :). Next time I promise to tell you about Istanbul itself, and not beat around the bush.
Despite all the troubles with getting myself to the hotel, I still managed to get a little feel for the city. Eyes plucked out of the crowd unusual faces and clothes, Turkish speech was heard everywhere, ferries ply the strait, smelled of fried chestnuts. These were my first associations with Istanbul.
Oksana was with you.
Friends, good day!
Airport named after Turkey's first female military pilot Sabiha Gokcen, located in the Asian part of the city, 35 kilometers from the center of Istanbul.
Once humble and unpopular, today it is pulling the blanket in terms of domestic traffic after the closure of Ataturk Airport.
The new Istanbul airport, about which, is located even further, and is packed to capacity with international passengers. Therefore, it is not surprising that a modest outsider is snapped up and over the years increases its bandwidth at times.
Today you will learn several ways to get from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to the center of Istanbul without any problems and loss of time.
Today, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport operates flights not only with low-cost airlines and a local airline. Pegasus Airlines, but even Turkish Airlines does not hesitate to transfer part of their flights here.
In addition to them, flights here are made by:
- Aegean Airlines
- Azerbaijan Airlines
- Flydubai
- Qatar Airways
- and all Turkish airlines
A couple of dry data to make sense of:
- IATA encoding - SAW
- Name: Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport
- The address: Sabiha Gökçen Airport Terminal Building Pendik 34912 Istanbul - Turkey .
- Airport official website: sabihagokcen.aero
- Opening: October 31, 2009
- Distances: to Istanbul 35 km, to New Airport 80 km
- Order a transfer upon arrival
And here he is on the map Google maps :
Arrivals plan, terminals and shops
The airport is new, clean and very attractive. As usual, you won't have any problems with shopping, cafes, or car rentals.
By the way, if you come to the airport on your own, then from the airport itself. Although we figured it out ourselves according to the signs.
Of the global problems voiced slow check-in ... So keep in mind when planning your departure and arrival times at the airport.
Has 2 terminals: international and domestic. As usual, the arrival area is on the 1st floor, and the departure area is on the 2nd.
Here is a diagram of the poisoning hall:
And here is the diagram of the arrival halls. As you can see, everything is simple and without bells and whistles.
Inside the building there are all the benefits of humanity: currency exchange, luggage packing, storage rooms, etc. But Wi-Fi is free only for 2 hours from Turk Telecom... Registration by phone number.
There is a cafe, a pharmacy, stands of mobile network operators and Duty Free the shops. Leaving the airport after the plane has landed takes a minimum amount of time.
There is no need to rack your brains for transit here either. After leaving on the 1st floor upon arrival, you need to go up to the 2nd floor with or without luggage and turn off either on a domestic flight or on an international one.
How to get to the center of Istanbul
Transport communication with the center of events in Istanbul is carried out so far only with the help of wheeled vehicles. In 2020, the Asian metro line should reach here М4 which will connect you to the Kadikoy marinas.
In the meantime, we have 4 options:
- Taxi
- transfer
- Rent a Car
- Havabus buses (private) and IETT (public)
Now I will reveal the details of the first 3 methods. We will talk about how to get to Istanbul by public transport below.
By taxi
I wrote about relations with taxi drivers and their rates in an article by Fr.
The estimated cost of the trip to key positions in Istanbul is as follows:
- to the berths of Kadikoy - 140 lire
- to Taksim square - 160 lire
- to Sultanahmet Square - 180 lire
The average distance is about 60 km and in time from 1 hour. The speed of movement will depend on traffic jams and the route chosen by the taxi driver.
It is best to use the website to calculate the cost of your trip. taksiyle.com.
Everything is at a glance - simple and clear. And in your head you already have an order of magnitudes that a taxi driver might mention. If something goes wrong, then poke him with a face about the facts that you have all your moves written down!
The problem with taxi drivers is that they do not speak English well (especially Russian) and often do not know the addresses.
