Arrival by Plane
Istanbul Airport (IST) — European Side
The Istanbul Airport (since 2019) is located 35 km north of the city center and is one of the largest airports in the world. All major airlines (Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian) fly here. Impressive terminal, but far out.
Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) — Asian Side
The second airport on the Asian side, 40 km southeast. Cheaper airlines (Pegasus, SunExpress, Ryanair). Usually cheaper, but the journey to the center takes longer.
Flight Connections from Germany
- Turkish Airlines — From Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Cologne, Hanover. Most direct flights. Flight time: 2.5–3 hours. From 100€ round trip.
- Lufthansa / Swiss — From Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich. Direct flights.
- Pegasus Airlines — Turkish low-cost carrier. From many German cities, mostly to SAW. From 40€ one-way.
- SunExpress — Good connections from Germany, some directly to IST.
From the Airport to the Center
| Airport | Option | Price | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| IST | Havaist Bus | 3–5€ | 60–90 Min. |
| Metro (M11) | 0.50€ | 60 Min. to Sultanahmet (Transfer) | |
| Taxi | 30–50€ | 45–90 Min. (Traffic!) | |
| SAW | Havabus | 3–4€ | 60–120 Min. |
| Marmaray Connection | 1–2€ | 90+ Min. (Transfer) | |
| Taxi | 30–50€ | 60–120 Min. (Traffic!) |
💡 Tipp
Istanbul's traffic is legendary — taxis can take twice as long during rush hour (7–10 AM, 5–8 PM). The metro (line M11 from IST) is the most reliable option: no traffic, fixed price. At night (after midnight), only taxis or the Havaist bus are available.