Sabiha Airport to Taksim! 3 Ways To Do The Journey Easily!

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Let’s look into how to get from Sabiha Airport to Taksim! Istanbul has 2 main airports and it’s important you check which one you are flying into. Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) is a popular Istanbul Airport with airlines like Pegasus, Turkish Airlines and more, and it is located on the Asian side of Istanbul. On the map, the distance from Sabiha Airport to the city centre looks quite far but it’s not.

Taksim is one of the main areas to stay in Istanbul, and even if you do not stay in Taksim (I personally don’t recommend staying here, read my post where to stay in Istanbul to find out) it is a good central location to get to your hotel from whether that’s in Sultanahmet, Galata, Fatih.

In this post I am going to give you 3 main ways to get from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Taksim. I include details on transport from Sabiha Airport to Taksim, how to get the bus from Sabiha Airport to Taksim which is cheap and easy to do, and how to get a taxi from Sabiha Airport to Taksim.

Sabiha Airport to Taksim

Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Taksim

Here are some things to do before leaving the airport going from Sabiha Airport to Taksim:

1- Get Out Cash

When arriving at SAW Airport, be sure to get cash out before you leave arrivals because you’ll need cash to get from Sabiha Airport to Taksim. There are many ATM’s as well as many food options when you land incase you need a snack too.

2- Get a Sim Card

You can get a sim card in Sabiha Airport really easily. I always get a sim card whenever I land anywhere, check out my friend Tom’s post on how to get a sim card in Sabiha Airport here!

Book a private transfer from Sabiha Airport to Taksim online here!

Now, let’s look at exactly how to get from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Taksim:

Sabiha Airport to Taksim, Havabus, — Taksim Havabus stop when going from Sabiha Airport to Taksim.

A really helpful post of mine when packing for your trip to Istanbul – What To Wear In Istanbul As a Woman To Feel Comfortable Exploring!

Please note that prices noted below for the bus and taxi’s have most likely increased due to the economic situation so have more money available to pay for them just in case.

1- Havatas Sabiha

The cheapest way to get from Sabiha Airport to Taksim is via bus using the Havatas / Havabus. You can check out their website here, but you don’t need to use their website to take the bus.

When you land and leave arrivals, cross the road ignoring the taxi drivers calling you and look for the sign for the Havabus Airport Shuttle. It will be in front of you and slightly to the right. Once you see the sign you’ll see the signs pointing right and you’ll more than likely see Havatas Bus Sabiha Gokcen parked there waiting to leave with people lined up!

When taking the bus from Sabiha Airport to Taksim using the Havabus Shuttle, you need to make sure you get on the bus going to Taksim. There are 2 departures – Taksim and Kadikoy so before you get on, when you give the staff your bag to put under the bus, make sure you confirm that this bus from Sabiha Airport is going to Taksim!

The Sabiha Gokcen Havatas bus leaves roughly every 30 minutes so the wait is never that long, unless the queue is long.

You pay for your ticket on the bus. Once the bus is full and about to leave the ticket man will come around and you can only pay in cash, hence why it’s so important to get Turkish Lira from the ATM when you land at SAW Airport.

Here’s what’s great and why I really recommending getting the bus from Sabiha Airport to Taksim – it only costs 18TL which is roughly £1.80 or $2.40, that’s one cheap airport shuttle bus!

The distance from Sabiha Airport to Taksim Square is about 44KM, sometimes this journey takes just 40 minutes however if you are doing the journey early evening in rush hour, it can take up to 90 minutes if you get stuck in traffic! Luckily the buses are very comfy.

Taksim is the last stop so you do not need to worry about missing the stop, this is another reason I suggest getting the bus from Sabiha to Taksim because it’s so easy!

When you stop at Taksim Square Station, there will be lots of taxi drivers offering you a taxi to your hotel at all times of the day, if you’re staying in Taksim though you can easily walk, and there is also a metro at Taksim Square just up the road so if you are staying in Sultanahmet you can take the metro from Taksim to Sultanahmet, or get a taxi!

2 – Taxi from Sabiha Airport to Taksim

The next way is to get a taxi from Sabiha Airport to Taksim! This way, of course, is very easy but costs more money than that Havabus so it depends on your priorities. Personally, to get from SAW Airport to Taksim I always take the Havabus but a taxi to Taksim is an option too.

The taxi cost from Sabiha Airport to Taksim is about 130-180 TL which is currently £13.00-£18.00 / $17.00-$23.00. This price is going to depend on the time of day you go from Sabiha to Taksim and also what kind of taxi driver you have but really, it isn’t too bad of a price.

The taxi should be on the metre, check with the driver if he says this, or maybe he’ll agree to set a price around the above cost. I have found taxi drivers to be very honest in Istanbul however that is based on me getting a taxi within the city, and we all know that taxi drivers at airports can often be dishonest and charge more!

Which takes me onto the 3rd option for how to get from Sabiha Airport to Taksim!

Afterwards, be sure to read these posts of mine to help plan your time in Istanbul:
Where to Stay in Istanbul! A Neighbourhood Guide To The Best Places!
Istanbul 4 Day Itinerary! What To See in Istanbul in 4 Days!
10 Istanbul Hidden Gems To Visit For Unique Things To Do in Istanbul!

3 – Private Shuttle Bus from Sabiha Airport to Taksim

There are a few ways you can get a private transfer from Sabiha Airport to Taksim.

You can book a transfer like this online, this will mean that you’ll have someone waiting for you at departures with your name on a sign.

Alternatively, once you get into the arrivals hall you’ll see lots of stands with transfers from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to the city centre.

Book a private transfer from Sabiha Airport to Taksim online here!

Getting from Taksim to Sabiha Airport

Just a quick note on how to get from Taksim to SAW Airport when you leave Istanbul. Of course you can jump in a taxi from Taksim to Sabiha Airport very easily. The other best way is to take the Havsbus bus from Taksim to Sabiha Airport. It leaves at the same place it drops you off, also costs 18TL which you pay on board.

The Havabus from Taksim to Sabiha Airport leaves every 30 minutes however if there is a queue you may have to wait for one bus to leave, move up the queue and get the next one. You should also factor in traffic times to Sabiha Gokcen Airport and therefore leave plenty of time when travelling from Taksim to Sabiha.

Getting from Sabiha Airport to Sultanahmet

If you take a taxi from Sabiha Airport then you can go straight to Sultanahmet, however if you get the Havabus from Sabiha Airport it will only take you to Taksim, not Sultanahmet, it literally does not go over to that side of Istanbul.

From Taksim, you can take a taxi to Sultanahmet, there will be plenty of taxi drivers to take you. Alternatively if you are on a budget in Istanbul and want to take public transport from Taksim Havabus stop you should walk to Taksim Square and you’ll see the underground metro.

From here, you take the funicular from Taksim to Kabatas and from Kabatas go above ground to catch the tram to Sultanahmet. You will need to buy an Istanbulkart to do this journey and top it up as this is the public transport card in Istanbul.