Havabüs Sabiha Gökçen Airport Bus to Taksim and Kadıköy: Routes, Fares and Timetable
Short answer: Havabüs runs two city lines from Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW): to Taksim on the European side, about 90 minutes and up to 2 hours in traffic, and to Kadıköy on the Asian side via Yenisahra, about 60 minutes. With an Istanbulkart the fare is ≈€8.50 (₺485) to Taksim and ≈€5.50 (₺300) to Kadıköy. A contactless bank card is charged more, ≈€10.50 (₺590) and ≈€7 (₺385), so buy and load an Istanbulkart at the airport first. Taksim buses leave the airport every 30 minutes from 06:30 to 00:30, Kadıköy buses about every 45 minutes from 05:45 to 01:30. There is no 24-hour service.
Havabüs is the white airport coach that has linked Sabiha Gökçen with Taksim and Kadıköy since 2011. It's run by Havataş, so don't confuse it with Havaş, a different coach company, or with Havaist, which serves Istanbul Airport (IST). It gives you a seat and a direct ride to two major transport hubs.
Sabiha Gökçen to the city: all options at a glance
| Option | Journey time | Typical cost (2026) | Changes | With luggage | Late at night | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Havabüs to Taksim | ~90 min, up to 2 h | ≈€8.50 (₺485; bank card ₺590) | None to Taksim | Usually fine, no published bag rules | Last bus from SAW 00:30 | Taksim and Beyoğlu on a budget |
| Havabüs to Kadıköy | ~60 min, up to 1.5 h | ≈€5.50 (₺300; bank card ₺385) | None to Kadıköy | Usually fine, no published bag rules | Last bus from SAW 01:30 | Kadıköy, Ataşehir, ferries to the old city |
| Metro M4 | ~52 min to Kadıköy | ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) | None to Kadıköy | Lifts, but crowded at rush hour | 06:00–00:00; all night on Friday and Saturday | Kadıköy at the lowest fare, no traffic |
| İETT bus E-3 | ~2 h to 4. Levent | ≈€2.50 (₺138.60) | 1 (M2 metro to Taksim) | City bus, little room for bags | Last bus from SAW 01:00 | Levent and the M2 metro line |
| İETT night bus E-10 | ~1.5 h to Kadıköy (68 stops) | ≈€1.65 (₺92.40) | None to Kadıköy | City bus, little room for bags | Night only, 00:15–03:30; no Saturday trips listed | Landing after the last Havabüs |
| Havaist to Istanbul Airport | ~2 h | ≈€9.50 (₺515) | None | 2 medium bags free | Yes, through the night | Connecting to a flight at IST |
| Taxi | From ~30 min (Kadıköy) or ~35 min (Taksim)* | Kadıköy ≈€32–41 (₺1,800–2,300), Taksim ≈€39–50 (₺2,150–2,800) | None | Good | Yes | Door to door without booking |
| Private transfer | Same as taxi* | from €53 / vehicle | None | Best, space per vehicle | Yes, flight tracked | Families, groups, late arrivals, the old city |
Bus and metro fares are per person, one way, valid since 20 July 2026; the Havabüs fare in brackets is the contactless bank-card price. *Road times in free-flowing traffic; at rush hour, especially on the Bosphorus bridges, journeys take much longer. Taxi fares are metered estimates. The private-transfer price is per vehicle (Mercedes Vito, up to 6 passengers), depends on the date and pickup time and is shown before you pay.
Sources — fares and timetables checked on 3 October 2026: Havabüs Taksim line · Havabüs Kadıköy line · İETT SG-2 · İETT SG-1 · İBB fare tariff from 20 July 2026 (PDF) · Sabiha Gökçen Airport · Metro Istanbul M4 · Havaist timetable
Euro amounts at €1 = ₺55.6.
Havabüs timetable 2026
The city bus authority İETT lists the lines as SG-2 (Taksim) and SG-1 (Kadıköy), with the same times as havabus.com. Departures from the airport depend on passenger numbers, so a bus may not leave exactly on time.
| Line | From | First bus | Last bus | How often | Stops on the way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG-2 Taksim | Sabiha Gökçen | 06:30 | 00:30 | Every 30 min | Kavacık, Levent, Zincirlikuyu, Taksim |
| SG-2 Taksim | Taksim | 03:00 (Sat–Sun 03:30) | 22:00 | Every 30 min | None, direct to the airport |
| SG-1 Kadıköy | Sabiha Gökçen | 05:45 (Sat–Sun 06:30) | 01:30 | About every 45 min; every 30 min after 23:30 | Yenisahra, Uzunçayır, Acıbadem, İsfalt, Kadıköy |
| SG-1 Kadıköy | Kadıköy | 03:15 (Sat–Sun 04:15) | 23:15 | Every 45 min from 06:00, plus a few earlier buses | Yenisahra (about 15 min later) |
Havabüs quotes about 90 minutes to Taksim, 60 to Kadıköy and 45 to Yenisahra. İETT plans 113 and 87 minutes, so allow up to 2 hours to Taksim and 1.5 hours to Kadıköy at rush hour.
