From Istanbul Airport to the City: Your Transfer Options Explained

Which airport in Istanbul is the best?

We recommend flying into Istanbul Airport (IST). The airport is enormous but really well organized, and it’s located on the European side of Istanbul.

From here you have plenty of transfer options to get to the center of Istanbul. In most cases, the metro is the fastest option for your Istanbul airport transfer. With a Turkey eSIM you’ll get an instant overview of the best connections.

The second airport, Sabiha Gökçen, is more convenient if you’re staying on the Asian side of Istanbul. From there you can take the metro straight to the authentic neighborhood of Kadıköy.

Extra tip: If you ever experience a flight delay, our article on flight delay compensation gives you tips on how to get your money back.

How do you get from Istanbul Airport (IST) into the city?

Here’s a rundown of all your transfer options from Istanbul Airport to the city center.

By metro

The metro is our top pick for the Istanbul airport to city transfer, since it lets you skip Istanbul’s hectic traffic entirely. During rush hour especially, taxis and buses can leave you stuck for a very long time.

If you go with the metro, the best neighborhood to stay in during your Istanbul city trip is Beyoğlu — it’s also our top recommendation for where to stay in Istanbul.

You can reach Beyoğlu with just one transfer in about 1 hour 20 minutes. Take the M11 first, then switch to the M2.

When you exit Istanbul Airport, follow the red metro signs. It’s roughly a ten-minute walk to the metro station, and once you’re there you’ll ride a few escalators down several levels.

Which metro ticket? The Istanbulkart

Once you reach the metro level, head to one of the machines labeled Istanbulkart and pick one up for 165 TL (about 3 euros).

After that, load some credit onto it. 100 TL (2 euros) is enough for the ride from the airport into the city — but since the Istanbulkart works on all forms of public transportation in Istanbul, we’d suggest loading up 500 TL (10 euros) right away.

Hold your Istanbulkart against the turnstile and head to the platform in the direction of Gayrettepe. The M11 runs every 20 minutes.

Transferring at Gayrettepe

Ride all the way to the end station, Gayrettepe — that’s about a 25-minute journey. There you transfer to the M2. Keep in mind that the transfer itself takes around 10–15 minutes, since you’ll need to walk quite a distance through the station.

You’ll ride a few escalators back up, walk through the station, pass through another turnstile, and board the M2 toward Yenikapı.

Note: When transferring, you need to hold your Istanbulkart against the turnstile again. In Istanbul, you pay per ride, not by distance. You don’t need to tap out when you exit.
All metro connections are shown on Google Maps, so you can easily check which stop is closest to your hotel.

If your hotel isn’t within walking distance of a metro station, you can also transfer to a bus at Gayrettepe.

During rush hour, though, try to avoid buses as much as possible — Istanbul’s streets get seriously congested.

When is the metro not worth it?

If you’re traveling with a lot of luggage, we’d honestly advise against the metro. With the transfer and all the walking involved, it gets pretty uncomfortable with bags. In that case, it’s better to book a private transfer from Istanbul Airport into the city.

By taxi, Uber, or private transfer

For larger groups, families, and anyone traveling with a lot of luggage, a private transfer or taxi is the most comfortable option. Split the cost among several people and it’s actually quite affordable.

Book a private transfer from Istanbul Airport

We recommend booking a private transfer so you don’t have to think about logistics after you land. You can arrange it through GetYourGuide, for example.

Book your private airport transfer here
Book an Uber from Istanbul Airport into the city
Uber works at Istanbul Airport too. A ride to Beyoğlu costs about 30 euros. We prefer Uber over taxis because the app shows you upfront what you’ll pay and lets you check your driver’s rating.

Heads up though: When you order an Uber in Istanbul, you’ll usually end up in one of the yellow taxis you can also hail on the street — and the price is calculated by the meter.

Book a taxi from Istanbul Airport

You can also grab a taxi directly at the airport. A cab from IST to the city center costs around 40 euros. The terminal is well-signed, so finding the taxi stands is easy.

By bus

Several buses run from Istanbul Airport into the city. We’d only recommend the bus if you’re staying somewhere that isn’t served by the metro — Kadıköy, for example.

There are two bus companies: Havaist and IeTT.

IeTT are the city buses, which you can ride with your Istanbulkart. In most cases, though, it makes more sense to take the metro from the airport first and then switch to an IeTT bus.

Havaist buses run on 11 different routes. These are shuttle buses that require a separate ticket, which you can buy directly at the airport. Expect to pay around 300 TL (6 euros) — the exact price depends on your destination.

On the Istanbul Airport website you’ll find stop locations and timetables. Just select your destination neighborhood and check the departure times.

How do you get from Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) into the city?

Here are your transfer options from Sabiha Gökçen Airport into the city.

By metro

From Sabiha Gökçen, metro line M4 runs directly to Kadıköy. The metro station is well-signed inside the terminal — you can’t miss it.

At the airport station, pick up an Istanbulkart for 165 TL (3 euros) and load some credit onto it. The ride to Kadıköy costs just 35 TL (80 cents) and takes about an hour.

We’d recommend loading more credit than you need right away, since the Istanbulkart works on almost all public transportation across Istanbul.

The easiest option is to stay in Kadıköy itself — no transfer needed and the journey is really relaxed.

From Kadıköy you can also reach most of the major attractions in Istanbul by ferry, and honestly, the neighborhood is one of our favorites in the whole city.

If you’re not staying in Kadıköy, you can take the metro for the first leg and then switch to a bus or catch a ferry from the port in Kadıköy. All connections are shown on Google Maps.

By private transfer, taxi, or Uber

For families with kids, larger groups, and anyone hauling a lot of luggage, a private transfer or taxi straight to your hotel is absolutely worth it.

Book your transfer from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to your hotel in Istanbul

If you book the private transfer in advance, you won’t have to think about a thing once you land.

Otherwise, taxis are available right at the airport — the taxi stands are clearly signed.

You can also book through the Uber app. Unlike in most cities, you’ll usually still end up in a regular taxi, with the fare calculated by the meter. A ride to Kadıköy runs around 25 euros.

For longer distances into the city, expect higher fares.

Note: During rush hour, traffic congestion can add significant time to your journey.

By bus

If you’re staying on the European side of the city, it’s worth considering the transfer with Havabus.

Havabus runs a shuttle to Taksim in Beyoğlu. It only departs every 1.5 hours, so check the schedule before you count on it. The fare is around 350 TL (7 euros).

You won’t avoid the traffic the way you would with the metro, but on the plus side there’s no transfer to deal with.

Extra tip: Staying overnight at Istanbul Airport

If you have a long layover or a very early or late flight, staying right at the airport is a smart move.

Here are our hotel recommendations for Istanbul Airport (IST) across all price ranges:

The YOTEL Istanbul Airport is the only hotel located directly inside Istanbul Airport. All other nearby hotels are a short metro or taxi ride away — still very easy to reach.

Here are our hotel recommendations for Sabiha Gökçen:

There are two hotels at Sabiha Gökçen Airport — our pick is the ISG Sabiha Gökçen Airport Hotel. It’s really well equipped and surprisingly affordable for an airport hotel.