Sabiha Gökçen Airport Transfer: Prices and Drive Times to Every District

Short answer: a private transfer from Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) starts at €30 per vehicle for Pendik, Tuzla, Kartal and the airport hotels in Kurtköy. Kadıköy is 32 km and about 34 minutes away for €48, Sultanahmet 48 km and 50 minutes for €50, Taksim 45 km and 47 minutes for €55. Prices are per vehicle for up to 3 (sedan), 6 (van) or 16 passengers (Sprinter), with all bridge and tunnel tolls included.

• Location: Pendik, on the Asian side, about 8 km from Kurtköy and 48 km from the historic peninsula
• Destinations: 55 fixed-price routes, from Kurtköy (8 km) to Silivri (110 km)
• Prices from: €30 Economy Sedan · €40 FirstClass Van · €50 Vip Sprinter
• Crossing to Europe: via the Eurasia Tunnel or a Bosphorus bridge, tolls included in the fixed price
• Arrival: flight tracking, name-sign meet and greet, 60 minutes free waiting after landing
• Payment: nothing in advance; pay the driver in cash or by card, free cancellation (please let us know at least 24 hours in advance)

Where is Sabiha Gökçen, and why does your hotel's side of the Bosphorus matter?

Sabiha Gökçen is Istanbul's second airport, in the district of Pendik on the Asian side, close to the Kurtköy business area and the TEM motorway. Domestic and international flights share one terminal.

Kadıköy, Üsküdar and Ataşehir are 25 to 35 minutes away on a normal day. Every hotel on the European side, whether in Sultanahmet, Karaköy, Taksim or Beşiktaş, means crossing the Bosphorus, and that crossing is where traffic decides your arrival time.

How much does a transfer from Sabiha Gökçen cost?

Below are 26 of our 55 routes, grouped by side of the city. Prices as of October 2026: one way, fixed and per vehicle, with fuel, tolls, parking and waiting at arrivals included. Drive times assume normal traffic.

Asian side, the Princes' Islands and the Black Sea coast

European side

Per person in a full vehicle: six people in the FirstClass Van to Sultanahmet pay €60, which is €10 each. A group of 16 in the Vip Sprinter to Taksim pays €90, less than €6 per person. Three travellers sharing the sedan to Kadıköy pay €16 each.

Which part of Istanbul suits which traveller?

Asian side: the short, easy arrival

Kadıköy and Moda are the best base for food lovers: the fish stalls of the Çarşı quarter and the Moda seafront, with ferries to Eminönü and Karaköy in about 20 minutes. Üsküdar, Kuzguncuk and Beylerbeyi line the Bosphorus with wooden houses, mosques and quiet waterside cafés facing the European shore. Ataşehir is the business choice, close to the Istanbul Finance Centre. Pendik, Tuzla and Kartal are 15 to 20 minutes from the terminal and suit a night before an early flight; Pendik is also the stop for high-speed trains to Ankara.

The Princes' Islands are car-free, so the €38 fare takes you to the ferry pier, and the boat does the rest. For a weekend on the Black Sea coast, Şile is about an hour away (€65) and Ağva, with its two rivers and riverside hotels, about 84 minutes (€85).

European side: the classic first visit

Sultanahmet and Eminönü put Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar within walking distance, and from SAW cost the same €50 as Beşiktaş. Karaköy and Galata mix design hotels, galleries and the Galata Tower. Taksim, Nişantaşı and Şişli mean shopping, İstiklal Avenue and big chain hotels. Beşiktaş, Ortaköy and Sarıyer follow the Bosphorus north to the luxury waterfront hotels.

Flying in for a connection at the other airport? The 78 km run to Istanbul Airport takes about 82 minutes via the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and costs from €80. Transfers from IST itself are on our Istanbul Airport transfer page.

Tunnel or bridge: which way does the driver go?

