Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is Istanbul's second international airport — on the Asian side, 40-50 km from the city center. It's the main hub for Pegasus and AnadoluJet. Reaching the center is a touch harder than from IST: the metro link is recent (M4 extension in 2023) and requires a transfer.
🚇 Ways into the center
- M4 metro → Kadıköy / continue by ferry to the center: 50-65 min total, ~$2.50
- Havabüs coach → Taksim / Kadıköy: 60-90 min, ~$5-6
- E10 / E11 city bus: 70-100 min, ~$0.70 — cheapest
- BiTaksi / Uber: 50-75 min, ~$55-90 (more in traffic)
- Official yellow taxi: ~$65-110
🚆 M4 metro + ferry — cheap and quick
The M4 line currently runs from Tavşantepe to Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı. From there it's 40 min to Kadıköy, then a Şehir Hatları ferry across to Eminönü — the historic center of Istanbul — in another 20 min.
Total ~$2.50-3, under an hour. Pay with İstanbulkart; buy the card at the arrivals-level machines.
M4 + ferry is the most scenic route — you cross the Bosphorus while heading into the old town.
🚌 Havabüs — direct to Taksim
Havabüs (Hava Otobüsü) is the official airport coach, separate from Havaist. Buy tickets at the counter in arrivals (right by the exit).
- SAW → Taksim: 60-90 min, ~$6
- SAW → Kadıköy: 35-50 min, ~$4
- Frequency: every 30 min; 04:00-01:00
- Payment: card or cash TRY
🚖 Taxi — between speed and comfort
SAW to the center by taxi takes 50-75 min (up to 90+ in traffic) — ~$65-110, plus a Bosphorus bridge toll (Avrasya or 15 Temmuz) of ~$1.50-2 each way.
Many taxis add a 50% night surcharge (00:00-06:00). Agree the fare upfront — or book via BiTaksi to lock in the price.
📱 Rideshare
BiTaksi and Uber both work — ~$55-90 to the center. Pickup is on the arrivals level, just outside, by the pier. Surge 1.3-1.8x at night.
💡 Tips
- Pegasus low-cost fares are tempting but factor in the transfer to your overall budget
- Buy your Havabüs ticket on arrival — late-night queues can be long
- Grab an İstanbulkart — it's the only sensible way to pay on M4
- Central Istanbul (Sultanahmet) is closer from IST than from SAW — consider this when picking flights
For more on Istanbul see Travel365's Tbilisi → Istanbul guide.
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