They will drive something into the GPS, and then I will ride around the area and ask passers-by where this or that hotel is.
Transfer
If the credo "Bargain to victory" not your strong point, better order transfer... It costs a little more, but save yourself the trouble of dealing with taxi drivers.
And if you have bags and children on your hands, then God himself ordered. You will be met with a sign, in English, and maybe in Russian, you will be brought up to date and taken to the exact address.
We ourselves have recently used this. This is especially true when you arrive at this airport for the first time.
And when will you arrive in the early or evening hours? I want to eat, sleep, and enjoy Istanbul, and not butt at the airport with the locals.
Rent a Car
An excellent solution if you need a car in the future. Read more about our car rental at Sabiha Gokcen Airport. Well, you can repeat it in Turkey or come up with your own.
Large companies store their cars in an underground parking lot. They also have points of issue of cars there, although the counters are located in the arrivals hall.
Smaller companies do not have their own counters, so the staff will contact you upon arrival and meet you near a noticeable sign. Then you will be taken to a temporary parking lot, where you will receive your car.
Car rental costs from 20 euros per day. Gasoline costs 7 liras per liter, so do not take a voracious soldier, otherwise the money will melt like a snowman in early May.
It may turn out cheaper, or maybe not, but be prepared for the fact that your opponent, in addition to Turkish, will know a couple of words in English as much as possible and repeat a suspicious mantra after each sentence "nothing to worry about" .
We go by bus
Due to the lack of a metro line (to endure this mess for a long time), the city authorities took care of a busy bus service between the airport and Istanbul itself.
On the routes from the airport to different parts of Istanbul, there are 9 public (IETT), 2 private (Havbus) and 1 to New Istanbul Airport from Havaist (IST-8).
By the way, maybe someone else remembers, but earlier the Havabus company was called Havaş or Havataş .
For a complete immersion in the topic, understand the public transport scheme from the article.
And we will quickly go through the routes of these companies and see where to land on these vehicles.
Where do the buses stop at the airport
Upon arrival, you need to leave the terminal and cross the road in the direction of visible buses and passengers clumping there.
Directly and on the left you will see several platform stops for city bus routes. There are also hidden machines where you can buy and top up it.
Travel on these buses is about the 2nd tariff - 5.20 lira per person.
To the right, you will find a bus stop for the company's buses. Havabus... The buses of this company go in two directions: berths Kadikoy and area Taksim.
The ticket price is 14 and 18 liras, respectively. You can pay in cash in the bus or Istanbulkart at the entrance.
Buses IST-8 that will take you to the passing. But they stop to pick up passengers a little to the right of the buses Havabus in an open parking lot.
IETT city bus routes
If with Havabus and Havaist You will not have any difficulties, then I see it as a problem to deal with 9 public transport routes.
Of course, private buses are best. It may be more expensive, but easier and faster. But if you have specific requests or want something exotic, then let's take a look at the main routes.
For more information on transport, see. or on the official website of transport in Istanbul iett.istanbul .
Buses run on average from 06:00 to 01:00 every 20-30 minutes. The fare is 5.20 lira. The main disadvantage is time, as they bow to each pole at the stops.
- E-3- takes you to the Levant business district via the 2nd Istanbul bridge
- E-9- goes to the ferry berths Pendik and Bostanci, as well as to the railway. Pendik station
- E-10- goes to the ferry piers Kadiköy through the railway. station Pendik
- E-11- goes to the ferry piers Kadiköy, but wanders around with some kind of chigiri. But it arrives at the berths in just 1 hour
- 16S- similar to route E-10, but with a lot of stops
Other routes, as a tourist, are not interesting to us.
Havabus buses
It is a private bus company that is responsible for the transfers to Sabiha Gokcen Airport. Here is their official website: havabus.com
On the website, you can find exactly where the stops of these buses are. After all, if at the airport you see them immediately upon leaving, then in other places you will have to look closely.
Schedule and prices
Recently, there is also a route to the station of the M4 metro line - Yenisahra. But which of the tourists will need it, I don’t know.
