Sabiha Gökçen Airport Metro (M4): Stations, Timetable, Fares and Connections
Short answer: the M4 is the metro line that connects Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) with Kadıköy on the Asian side of Istanbul. It has 23 stations, runs 33.5 km underground and takes about 52 minutes end to end, with a train every 4–6 minutes at busy times. Trains leave both ends from 06:00 until 23:59, and on Friday and Saturday nights they keep running every 30 minutes until 05:30 at a double fare. One ride costs ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) with an Istanbulkart, wherever you get off. It suits Kadıköy, Üsküdar and the stations along the coast, and with the Marmaray change at Ayrılık Çeşmesi it also reaches Sirkeci and the old city. It is a poor fit for Taksim, for heavy luggage at rush hour and for late arrivals on weeknights.
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Since 2 October 2022, when the last section opened, the M4 has been the one rail line that runs all the way from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to central Istanbul. It is operated by Metro İstanbul and uses the ordinary flat city fare, so unlike the M11 at Istanbul Airport there is no distance calculation. Below are the stations, timetable, fares, interchanges and luggage rules, and an honest view of which journeys it suits.
The M4 at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Route | Kadıköy to Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı, fully underground |
| Length and stations | 33.5 km, 23 stations |
| Journey time | 52 minutes end to end |
| First and last trains | 06:00 and 23:59 from both ends |
| Frequency | 4–5 minutes at the weekday peaks, 5–6 minutes at midday, 5–10 minutes after 21:00 |
| Night service | Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday nights, every 30 minutes, 00:30–05:30 |
| Fare, daytime | ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) per ride with an Istanbulkart |
| Fare, night service | ≈€1.65 (₺92.40; double fare, 00:30–05:30) |
| Interchanges | Marmaray (Ayrılık Çeşmesi), M8 (Kozyatağı), Metrobüs (Ünalan), T3 tram and ferries (Kadıköy) |
Timetable and fares checked on 19 October 2026 against the Metro İstanbul pages. The line opened in stages: Kadıköy–Kartal on 17 August 2012, Kartal–Tavşantepe on 10 October 2016 and Tavşantepe–Sabiha Gökçen on 2 October 2022.
All 23 stations, from the airport
The list starts at the airport, the way you will ride it on arrival. Going the other way, read it from the bottom.
| # | Station | Change to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı | Airport terminal |
| 2 | Kurtköy | – |
| 3 | Yayalar-Şeyhli | – |
| 4 | Fevzi Çakmak-Hastane | – |
| 5 | Tavşantepe | – |
| 6 | Pendik | İETT buses to Pendik high-speed-train station |
| 7 | Yakacık-Adnan Kahveci | – |
| 8 | Kartal | – |
| 9 | Soğanlık | – |
| 10 | Hastane-Adliye | – |
| 11 | Esenkent | – |
| 12 | Gülsuyu | – |
| 13 | Huzurevi | – |
| 14 | Maltepe | – |
| 15 | Küçükyalı | – |
| 16 | Bostancı | – |
| 17 | Kozyatağı | M8 (Bostancı, Dudullu) |
| 18 | Yenisahra | Havabüs coach stop |
| 19 | Göztepe | – |
| 20 | Ünalan | Metrobüs |
| 21 | Acıbadem | – |
| 22 | Ayrılık Çeşmesi | Marmaray (Üsküdar, Sirkeci, Yenikapı) |
| 23 | Kadıköy | T3 tram, ferries and sea buses |
Station order as published by Metro İstanbul. The M5 does not meet the M4 at Ünalan or anywhere else: to get from the M4 to the M5 you change to the M8 at Kozyatağı (towards Dudullu) or take the Marmaray to Üsküdar.
Finding the M4 at Sabiha Gökçen
The station is part of the airport complex and is reached from the terminal; follow the metro signs. The airport lists three station entrances: one by the car park and the domestic CIP lounge, one by the airport hotel and one at the terminal itself. Most arriving passengers will use the terminal entrance. Istanbulkart machines are reported in the station, but neither the airport nor the operator publishes exactly where, so allow time to find one before you go down to the platform.
