Istanbul: How to Get from the Airport

Merhaba!

For as many years as I’ve been flying to Istanbul, I’ve stuck with one tried-and-tested way of getting to my hotel. No, I’m not a creature of habit — I’ve actually tested every possible option. But there’s only one I consider the best.

This year it so happened that I landed at Istanbul’s airports several times within a single month. I decided to use that as an excuse to run a full test drive and double-check every route. I’ll give you the honest rundown on all of them: prices, timing, and my personal nerve damage. Spoiler: my opinion hasn’t changed.

But first, a quick geography refresher.

Istanbul airports

Istanbul’s Airports

Check your ticket to know exactly which airport you’re flying into: IST or SAW. And which one you’re flying out of on the way back, too.

IST is the new, big one.
SAW is Sabiha Gökçen, on the Asian side of the city.

If it’s your first time in Istanbul, you’ll most likely be staying in Beyoğlu (Taksim) or Fatih (Sultanahmet).

Where to stay in Istanbul: history, energy, bohemia, or living next door to the trans community.

Getting From Istanbul’s New Airport (IST)

There are four options: metro, express bus, city bus, and taxi transfer.

Metro

Operating hours: 06:00–00:00.

I took the metro, and honestly I was exhausted by the time I got there! I had a feeling it would go that way, but I made a point of trying it specifically for you guys.

Okay, let’s take it step by step.

You land, clear passport control, collect your luggage, and walk out into the arrivals area. The metro entrance isn’t inside the airport — you have to go outside. If you’re on an international flight, the nearest exit is likely gate №13.

Head outside and follow the U signs — that’s the metro. They’re huge, red, and on every pole. Only a blind person could miss them.

At the end of a long gallery-like corridor (I’ll call it that) is an escalator leading down to the metro entrance. There are cafés on both sides — prices are a touch lower than inside the airport, in case you need a quick bite.

After the long corridor, take the elevator or escalators all the way down. Near the turnstiles you’ll find Istanbulkart vending machines.

Everything about public transport in Istanbul — how to buy/top up/use an Istanbulkart, plan routes around the city, check schedules, and figure out which transport to take. Definitely worth reading — I won’t repeat it all here.

How to Get to Taksim and Sultanahmet by Metro

From the airport, take metro line M11 to Gayrettepe. Six stops, about 20 minutes.

To get to Taksim, transfer at Gayrettepe to metro line M2 to Taksim station.
To get to Sultanahmet: ride to Gayrettepe, exit the metro, transfer to the 58A/58S metrobus, get off at Kabataş, then transfer to the T1 tram.
A second (better) way to Sultanahmet: at Gayrettepe, transfer to metro line M2 and ride to Vezneciler station, then transfer to the T1 tram.

The trip to Taksim will cost around 110 lira and take about an hour and a half; to Sultanahmet, 150 lira and two hours. That’s a very long, very draining trip. The transfer to line M2 at Gayrettepe station means walking a full kilometer through escalators and passageways! With suitcases in tow, I’d curse everything. Trains on the M11 line don’t run that often, so expect to wait another 20 minutes. On the plus side, the stations have free restrooms.

I’m not talking you out of it — just flagging all the pros and cons. This option works if you’re traveling light and want to save money. You can’t really get lost in the metro — there are signs everywhere, everything’s labeled, and maps are posted all over. I do like Istanbul’s public transport.

Hvl / havalimani = airport

Havaist — Express Buses

This is my pick!

The buses run around the clock. Check schedules and fares at hava.ist.

Finding Havaist at the Airport

After collecting your luggage and stepping into the arrivals hall, don’t go outside. Head to the elevators down to the lower floors. In the photos, the elevators near gate 9 are a good example. Take the elevator down to level -2 (minus two).

That’s where the Havaist bus platform is.

Once you go down and step out onto the bus platform, you won’t be able to get back into the arrivals hall. You’d have to go outside and walk to the departures hall.

If you do end up outside and need to get back to Havaist, there are elevators outside too.

Level -2 is where the Havaist bus platform is. Look for the numbers — each route has its own numbered pillar (platform).

Havaist Tickets

Buy them online at hava.ist. It only really makes sense if you buy a round trip – you get a discount on the return ticket. A ticket from the airport is valid for three days, it’s not tied to a specific time, doesn’t guarantee a seat, and seating on the bus is unassigned. A return ticket is valid for 30 days from purchase.

You can buy a cash ticket at the blue kiosks on the platform, there are several. Or pay the driver by card when boarding. If you already have an Istanbulkart, you can pay with that too.

Havaist to Taksim and Sultanahmet

Check all routes at hava.ist.

