Istanbul airport to city centre: trains, buses, taxis and costs

Two airports serve Istanbul and they are on opposite sides of the city, so the right transfer depends on which one your ticket names. IST is the big new airport on the European side; SAW is Sabiha Gökçen on the Asian side. Both have metro, coach and taxi options, and both are far enough out that the choice matters.

Prices below are 2026 estimates in lira. Metro fares use the Istanbulkart; coaches and taxis take cash or card depending on the operator.

The M11 metro is the cheapest way in. It runs from the airport to Gayrettepe on the European side, where you change to the M2 metro for Taksim and the tram for Sultanahmet. Buy an Istanbulkart at the Biletmatik machines in the arrivals hall; the card fee is extra and one card can pay for several people travelling together. Allow 60–90 minutes door to door once you include the change.

Havaist coaches run from the airport to several points in the city, including Sultanahmet and Taksim. They are slower than the metro in traffic but drop you closer to hotel districts, which matters with luggage. Tickets are bought at the airport or on board.

A taxi or app car is the fastest option outside peak hours, roughly 45–100 minutes to Sultanahmet. Use BiTaksi or Uber so the route and fare are logged, and refuse any driver who will not run the meter. Airport ranks are the worst place in the city for 'broken meter' and fake-change tricks.

SAW sits on the Asian side, so the trip to Sultanahmet crosses the Bosphorus. Havabus coaches run to Taksim and Kadıköy; from Kadıköy you can continue by ferry or Marmaray. Allow 60–120 minutes depending on traffic and the crossing.

The metro route is M4 from the airport to Ayrılıkçeşmesi, then Marmaray under the Bosphorus to Sirkeci, which is a short walk or tram ride from Sultanahmet. It is cheap and immune to traffic, but involves stairs and changes, so it suits travellers with light bags.

Taxis from SAW to the European side are expensive because of the distance and the bridge. If you land late, a pre-booked transfer is usually the least stressful option.

Metro and Marmaray fares are the same wherever you ride in the city: ₺46.20 a ride as of July 2026, with cheaper pricing on some transfers when you use the same card. Coaches cost more but go direct to hotel districts. Taxis are the most expensive and the most variable, because the meter runs in traffic.

Budget roughly ₺900–1,500 from IST and ₺1,100–1,800 from SAW to Sultanahmet by taxi in 2026. These are estimates; confirm the meter or the app price before you set off. Tipping a taxi means rounding up to the next ₺10–50.

Read your ticket before you book anything: IST and SAW are about 80 km apart and a transfer booked for the wrong airport is money lost. If you are connecting between them, allow at least four hours.

Buy the Istanbulkart on arrival and top it up as you go; it covers metro, Marmaray, tram, metrobus, funiculars and ferries, and one card can pay for several people. Keep small notes for public toilets, which cost ₺10–30.

After midnight the metro and coaches run limited services. A pre-booked transfer or an app car is the safer default for late arrivals, especially with children or heavy luggage.