The airport is the end of the line, so every train from its platform runs towards Kadıköy and there is no wrong direction to board.
Fares and how to pay
- Istanbulkart: ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) per ride, flat, from the airport to any station. The card itself costs ≈€3 (₺165) and comes with no credit, so top it up at the machine. One card can pay for several people if you tap it once for each person.
- Contactless bank card or single ticket: ≈€1.15 (₺65) per ride. A limited-use ticket for two rides costs ≈€2 (₺120) and for three rides ≈€3.50 (₺185). If you expect fewer than about ten rides during your stay, these can work out cheaper than buying a card.
- Visitors and transfers: the reduced transfer fares and exit refunds are only for cards personalised with a Turkish ID or residence-permit number. An anonymous Istanbulkart, which is what visitors buy, pays the full ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) on every leg, including the M4 followed by the Marmaray or the ferry.
The fare is flat, so the M4 costs the same to Kurtköy, the next stop, as to Kadıköy. For the full picture of cards and top-ups, see our Istanbulkart guide for visitors.
Timetable: first and last trains
| Day | First train | Last train | How often (timetable from Kadıköy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 06:00 | 23:59 | 4–5 min at 07–09 and 17–19; 5–6 min at 11–15; 5–10 min after 21:00 |
| Saturday and Sunday | 06:00 (night trains run before it) | 23:59 | 5–9 min on Saturday morning, 8–9 min on Sunday morning |
The last train leaves each end at 23:59 and needs about 52 minutes to reach the other, so the last arrival in Kadıköy is around 00:50. The first train from Kadıköy reaches the airport at about 06:52. We checked the frequencies against the Kadıköy-end timetable.
The night metro on Friday and Saturday
On the nights of Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday, the M4 runs every 30 minutes through the night. From the airport, trains leave at 00:30, 01:00, 01:30 and so on up to 05:30, after which the normal service resumes at 06:00. The fare is doubled from 00:30 to 05:30, which is ≈€1.65 (₺92.40) on an anonymous Istanbulkart. There is no night metro from Sunday to Monday or on weeknights. On match or event days, or when the city council extends the night service, Metro İstanbul can start it from midnight, so check the day before.
From Sunday to Thursday night there is no scheduled public transport from the airport between about 03:30 and 05:30, so a late landing needs a taxi or a pre-booked transfer. Our guide to arriving at Sabiha Gökçen at night lists every option after midnight.
Changing trains: Marmaray, M8 and the rest
- Ayrılık Çeşmesi (Marmaray): the stop before Kadıköy and the most useful change for visitors. The Marmaray runs under the Bosphorus: one stop to Üsküdar and two stops, about 7 minutes, to Sirkeci, near Sultanahmet. Your Istanbulkart pays the Marmaray fare (from ≈€0.65 / ₺37.40 for 1–7 stations) on top of the M4 ride.
- Kozyatağı (M8): the interchange for the M8, which runs to Bostancı and to Dudullu, where you can reach the M5. It is the only way to switch between the M4 and the M5.
- Ünalan (Metrobüs): change here for the Metrobüs bus-rapid-transit line to the European side. It suits commuters and is a hard ride with suitcases.
- Pendik: İETT buses link the station to Pendik high-speed-train station, handy if you are continuing by YHT.
- Kadıköy: the terminus has the T3 heritage tram towards Moda, and the ferries to Karaköy, Eminönü, Beşiktaş and Kabataş leave from the pier a short walk away. A ferry ride costs ≈€1.15 (₺65.21) with an Istanbulkart.