For Taksim, go to platform 16, route HVL-9, pay the fare — 420 lira, load your suitcase into the luggage compartment, and hop on a comfortable bus with Wi-Fi and a (paid) vending machine for water and snacks. There will be two short stops along the way. In about 45 minutes you’ll arrive at Taksim. Bliss.

For Sultanahmet. Important! You may have read in some older articles that bus HVL-11 goes to Sultanahmet Square. That used to be true. As of April 30, 2026, it no longer drives into the busy center, but stops a bit elsewhere nearby — about 500 meters from Sultanahmet.

It’s now a direct bus, HVL-13, to Çatladıkapı (Sultanahmet). The current platform number will be shown on the wall signs and monitors. The bus goes to the Çatladıkapı İETT Bus Stop. Here’s the full route: Istanbul Airport – Miniatürk – Hasköy Parkı – Türabi Baba Parkı – Şişhane 6 – Sirkeci – Çatladıkapı (Sultanahmet). Cost: 470 lira.

Alternatively, take Havaist to Aksaray (a separate route — check the signs on the pillars) and transfer to the T1 tram. That’s 420 lira for Havaist plus 42 lira for the tram. Either way, it’s still faster and more convenient than the metro.

Where to stay in the Sultanahmet area

City Bus

This will be even longer and even more tedious, and you won’t save any money. The bus makes a hundred stops, it’s packed, you’ll be standing, and you’ll get a grand tour of every outlying neighborhood in Istanbul along the way. Skip it.

If that’s your thing anyway — the yellow İETT buses depart from the same area as Havaist. Take bus H1 to its final stop, Mahmutbey Metro. Transfer to metro line M7 to Şişli, then to M2 to Taksim. It’ll take about two hours. To get to Sultanahmet, get off at Vezneciler metro station, then take the T1 tram.

There are Istanbulkart vending machines on the platform — don’t forget to buy one. Buses run from 07:00 to 22:00.

Taxi, Transfer, Car Rental

After collecting your luggage and reaching the arrivals hall, head to exit 13. That’s the meeting point.

Don’t get into cars with random unlicensed drivers hanging around. They’re usually chased off, but this is Turkey, after all.

You can call an Uber. A ride to Taksim will cost around 1,500 lira during off-peak hours, and a city yellow taxi will show up. Or use the luxury taxi service right at the exit — prices are shown in the photos.

If you do decide to go by car, a pre-booked transfer is the better option. Book it in advance: about 40 euros to Taksim; check current rates for Sultanahmet yourself. I only did this once, when I was traveling with elderly relatives and kids.

There was also a time I decided to head straight from the airport to Cappadocia. I booked a car through LocalRent, an agency rep met me near exit 13, we signed everything in the parking lot, and off we went.

Getting From IST Airport to SAW Airport

The direct Havaist bus is the best option.

But if you’re a masochist:

Metro M11 to Gayrettepe → metrobus 251 to Bostancı Köprüsü → metro M4 to SAW airport. Takes roughly 2.5–3 hours.

Getting From SAW Airport

No photos here, because I’m a bit lazy sometimes. But Sabiha Gökçen Airport is much smaller, and it’s basically impossible to get lost there. I’ll walk you through it anyway.

First thing to know: this airport is on the Asian side, in the middle of nowhere pretty far from everything.

Metro

Just like at IST, the entrance is outside the airport. Follow the blue “Metroya Giriş / Access to Metro” signs. Buy an Istanbulkart from the machine at the entrance.

From SAW airport, metro line M4 runs to its final stop, Kadıköy.

To Taksim: metro M4 to Ayrılık Çeşmesi (about an hour) → Marmaray to Yenikapı → metro M2 Yenikapı–Taksim. About two hours total.
To Sultanahmet: metro M4 to Ayrılık Çeşmesi (about an hour) → Marmaray to Sirkeci → T1 tram.

If you want a bit of romance along the way, here’s another route to Sultanahmet:

Metro M4 to Kadıköy → Kadıköy–Eminönü ferry → T1 tram.

To avoid having to ask what Marmaray is, or about the ferries and other transport questions, check out this post.

Havabus Express Buses

Havabus buses depart from Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Exit the arrivals hall and follow the signs to the Havabus stop.

Schedules are at havabus.com. They have fewer routes, but you can easily reach the main areas.

Havabus to Taksim

Every 30 minutes from 06:30 to 01:30. Direct bus to the square. Trip takes an hour and a half. Ticket: 440 lira.

You’re in luck if there’s no traffic — though in my experience, there always is. So shuttles from this airport aren’t always fast. It’s only really worth it if you have suitcases and don’t want to lug them around — just hop on and go.

Havabus to Sultanahmet

There’s a Havabus to the Kadıköy pier — running from 05:45 to 01:30. Trip takes 40 minutes. Ticket: 270 lira. From there, take the Marmaray or the ferry, as described above.