There are three road crossings to Europe; the driver picks the fastest one using live traffic data:

• Eurasia Tunnel: a road tunnel under the Bosphorus from Göztepe to Kazlıçeşme, the most direct route to Sultanahmet, Fatih and Bakırköy. It is open to cars and minibuses.
• 15 July Martyrs Bridge (the first Bosphorus Bridge) and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge: the usual routes to Beşiktaş, Taksim, Şişli and the northern Bosphorus.
• Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge: the northernmost crossing on the Northern Marmara Motorway, used for Istanbul Airport and the far north-west.

Weekday rush hours, roughly 07:30 to 10:00 and 17:00 to 20:00, plus Friday evenings, can make a 50-minute trip much longer. Our price stays fixed whatever the traffic, so the delay costs you time but never money.

Private transfer, Havabüs, metro or taxi?

Havabüs buses leave from the stand in front of the terminal. In September 2026 a ticket to Kadıköy cost ₺230–300 and to Taksim ₺370–490 per person, with departures from Kadıköy between 04:15 and 23:15. From the last stop you still need a taxi or a walk with your bags. The M4 metro now runs from the airport to Kadıköy and is cheap, but with suitcases and a change to the Marmaray or a ferry it is hard work after a flight. Yellow taxis run on the meter, tolls come on top and queues form when several flights land together.

A private transfer makes the most sense for families, groups, late arrivals and anyone heading for the European side. Child seats are provided free on request, and there is no night surcharge. Our step-by-step arrival guide for Sabiha Gökçen walks you from the plane to the car. To see your district's price, enter your hotel on the Sabiha Gökçen transfer page.

How to book and what happens when you land

1. Enter your hotel or address, the date, your flight number and the number of passengers and bags.
2. Choose the vehicle: Economy Sedan (3 passengers, 2 large bags), FirstClass Van (6 and 6) or Vip Sprinter (16 and 16).
3. Nothing is paid online. Before landing you receive the meeting point, the driver's phone number and the plate by WhatsApp.
4. We track your flight, so an early or late landing is no problem; 60 minutes of free waiting start when you land.
5. After baggage claim and customs, your driver waits at the arrivals exit with a Vixride name sign and helps with the luggage.
6. You pay the fixed price to the driver at the end of the ride, in cash or by card.

Vixride is a TÜRSAB-licensed agency, and our transfers run under a D2 authorisation from the Ministry of Transport. With a few days in the city, the same car and driver can take you on our private Old City tour (8 hours, from €440 per vehicle) or the Bosphorus and two continents tour (from €320), or on the two-day Gallipoli and Troy trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the drive from Sabiha Gökçen to Sultanahmet?

About 50 minutes for 48 km in normal traffic, usually through the Eurasia Tunnel. In the evening rush it can take noticeably longer. The fixed price of €50 by sedan, €60 by van or €90 by Sprinter does not change with traffic.

What is the cheapest transfer from Sabiha Gökçen?

The airport hotels in Kurtköy, Pendik, Tuzla and Kartal all cost €30 by Economy Sedan, €40 by FirstClass Van and €50 by Vip Sprinter. They are 15 to 20 minutes away, which makes them a good choice before an early departure.

Are bridge and Eurasia Tunnel tolls extra?

No. All tolls for the Bosphorus bridges and the Eurasia Tunnel are part of the fixed fare, as are fuel and parking. The price you see when booking is the price you pay the driver.

Can we go directly from Sabiha Gökçen to Istanbul Airport?

Yes. The 78 km transfer takes about 82 minutes on the Northern Marmara Motorway and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge. It costs €80 by sedan, €90 by van and €140 by Sprinter.

What happens if my flight lands late at night or is delayed?

Nothing changes. We track every flight, the service runs 24 hours with no night surcharge, and you get 60 minutes of free waiting from the actual landing time. You can also change or cancel free of charge; please let us know at least 24 hours in advance.

How do we reach the Princes' Islands from the airport?

The islands are car-free, so the transfer takes you to a ferry pier on the Asian shore for €38 by sedan, about 21 minutes from the terminal. From there public ferries and boats cross to Büyükada and Heybeliada.

Know where you are staying? Enter your hotel on our Sabiha Gökçen Airport transfer page to see your fixed price and book in two minutes.