Getting from Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) into Istanbul depends heavily on which side of the city you're heading to. SAW sits on the Asian side — so Kadıköy is a quick 60-minute E-10 bus ride away, while Taksim and the European side require a Bosphorus crossing and take around 90 minutes. Transport is handled by two operators: the İETT public bus network and HAVABUS airport coaches.
Location: Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW), Pendik, Istanbul, Türkiye. All fares are per person and current as of April 2026.
Asian Side vs European Side — Choose Your Route First
| Destination | Fastest Option | Cheapest Option | Journey Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kadıköy (Asian) | M4 Metro 42 TRY | M4 Metro 42 TRY | 52 min |
| Üsküdar (Asian) | Taxi ~1,590 TRY | M4 + bus | 60–75 min |
| Taksim (European) | HAVABUS 440 TRY | M4 + ferry + F1 ~126 TRY | 85–95 min |
| Sultanahmet (European) | Taxi ~1,500 TRY | M4 + ferry ~84–126 TRY | 90 min |
| Beşiktaş (European) | Taxi ~1,895 TRY | M4 + ferry ~84 TRY | 85 min |
→ Staying on the Asian side? Take the M4 metro — 42 TRY, 52 minutes, every 5 min peak. → Heading to the European side? HAVABUS to Taksim is the simplest; M4 + ferry is cheapest.
Quick Comparison
| Option | Destination | Price | Journey Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| İETT E-10 | Kadıköy | 84 TRY | ~60 min |
| İETT E-3 | 4.Levent Metro | 126 TRY | ~90 min |
| HAVABUS | Kadıköy | 270 TRY | ~60 min |
| HAVABUS | Taksim (direct) | 440 TRY | ~90 min |
| HAVABUS | Sakarya / Adapazarı | 500 TRY | ~120 min |
| Taxi | Kadıköy | ~1,285 TRY | ~30–45 min |
| Taxi | Taksim | ~2,026 TRY | ~45–60 min |
Option 1 — M4 Metro (Cheapest & Most Reliable)
The M4 metro runs directly from Sabiha Gökçen Airport station to Kadıköy — the cheapest and most traffic-proof way to reach Istanbul's Asian side.
Fare: 42 TRY (İstanbulkart) | Student: 20.50 TRY
Journey time: 52 minutes | Frequency: Every 5 min (peak)
Operating hours: 06:00–00:00 daily | 24 hours Fri & Sat nights
Follow M4 Metro signs from arrivals — the station is inside the terminal. Trains go directly to Kadıköy terminus; no transfers needed.
Option 2 — İETT Public Bus
Two İETT bus lines operate from the bus stop outside arrivals:
E-10 to Kadıköy — A full-size city bus running to Kadıköy in ~60 minutes for 84 TRY (2 İstanbulkart credits). Useful when the metro is out of service or for late-night runs when metro has closed. Note: twice the price of the metro.
SG-1 to Kadıköy (night service) — If you land late at night, the İETT SG-1 line covers the same SAW–Kadıköy route with 4 overnight departures from SAW: 23:40, 01:05, 02:25 and 03:30. The fare is the same 84 TRY with İstanbulkart. Note that SG-1 does not run on Saturdays — on Saturday nights take HAVABUS instead.
E-3 to 4.Levent Metro — For travellers heading to the European side (Beşiktaş, Şişli, Levent), the E-3 line runs to 4.Levent in around 90 minutes and costs 126 TRY (3 İstanbulkart credits). At 4.Levent you transfer to the M2 metro, which connects to Taksim, Şişhane and Kabataş.
How to Buy an İstanbulkart
You can buy and top up an İstanbulkart from the yellow vending machines inside the terminal building. The card itself costs 70 TRY; you can load as little as 100 TRY onto it. İstanbulkart gives you the cheapest per-ride fare and works on all İETT buses, metro, tram, and Marmaray.
Option 2 — HAVABUS Airport Coach (Most Comfortable)
HAVABUS runs dedicated airport coaches from SAW with no standing passengers and guaranteed seats. Buses depart from the coach stop outside arrivals and run around the clock.
SAW to Taksim (direct) — HAVABUS operates a direct coach from Sabiha Gökçen to Taksim Square in approximately 90 minutes. The fare is 440 TRY per adult. This is the best option for travellers staying in Beyoğlu, Beşiktaş or anywhere on the European side who want a no-transfer journey.
SAW to Kadıköy — The Kadıköy service takes about 60 minutes and costs 270 TRY. Useful if you're heading to the Asian side or want to connect to the Kadıköy ferry pier.
SAW to Sakarya (Adapazarı) — HAVABUS also runs an intercity route to Sakarya in around 2 hours for 500 TRY.
Tickets can be purchased on board by card or cash. No advance booking is required.
Option 3 — Taxi
Taxis are available 24 hours outside the arrivals hall. All official airport taxis use a meter; there are no fixed airport surcharges in Istanbul.
Estimated metered fares from SAW:
| Destination | Distance | Estimated Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Kadıköy | 28 km | ~1,285 TRY |
| Taksim | 45 km | ~2,026 TRY |
| Üsküdar | 35 km | ~1,590 TRY |
| Ataşehir | 20 km | ~937 TRY |
| Pendik | 8 km | ~414 TRY |
| Beşiktaş | 42 km | ~1,895 TRY |
Taxis are best for groups of 3–4 sharing the fare, late-night arrivals with heavy luggage, or if you have a very early connection.
Which Option Is Best for You?
Choose M4 Metro if you are heading to Kadıköy or any Asian-side destination — it's the cheapest (42 TRY) and fastest option.
Choose İETT E-3 if you need to reach the M2 metro corridor (Levent, Şişli, Taksim) and want the cheapest possible fare. The M4 to Kadıköy + ferry + F1 funicular is an even cheaper route to Taksim.
Choose HAVABUS to Taksim if you are heading to the European side and want a direct, comfortable journey without transfers — especially with heavy luggage.
Choose a taxi if you are travelling in a group of 3–4, arriving late at night, or heading to a destination not well served by bus.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take from SAW to Taksim? HAVABUS direct takes approximately 90 minutes. Via İETT E-3 to 4.Levent plus M2 metro, allow around 2 hours in total.
Is there a direct bus from SAW to Taksim? Yes. HAVABUS runs a direct coach from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Taksim Square for 440 TRY, departing regularly throughout the day and night.
What is the cheapest way from SAW to Istanbul? The İETT E-10 public bus to Kadıköy costs 84 TRY with an İstanbulkart and takes around 60 minutes. For Taksim and the European side, İETT E-3 to 4.Levent costs 126 TRY.
Do I need to book in advance? No advance booking is needed for either İETT or HAVABUS. Simply board at the stop outside arrivals. For taxis, join the rank at the designated taxi area.