Fares and how to pay: get an Istanbulkart first
Since 20 July 2026 the Istanbulkart fare is ≈€8.50 (₺485) to Taksim and ≈€5.50 (₺300) to Kadıköy or Yenisahra, with no student, senior or monthly-pass discounts. If you tap a contactless bank card instead, the city tariff charges the higher limited-use ticket price: ≈€10.50 (₺590) to Taksim and ≈€7 (₺385) to Kadıköy. Havabüs sells no advance tickets for these lines; you pay as you board, and officially cash isn't accepted on Istanbul's buses.
So first buy an Istanbulkart from the ticket machines in the M4 metro station, reachable from inside the terminal, and load enough credit. The card costs ≈€3 (₺165) and pays off if you take Havabüs back or use public transport in the city: a metro ride costs ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) with it against ≈€1.15 (₺65) by bank card, and one card can pay for several people. Visitors pay that full fare on every ride, connections included: the cheaper transfer fare is only for cards personalised with a Turkish ID or residence-permit number.
Under the city's fare rules, children under 7 travel free. Havabüs publishes no luggage rules and no accessibility information; the coaches are reported to have an under-floor hold, but ask the crew about anything bulky.
Where to catch Havabüs at Sabiha Gökçen
Sabiha Gökçen has a single passenger terminal, so domestic and international passengers leave through the same arrivals exit. Havabüs leaves from the İETT stop "Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı" opposite that exit, an enclosed shelter shared with buses E-3 and E-10. No bay number is published: look for the white Havabüs coaches and check the destination sign before your bags go on board. The Havaist coach to Istanbul Airport stops on the same side, next to Simit Sarayı.
Where Havabüs stops in Taksim and Kadıköy
- Taksim: Abdülhak Hamit Caddesi, in front of the Point Hotel and opposite the Divan Hotel, a few minutes' walk from Taksim Square and about 500 m from the metro and funicular station.
- Kadıköy: the waterfront İETT bus stops (Kadıköy Rıhtım), a couple of minutes' walk from the ferry piers.
- Yenisahra: by the M4 Yenisahra station, opposite the Optimum shopping centre in Ataşehir; the fare is the same as to Kadıköy.
Onward to Sultanahmet, Beşiktaş and Galataport
Neither line reaches the old city or the Bosphorus shore, so most visitors change once more. The ferry costs ≈€1.15 (₺65.21) with an Istanbulkart (≈€2 / ₺120 by contactless bank card), with no transfer discount on a visitor's card.
- Sultanahmet: from Kadıköy, take the ferry to Eminönü, then the T1 tram three stops. From Taksim, take the F1 funicular down to Kabataş, then the T1 seven stops.
- Galataport: from Kadıköy, the ferry to Karaköy lands right next to Galataport. From Taksim, take the F1 to Kabataş, then the T1 to Tophane or Karaköy; Galataport lies on the waterfront between them.
- Beşiktaş: from Kadıköy, a ferry goes straight there. From Taksim, take the F1 to Kabataş and continue about 1.5 km along the shore. The Taksim bus passes through Beşiktaş on its way to the airport but doesn't stop.
The funicular and tram run from 06:00 to midnight. If you land in the evening, check the ferry times on the day.
Landing late: no 24-hour service
The last scheduled buses leave the airport at 00:30 for Taksim and 01:30 for Kadıköy. Havabüs says it runs extra departures for delayed flights between 01:00 and 04:00 but publishes no times, so don't count on them; you can ask its call centre on 444 26 56. After the last bus:
- M4 night metro: on Friday and Saturday nights the M4 runs all night, every 30 minutes between 00:30 and 04:30, at a double fare of ≈€1.65 (₺92.40).
- E-10 night bus: leaves for Kadıköy at 00:15, 01:05, 02:25 and 03:30 via Pendik and Bostancı, for ≈€1.65 (₺92.40). İETT lists no Saturday trips, so check its timetable on the day.
- Taxi or private transfer: available whenever you land; a pre-booked driver tracks your flight, so a delay doesn't leave you stranded.
