Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Gökçen

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated October 2026 · 6 min read

Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) sit on opposite shores of the Bosphorus, and switching between them means crossing one of the world's most congested urban road networks. There is no rail link between the two, so the choice comes down to a direct bus or a taxi — and traffic, not distance, is what really decides how long the journey takes.

The direct bus: HAVAIST HVİST-13

HAVAIST, the official shuttle bus operator for Istanbul Airport, runs a dedicated line — HVİST-13 — directly between IST and Sabiha Gökçen, with no other stops in between. It operates around the clock, with departures roughly every 45–90 minutes depending on the time of day, and the fare is modest — a fraction of what a taxi costs for the same trip. Buy your ticket at the HAVAIST counters in the arrivals hall, through the HAVAIST app, or by card at the boarding point.

Under normal traffic the journey takes about two hours. That figure already assumes some congestion is baked in — the route uses the TEM motorway and one of the Bosphorus bridges, both of which see heavy daily traffic — so it rarely runs much faster than scheduled, but it also rarely blows out wildly unless conditions are unusually bad.

Taxi across the Bosphorus

A taxi covers the same road route in around 60–75 minutes when traffic is genuinely light — for instance, well outside rush hour or very late at night. That is meaningfully faster than the bus on a good run, but Istanbul's rush hours (roughly 07:00–09:00 and 16:00–19:00 on weekdays) are severe, and a taxi caught in them can easily take two hours or more, wiping out any time advantage. Fares are correspondingly high — several times the HAVAIST fare — and include the bridge toll. Use only official yellow (or the newer turquoise) taxis from the marked ranks at either terminal; ride-hailing apps including Uber (operating under local partnerships) and BiTaksi are also available and let you see the fare and driver details before you commit.

Why there is no faster rail link — yet

Istanbul Airport's M11 metro line runs into the European side of the city, and Sabiha Gökçen has none at all, so unlike a same-city transfer via a shared metro line, there is currently no rail option connecting the two airports directly. Some travellers piece together a route via the city centre and a Bosphorus sea bus — bus or metro to a ferry terminal such as Bostancı, then an IDO sea bus across to the European side — but that route is designed for reaching the city, not for getting between the airports, and involves more changes and more luggage-carrying than either the direct bus or a taxi. For most airport-to-airport transfers it is not worth the added complexity.

How long to allow for a same-day connection

Because the only direct public option is a bus running every 45–90 minutes and taking about two hours, and the alternative (a taxi) is fully exposed to unpredictable Bosphorus traffic, this is one of the less forgiving airport pairs to connect through on the same day. As a working guide:

• HAVAIST bus: allow the two-hour journey plus waiting time for the next departure (up to 90 minutes if you just miss one), plus time to find the correct boarding point and buy a ticket.
• Taxi: allow at least two hours even though the drive can be done in 60–75 minutes in ideal conditions — rush-hour traffic is common enough that you should not plan around the best case.

Add extra time if you are arriving internationally and clearing immigration and baggage reclaim before starting the transfer, and allow more still if your onward flight departs during the evening rush.

If you booked separate tickets, understand the risk

IST and SAW are independently operated airports, so combining a flight into one with a flight out of the other on two separate bookings is a genuine self-transfer — there is no single airline or alliance responsible for getting you to the second flight if the first one is delayed. This is a common way to combine, say, a long-haul arrival with a cheap onward flight to elsewhere in Turkey or the region — check your entry requirements in our Turkey e-visa guide before you travel — but it carries real risk given how traffic-dependent this particular crossing is. Read our guide to self-transfer flights and the risks involved, and use minimum connection times explained to judge whether your gap between flights is realistic before you book.

Which should you choose?

For most travellers, the HAVAIST HVİST-13 bus is the sensible default — cheap, running around the clock, and its roughly two-hour journey time is a realistic estimate rather than a best-case figure that traffic routinely blows past. Choose a taxi if you are travelling outside rush hour and want to avoid waiting for the next bus, are in a group sharing the fare, or need to move quickly late at night when buses run less often. If you are considering a same-day connection on separate tickets, read the minimum-connection guidance above before you commit. For getting from either airport into the city itself, see our Istanbul airports to the city guide, and for making the most of a longer gap between flights, our Istanbul layover guide covers what is realistically possible if you decide to leave the airport.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a direct bus between Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen?

Yes. HAVAIST operates the HVİST-13 line directly between the two airports around the clock, with departures roughly every 45–90 minutes and a journey time of about two hours.

Is it faster to take a taxi between the two Istanbul airports?

Only in light traffic, when a taxi can do the trip in 60–75 minutes. During Istanbul's rush hours the journey can take two hours or more, similar to or worse than the bus, at several times the cost.

Is there a train or metro between Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen?

No. Istanbul Airport has the M11 metro into the European side of the city, and Sabiha Gökçen currently has no rail link at all, so there is no direct train connecting the two airports.

How much time should I allow if my flights are on separate tickets?

At least four to five hours between landing at one airport and departing from the other, since the transfer is fully exposed to unpredictable Bosphorus traffic and there is no airline responsible for rebooking you if the connection is not part of one ticket.