Hello!

Istanbul has a well-developed transportation network, making it easy to get around the city. However, it's essential to plan your trip in advance and consider all the nuances to save time and avoid overpaying taxi drivers during peak hours.

We recently arrived at Sabiha Gökçen Airport, located in the Asian part of Istanbul, after flying in from Antalya Airport. We needed to get to Sarıyer (Sarıyer), a district in the European part of the city, located in the north of Istanbul.

Initially, we wanted to take the metro from the airport to our hotel, knowing that a new station had opened at the airport last year. However, the metro station was closed for repairs on the day we arrived. Taking a taxi wasn't a good option either: we're not familiar with the city, and taxi drivers in Istanbul often drive passengers around in circles, intentionally increasing the fare. Moreover, there are always traffic jams on the approach to the bridge in the morning, making a taxi ride pointless during peak hours.

We decided to use Havabus (Havabus) from the airport to Taksim. In each city in Turkey, there are transportation companies that serve the airports. They might have different names (Havaş, Havaist, Havabus), but their goal is the same: to transport passengers from the airport to the city center and provide transportation between airports within the city according to a schedule.

Havabus (Havabus) buses from Sabiha Gökçen to the city reviewsGENERAL INFORMATION:

All airports in Istanbul are served by two different transportation companies: Havabus and Havaist.

Havabus only operates from Sabiha Gökçen Airport, while Havaist operates from the New Istanbul Airport. For transit passengers who are changing airports, these buses are very convenient, as Havaist currently runs between the two airports according to a schedule.

• HAVABUS leaves from Sabiha Gökçen Airport on the following routes:

Sabiha Gökçen - Taksim (European side) and back to the airport

Sabiha Gökçen - Kadıköy (Asian side) and back to the airport

Sabiha Gökçen - Yenisahra (Asian side) and back to the airport

• The average interval of Havabus to Taksim is around 1 hour and 30 minutes.

• The exact schedule for each route can be checked on the official Havabus website.

The website is in Turkish, but it's intuitive: the schedule and all bus stops are listed on the main page. Even if you encounter any issues with the website, it's easy to translate it using Google Chrome.

• Where's the Havabus stop at Sabiha Gökçen Airport?

The Havabus stop is just 5 minutes away from the central exit of the airport.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport has three entrances and exits. One of them is near the metro station (if you're facing the airport, it's on the left side of the terminal). The second entrance is located in the central part of the terminal, near the bus stops. The exit is between columns 12-14, and it's easier to find the Havabus stop by looking for those columns.

Where's the Havabus stop at Sabiha Gökçen Airport?Just outside the central exit, on the right-hand side, there's a Simit Sarayi café. You need to walk around it and take a right turn to find the grey building behind the café. The Havabus stop is located near the center of that building.

Havabus reviewsYou can also look for the eastern entrance of the airport – the buses should be parked right in front of it.

The Havabus stop at Sabiha Gökçen AirportOur bus was already waiting at the stop. The route is always displayed on the front windshield:

Havabus reviews• How do I pay for Havabus at Sabiha Gökçen Airport?

The website said that you can pay for Havabus at the airport in three ways:

• Cash to the driver in Turkish lira

• Istanbul Kart

• Any Turkish bank debit card

But in reality, you need to go to the office to pay with Istanbul Kart, as there's no card reader in the bus. We had cash with us, so we paid the driver directly. You pay for your ticket right when you get into the bus, and the driver gives you a ticket immediately. Luggage transport is already included in the ticket price.

How to buy Havabus tickets – reviews and prices• How much does it cost?

The ticket price for December 2023 is 102 Turkish lira 50 kuruş.

Children under 6 years old travel for free

• Is the price fixed?

The ticket price is fixed, regardless of which stop you get off at.

Havabus buses

Havabus buses are easy to spot – they're white with colorful logos on the sides. They look like regular long-distance buses, which are common in Turkey.

One of the things I love about this bus is that every seat has its own designated spot, and it's never packed to the brim.

Havabus (Havabas) buses to the airport reviews

Havabus (Havabas) reviewsIf you've got luggage, you can leave it in the luggage compartment. The driver will stash it on the right-hand side, which is the side where passengers exit.

Havabus (Havabas) reviewsThe bus's interior is spacious and comfortable, with wide, reclining seats and tables attached to each one.

Havabus (Havabas) reviews

Havabus (Havabas) reviewsAs someone who's 168 cm tall, I can attest that this bus is incredibly comfortable to sit in.

Havabus (Havabas) reviewsThe bus has a handy overhead rack for storing carry-on luggage.

Havabus (Havabas) reviews

Bus Route // Travel Time

Havabus only stops at designated bus stops, so it's a good idea to plan your route in advance and let the driver know where you'll be getting off.

Interestingly, the routes to and from the airport differ slightly. The bus to the airport crosses the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, while the bus from the airport crosses the Boğazıcı Bridge.

Bus Route and Stops from Sabiha Gökçen Airport:

• Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı

• Kavacık

• FSM Köprüsü

• 1.Levent

• Zincirlikuyu Metrobüs

• Dolapdere

• Taksim

Bus Route and Stops from Taksim to Sabiha Gökçen Airport:

• Taksim

• Beşiktaş

• Boğaziçi Köprüsü

• Tem Bağlantı Yolu

• Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı

The distance from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Taksim is 42 km. Travel time depends on the time of day, but from my personal experience, I can attest that traffic is always a nightmare during rush hour (7:00-11:00 am and 5:00-8:00 pm) on weekdays.

We left the airport at 11 am and the journey to Taksim took us around an hour and a half. And that was still nowhere near the busiest time! If we'd caught the bus a couple of hours earlier, we'd have been stuck in traffic for over two hours.

The biggest traffic jams were when we were approaching and leaving the Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridge.

Sabiha Gokcen to Taksim routeI'll leave the stop where passengers are dropped off at Taksim Square, as well as the current schedule for the Taksim to Sabiha Gokcen route here:

Havabus (Havaş) scheduleThe stop is just 10 minutes from the Taksim metro station, but it's not that easy to find, so I'll leave a map here too:

Where to find the Havabus (Havaş) stop at TaksimIt's worth noting that the Point Hotel is a good landmark – the stop is right opposite, and to the right of the stop, you get a great view of the city:

Havabus (Havaş) buses at the airport

MY TAKEAWAYS:

Havabus is a comfortable bus with no frills that covers the most populated part of the city, but that's about it. Traveling in it is very comfortable, and it's a great way to take in the sights of Istanbul from the window. However, don't expect the same level of service you'd get on international bus routes in Turkey – there's no free tea or coffee, and no Wi-Fi.

The bus wasn't full, so it was easy and pleasant to travel in. For those who, like me, can't stand the Istanbul metro, this is a great alternative to getting to the center.

One thing I'd mention as a negative from my previous experience is that not every bus has validators for contactless payments, so I'd recommend bringing some Turkish lira and factoring in some time for traffic jams.

Happy travels, and thanks for reading my review!

HAVAIST - bus between Istanbul's two airports