Flights operate from 03:30 am to 01:00 am. The interval of movement is half an hour, but when I was filling, 2 buses went head to head.
Travel time on the site is advertised as 1.5 hours (with a margin for traffic), but usually it is less than an hour.
On the way from the airport, they only make a couple of official stops, so "stop me here" will not work.
Havabus final stops
So, at the airport where you take the bus, I think it's clear to you. We left the terminal, crossed 2 roads and buses are in front of you, a little to the right.
At the Kadikoy berths, buses have their own parking lot next to the beautiful toilets:
On the Google-maps it can be found here, slightly away from the bus station and closer to the highway:
Buses arriving and departing from Taksim Square park in a slightly suspicious location along with buses from the New Airport.
Here's a google map and street name to search for as a guide. Abdülhak Hamit Caddesi:
How to get from the airport to the center of Istanbul
Since you are now all in the know, who picks up passengers and from where, we will go over the places of power and the mass gathering of tourists.
So that upon arrival at the Sabiha Gokcen airport, you do not shout at your family "Quiet everyone - Chapay thinks!", But clearly indicated the path to salvation with your hand.
By the way, here's a hint from the airport service itself. How to pay for public transport
How to get to Sultanahmet area
- Hop on the bus Havabus to Kadikoy square, and there we change. Then either a couple of stops by tram, or on foot, depending on your interests. For the money: 14 + 3 = 17 liras per person.
- The same, but with buses E-10 and E-11. Let me remind you that the E-11 bus is faster, and the E-10 is more colorful. 5.20 + 3.00 = 8.20 lira per person.
- By bus E-9, E-10 or 16S we get to the railway station. station Pendik. There we hop on and roll to the station Sirkeci... There on foot for 7 minutes and on the spot. 5.20 + 2.60 = 7.80 lira per person.
How to get to the New airport
If you have the privilege of making a move from one airport in Istanbul to another, then do not give up. It's not that bad.
Especially for you, a Havaist IST-8 bus was launched from Pendik and Marmaray via Sabiha Gokcen.
The ticket price is 30 liras. Payment for Istanbulcard only.
The bus runs around the clock at 1 hour intervals. There are no stops along the way, and his route does not go through the center of Istanbul. All the same, you should put 1.5 hours on the road. More information .
Taking into account the move, waiting and check-in for the flight, I would not dare to take a connection less than 4 hours. If so, then prepare 75 euros for the transfer.
You will be welcomed at Sabiha Gokcen airport by hand and will not be released until you arrive at the New Airport.
to the Princes' Islands.
Peace and quiet, nature and lack of car communication. What could be better for relaxation?
How to do it:
- By bus E-9 you reach the berths Bostanci... It will take you 45 minutes.
- Take any ferry towards the islands. From here to the islands, sail at least 2 times closer than from the center of Istanbul
Or I know everything!
Subscribe to updates , write in the comments your critical remarks, wishes and questions, and as far as possible I will answer them.
Well, I wish you great travels, cheap flights and great emotions. If you need help with all this, then welcome to the sections and.
ps If you are short-term stuck at Sabiha Gokcen airport, and want fresh air and emotions, then just for 2-3 hours nearby you can go to a large shopping center Vıaport .
The ride is 5 km, but here only by taxi. For money no more than 30 liras. If anything, here's a map. Good luck!
The question "How to get from Ataturk to Sabiha?" arises from a tourist flying in transit through Istanbul, while the arrival airport is in the European part of the city, and the departure airport is in the Asian part, or vice versa.
You can use either public transport - you can get there by several routes.
Comfortable: From Ataturk to Sabih Gokcen by taxi
The fastest and most comfortable way to get from one airport to another, but also the most expensive - from 170 liras. This option is good if several people are traveling.
Travel time - from 1.5 hours.
By bus with a change at Taksim Square
The easiest way. In this case, you should use the services of the Havatas bus company. The final stop is at the exit from the airport building. Ataturk. If you don't find it right away, you can ask anyone and they will show you it.
