Locating the Bus Terminal At the Airport
Sabiha Gokcen International Airport is located far outside the city on the Asian side. There are two options to get to the city from the airport: by taxi or by bus. If you are traveling on a budget, we recommend you take a Havabus shuttle.
The bus station is located outside across the road from the arrival terminal. There are two types of Havabus: one goes to the Asian side, and another one going to the European side (Taksim Square). As most of the hotels are located on the European side, that is why most likely you will be staying on the European side.
Arrival At the City Center
The bus will bring you to Taksim Square in Istanbul (city center) for 24 TL ($3). The shuttle has a lot of storage space for all the suitcases. The bus is comfortable and the ride is smooth. On average it takes about 90 minutes to get to the Taksim Square. You will need to pay cash for the ticket on the bus. You can use TL, Dollars, or Euros and you don’t have to pay extra for the luggage.
Using the Metro From the City Center
Taksim Square is also a metro station. That is why after a bus drops you off you can walk a couple meters to the metro station and go to your hotel.
TIPS:
1. Have some small TL change on you, because you will need to buy an Istanbul card. The card costs 10 TL ($1), and then you will need to top up your card. The metro ride costs 3 TL ($0.35).
2. Due to Covid-19 you will need to activate your card by inputting your personal information and HES code to the computer that is located inside the metro. It may take some time (10-15 min.)
3. You can use the Istanbul card for the bus and tram as well.
The bus is an express shuttle and has limited stops on the way to the city center. If you are staying far from the Taksim Square and have a lot of luggage with you, you may consider taking a taxi from the airport to your hotel. The taxi station is located right outside the airport. You will not miss the yellow cars. The taxi will cost about 150 TL ($20). The ride may take up to an hour depending on traffic and your destination.