Taking Havabüs to the airport
Board at the same stops. The first buses leave Taksim at 03:00 and Kadıköy at 03:15 (later at weekends). Allow up to 2 hours from Taksim and 1.5 hours from Kadıköy at busy times, plus check-in and security.
Havabüs or the alternatives?
- M4 metro: the cheapest way to Kadıköy (≈€0.85 / ₺46.20, about 52 minutes) and immune to traffic, but crowded at rush hour and, apart from Friday and Saturday nights, closed from midnight to 06:00. For the European side, change to the Marmaray at Ayrılık Çeşmesi. See Sabiha Gökçen to Kadıköy.
- İETT city buses: the E-3 to 4. Levent (≈€2.50 / ₺138.60, about 2 hours, then the M2 metro to Taksim) is cheaper than Havabüs but slower, with little room for luggage.
- Havaist to Istanbul Airport: for a connecting flight at IST, the direct coach costs ≈€9.50 (₺515), takes about 2 hours and runs through the night; two medium bags travel free. See Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Gökçen.
- Taxi: metered, about €32–41 (₺1,800–2,300) to Kadıköy, ≈€39–50 (₺2,150–2,800) to Taksim and ≈€40–52 (₺2,200–2,900) to Sultanahmet, depending on traffic.
- Private transfer: a fixed price per vehicle for up to 6 passengers in a Mercedes Vito: from €53 to Kadıköy, from €57 to Taksim, from €57 to Beşiktaş, from €57 to Galataport and from €59 to Sultanahmet; the exact price for your date and pickup time is shown before you pay. Your driver meets you just outside the arrivals exit; once you land, they contact you on WhatsApp with the exact meeting point and a short video showing the way.
For one or two people with light bags staying near Taksim Square or in Kadıköy, Havabüs is good value. For families and groups, per-person fares and onward rides add up, while a transfer is priced per vehicle and stops at the hotel door, which helps most with heavy luggage or a late landing.
Related guides: Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Istanbul · Sabiha Gökçen to Taksim · Sabiha Gökçen to Sultanahmet · Havaist airport bus · Meeting your driver at Sabiha Gökçen · Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) · Istanbulkart for visitors
Frequently asked questions
How much is Havabüs from Sabiha Gökçen to Taksim?
≈€8.50 (₺485) per person with an Istanbulkart, the fare valid since 20 July 2026. With a contactless bank card the official tariff charges ≈€10.50 (₺590). To Kadıköy it is ≈€5.50 (₺300) with an Istanbulkart or ≈€7 (₺385) by bank card.
Can I pay for Havabüs by card?
A contactless bank card is charged the higher limited-use ticket price, and officially cash is not accepted on Istanbul buses. The cheapest way is an Istanbulkart: buy it from the machines in the airport M4 metro station (the card costs ≈€3 / ₺165 with no credit) and load enough for the fare before you board.
Does Havabüs run at night?
Not around the clock. The last scheduled buses leave the airport at 00:30 for Taksim and 01:30 for Kadıköy, and the first at 06:30 and 05:45 (06:30 at weekends). Havabüs announces extra runs for delayed flights between 01:00 and 04:00 without fixed times. Otherwise take the E-10 night bus, the M4 on Friday and Saturday nights, a taxi or a pre-booked transfer.
How long does Havabüs take to Kadıköy?
About 60 minutes according to Havabüs. İETT plans 87 minutes, so allow up to 1.5 hours at rush hour. To Taksim it takes about 90 minutes, up to 2 hours in heavy traffic.
Where does Havabüs leave from at Sabiha Gökçen?
From the İETT bus stop opposite the arrivals exit, called Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı. Domestic and international flights use the same terminal and the same arrivals level. No bay number is published, so look for the white Havabüs coaches and check the destination sign.
Havabüs or M4 metro to Kadıköy?
The M4 is cheaper at ≈€0.85 (₺46.20), takes about 52 minutes and avoids traffic, with trains every 5 minutes at peak times until midnight. Havabüs costs ≈€5.50 (₺300) but gives you a seat with your luggage, a stop on the Kadıköy waterfront near the ferries, and buses until 01:30.
Rather go straight to your hotel?
Your driver tracks your flight and meets you just outside the Sabiha Gökçen arrivals exit; once you land, they contact you on WhatsApp with the exact meeting point. Fixed price per vehicle for up to 6 passengers: from €53 to Kadıköy and from €57 to Taksim, with the exact price for your date and pickup time shown before you pay.
See transfer prices Book a Sabiha Gökçen transfer