Buses leave every half an hour with a night break from 01:00 to 04:00.
- Ticket price from airport Ataturk - Taksim: 10 Turkish liras.
- Travel time: 40 minutes. But it could be longer if there are traffic jams.
Upon arrival at Taksim Square, you need to go to the bus stop from which buses of the same company depart in the direction of Sabiha Gokcen Airport. It is not difficult to find it - it is located next to the Point Hotel, opposite the Divan Hotel.
- Ticket price Taksim - Sabiha airport: 13 liras.
- Travel time: 1 hour 30 minutes, sometimes more.
The total travel time, taking into account the transfer, is from 2.5 hours.
The schedule and ticket prices can be viewed on the company's website.
Long: metro - tram - funicular - bus
They differ from the above in that you have to use several types of transport and a large number of transfers.
You can get to the metro station at the airport from the waiting room by following the signs:
The route of movement is as follows:
- Get to the 6th station called Zeytinburnu.
- Go to the tram stop of the same name, following the route T1 to the final stop of Kabatash.
- Arriving at the terminal, go down to the underpass to board the funicular car, which will take you to Taksim.
- From Taksim Square, take the Havatas bus to Sabiha Gokcen Airport.
The fare for 3 types of transport: 9 TL (3 tokens of 3 TL). Bus ticket price: 13 TL.
The total travel time is at least 3 hours.
Long: metro - tram - ferry - bus
If you have enough time, such a move will give you the opportunity to get to know the city better, to see Istanbul in all its beauty. The route is as follows:
- From the airport, take the metro to Zeytinburnu station.
- Change to a tram and get to the Emin? N? Station with berths.
- Cross the Bosphorus by ferry to Kadikoy (Kad? K? Y) pier.
- Transfer to the Hawatash bus from Kadikoy to Sabiha airport.
Airport transfers in Istanbul
If you like comfort and do not want to depend on various circumstances, order in advance a transfer from Ataturk Airport to Sabiha Gokcen Airport using the form below.
Sabiha Gokcen Airport is an “extension” airport of Istanbul, located in the area with the funny name Pendik. Initially, it was built in order to relieve the main airport named after Ataturk. However, later it also became very popular among travelers (largely due to the fact that many low-cost airlines fly to this airport). In this article I will try not to overload you with unnecessary information. Therefore, questions about how to buy cheap tickets to Istanbul, and in general why it is worth going to this city, I will put in separate articles. Links to them will be provided in the text below. If you want, you will read it. In the meantime, I will focus on transfer issues and briefly (as far as possible) tell you how to get to the center from Sabiha Gokcen airport.
What is considered the center of Istanbul?
Most of Istanbul's attractions are located in the Fatih district (which includes the Sultanahmet quarter with the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace). This is a "tourist" center. Therefore, speaking of "the center of Istanbul", they usually mean this particular area.
However, Istanbul is a big city. Therefore, with a certain degree of convention, the city center here can be considered not only the historical Fatih peninsula, but also Istiklal Street, Taksim Square, Eminonu Marina near Galata Bridge and some other important points. In addition, a trip from the airport to the city usually first of all implies check-in at a hotel and only in the second - sightseeing of certain sights.
I have already written about which part of Istanbul is better to settle in in a separate article. Read it. It is very important. So you can better understand the geography of the city, as well as understand how one district of Istanbul differs from another.
In this article, you will learn :
How to get from Sabiha Gokcen airport to Kadikoy pier and Taksim square in different ways.
How to do it as cheaply and quickly as possible.
What is the Istanbul Card and why you can't do without it anyway.
How to get from Taksim square and Kadikoy pier to the historical district of Fatih (Sultanahmet).
How to get from Sabiha Gokcen airport to Ataturk airport.
Option # 1 Havabus (also often called Havatas)
Let's start simple. What is Havabus? In a nutshell, these are such beautiful modern buses that leave from Sabiha Gokcen airport to the city every half hour. You can pay for the fare right inside - in cash to the driver.
Cost - depends on the direction of travel.
- A trip to Taksim Square will cost you 15 liras (3 euros);
- To the pier Kadikoy - 10 lira (2 euros).
Travel time: to Taksim square - 1.5 hours; to the pier Kadikoy - 1 hour.
The duration of the trip can seriously change if the bus gets stuck in a traffic jam. This option is not excluded. But personally, I took this route twice without any problems. Therefore, the phrase "traffic jams are possible" absolutely does not mean that they will be there 100%.
Travel interval (departure time): from 4 am to 1 am. All details about these buses can be viewed on the official website of the company http://www.havabus.com... Prices and schedule are subject to change.
Option number 2. Bus E10 and E11
Ordinary city buses that will take you to the Kadikoy pier. They also run constantly (every 20-30 minutes). Traveling on the E10 bus is cheaper, but along the way it makes more than 60 (!!!) stops, so ... It's like in a children's song: "If it's a long, long, long time ..." ... So you are taking the E10 bus.
When to choose this bus (E10)? When there are no others. This is the only bus that runs from Sabiha Airport 24/7!
In all other cases, the E11 bus will be the best solution for you. Like the “ten”, he also goes to the Kadikoy pier, but on the way he makes “only” 19 stops (that is, three times less than his friend). In fact, he drives the main part of the path without stopping along some kind of high-speed highway. Therefore, he gets to the city much faster.
Travel time (E11): about an hour.
Among all the transfer options, this, in my opinion, is the most optimal. The fare on the E10 bus will be 2.15 liras (0.4 euros). Traveling on the E11 express route will cost twice as much - about 4 liras (0.8 euros).
However, hello ... Or briefly about the Istanbul Card
Traveling by buses E10 and E11 is an excellent option to get to the city from Sabiha Gokcen airport. But, as always, there is one caveat: to travel, you first have to buy a special electronic Istanbul Card. It works in almost all types of transport in Istanbul and will be useful to you in the future.
It costs 6 lire. It is sold at cash desks, kiosks with the inscription Istanbul Card, and in such machines.
You can take one for two or even the whole company. However, in this case, a regular trip (by metro, bus, tram or ship) will always cost you the full amount (for each). By purchasing an Istanbul Card for each traveler, you will receive discounts with every transfer. We arrived from point A to point B - paid 2.15 TL, made a change to the next transport - already pay 1.45 TL. We moved somewhere else - paid 1.15 TL. And so on. But I repeat: this is if everyone has their own card.
Is it possible to get from the airport to Istanbul without the Istanbul Card? Yes, you can. The first option is to take the Havabus bus. The second (as in the case of buses E10 and E11) is to buy special tokens (at the cash register or machine). One token costs 4 lira. You will need 2 tokens to travel on the E11 express route. And for the entire trip, you generally have to buy a handful of them.
Is it worth buying an Istanbul Card? Yes, it's worth it. At least one for all. During your trip to Istanbul, you will have to use transport anyway. Therefore (I turn on the Wanga mode) you will buy it anyway. It is better to resolve this issue immediately at the airport.
How the Istanbul Card works? Have you bought a card? Now it still needs to be replenished. This can be done in the same yellow machines at bus stops or at some special ticket offices. When entering a transport (be it a bus, subway or ship), you have to peep at her on a special reader. That's all. Make yourself comfortable.
How to get to the center from the Kadikoy pier?
First ... What is Kadikoy? It is a pretty area located in the Asian side of Istanbul. Buses E10 and E11, as well as Havabus shuttles will bring you to such a stop near the seashore.
A little to the left of you there will be a beautiful embankment, around there are many inexpensive cafes (with prices lower than in Europe), further - tea gardens, the fashionable Moda district and Haydarpasha station, as one of the main attractions.
In principle, this area itself can be completely chosen as a place to live in Istanbul (you will take a boat to the center every day). Hotels in Kadikoy can be viewed.
Now we are back in transport ... You can get to the center from the Kadikoy embankment by special ships. You will see them immediately. The fare will be about 2 liras. You can use the Istanbul Card again to pay for the fare.
Travel time - 15 minutes.
Inside the ship.
The ships go constantly. In fact, you get off the bus and immediately step onto the ship. The trip is pleasant. The vessel has both open and closed decks. Therefore, during the trip you can enjoy many beautiful views of the Bosphorus.
Where will the ship take you? To the Galata Bridge. Here it is (view from the Karakoy pier).
If you see a lot of fishermen with fishing rods, then you are on the spot.
On one side of it is the Karakoy embankment. On the other - Eminonu. Both can already be considered the center of the city. From the coast of Karakoy, it is more convenient to get to the Beyoglu area (where the Galata Tower, Istiklal pedestrian street and Taksim Square are located). From the shore of Eminon it is more convenient to get to the Sultanahmet quarter (Fatih district). On this side are the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and other attractions of Istanbul.
Before the trip, look on the map where your hotel is located and which coast (Karakoy or Eminenu) you should go to. I repeat - these are two banks that are connected by the Galata Bridge. From the Karakoy promenade, you can sail to any of them. If anything, go for a walk.
You can get to the Sultanahmet area from the Galata Bridge by tram T1(there are only a few stops). In the historic center, he stops at every pillar. The fare is again paid for with the Istanbul Card.
Alternatively, walk to the Blue Mosque... Even if you are a little over 30, I think you can walk 2 kilometers. To navigate in the city, use the MAPS.ME application or other similar ones. Check out the Egyptian Market on the way.
How to get to Sultanahmet from Taksim square
Taksim Square.
Metro . From Taksim Station to Yenikapi Station or Vezneciler Station. From there to the Blue Mosque another 2 kilometers on foot. The fare is one "peak" of the Istanbul Card.
By tram . From Taksim Square, walk down towards the sea and the Kabatas promenade. It's only about a kilometer there.
If you don't want to walk, you can use the funicular. When you get there, you will see the T1 tram line. Sit on it and go to the center. He will take you directly to the Blue Mosque.
"Everything is complicated" status. Private transfer from Sabiha Gokcen airport to the city.
I must say right away that getting from the airport to the center is not as difficult as it might seem from the description above. Get to the Galata Bridge - and there you will not get lost.
But if you still doubt your abilities and navigation skills, you can order a personal transfer to your hotel right before the trip. In this case, you will be met at the airport with a sign and taken directly to the hotel door without any problems. If you are traveling with the whole family, with a group of friends, or if you are just one of those people who have money, you can seriously consider this option too. They will meet you, take you, help with your suitcases ...
At the time of this writing, a private transfer from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Sultanahmet area cost 42 euros. You can order it in advance.
How to get from Sabiha Gokcen airport to Ataturk airport
Option number 1. Havabus buses... On one of them you will need to get to Taksim Square. On the other - to Ataturk Airport. The change will take a minimum of time - we got off one bus, stretched our legs and immediately entered another.
The cost of the trip will be 27 liras (15 + 12). This is just over 5 euros.
Option number 2. Bus E11 to the Kadikoy embankment + metro to the airport... This option is cheaper, but it also involves several transfers (each of which is paid separately). Look at the map.
You need to get from station to station Havalimani... This implies two transplants. But take a look at how the famous Marmaray looks like (a sophisticated miracle metro that connects the continents and passes right under the waters of the Bosphorus).
Option number 3. Order a personal transfer here on and without any changes to get from point A to point B.
Option number 4. With an abundance of transfers and a minimal city tour... In fact, this is all the same as I wrote above. Just when you walk around the Sultanahmet quarter and take pictures with all the mosques and palaces, you will need to walk to the Yenikapi metro station or any other that is nearby. And go to the same Havalimani station. If you take the subway at Yenikapi Station, you can do it directly.