Where the M4 takes you
| To | Route | Time | Visitor fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kadıköy | M4, no change | about 52 min | ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) |
| Bostancı, Maltepe, Kartal, Pendik | M4, no change | less than 52 min | ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) |
| Üsküdar | M4 to Ayrılık Çeşmesi, Marmaray one stop | about 1 hour with the change (our estimate) | ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) + ≈€0.65 (₺37.40) |
| Sirkeci and Sultanahmet | M4 to Ayrılık Çeşmesi, Marmaray two stops, then a walk or the T1 tram | about 1½ hours | ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) + ≈€0.65 (₺37.40), plus the tram |
| Karaköy and Galataport | M4 to Kadıköy, ferry, short walk | about 1½ hours | ≈€2 (₺111; M4 and ferry) |
| Taksim | M4, Marmaray, then the M2 | about 80–90 min | one ride on each line at the full fare |
Times include the change but not the walk from baggage claim to the platform. Fares are what an anonymous Istanbulkart pays; the card is extra. For Taksim, the Havabüs coach takes about 90 minutes without a change.
- Kadıköy and Moda: the best match for the M4. The metro exit is on the waterfront square close to the ferry piers and the market streets. See Sabiha Gökçen to Kadıköy.
- Sultanahmet and the old city: possible by rail, but it is two systems and a walk. See Sabiha Gökçen to Sultanahmet.
- Taksim and the European side: the M4 is not the natural route. The coach is direct, and a taxi or transfer avoids the changes entirely. See Sabiha Gökçen to Taksim.
Luggage, wheelchairs and families
Metro İstanbul sets these rules for luggage:
- No single item may weigh more than 30 kg or be larger than 120 × 60 × 50 cm.
- Each passenger may carry one large suitcase plus one cabin case or one small or medium backpack free of charge. A large trekking rucksack counts as a suitcase.
- If you carry more than one suitcase, you pay one extra fare.
- Luggage must not go on seats or block the aisles; keep it in the standing areas by the doors or in marked luggage areas.
- Bulky loads such as sacks or boxes are only allowed outside 07:00–09:00 and 17:00–20:00.
In practice, one person or a couple with a suitcase each manages fine outside the rush hours. At 07:00–09:00 and 17:00–19:00 the trains towards Kadıköy fill up, and a family with a pushchair and several cases will be happier in a car. Wheelchairs are allowed, both classic chairs and power chairs with a wheelbase up to 125 cm. Lifts and escalators are not always all working: on 19 October Metro İstanbul listed moving walkways out of service at Ünalan, Hastane-Adliye and Maltepe, with repairs expected by 21–23 October. Check the faults page if step-free access matters to you.
When the M4 is not the best choice
The M4 is excellent value for one or two people travelling light to the Asian side in the daytime. It is less convincing in these cases:
- A late landing: on an international flight that lands after about 22:30, passport control and baggage claim can leave you too late for the last 23:59 train (our suggestion, not an official figure). On a weeknight there is no later train.
- Heavy luggage or children: the stations are deep and rush-hour trains are crowded. The Havabüs to Kadıköy costs ≈€5.50 (₺300) per person and has a luggage hold.
- A group of four or more: per-person fares add up. A yellow taxi to Kadıköy costs about €32–41 (₺1,800–2,300) on the meter, with no night rate. Card payment in taxis becomes mandatory on 16 November 2026, so carry some cash until then.
- Pendik, Ataşehir and Bostancı: the M4 stops at Pendik and Bostancı, but the station may be a long way from your door. A taxi to Pendik costs about €14–17 (₺800–950), to Ataşehir ≈€24–30 (₺1,350–1,650) and to Bostancı ≈€28–33 (₺1,550–1,850).
A private transfer is priced per vehicle, not per person; the exact price for your date and pickup time is shown before you pay. A Mercedes Vito takes up to 6 passengers with luggage. From Sabiha Gökçen it starts at €47 to Pendik and Kurtköy, €51 to Ataşehir and €53 to Kadıköy. The driver tracks your flight and there is no extra charge for traffic or flight delays. After you land, the driver messages you on WhatsApp with the exact meeting point and a short video, and meets you just outside the arrivals exit. The drivers speak English, and you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before pickup. See the Kadıköy transfer or all transfer prices.
Sources — checked on 19 October 2026: Metro İstanbul, M4 line · Metro İstanbul timetables · Metro İstanbul, night metro · Metro İstanbul fares · Metro İstanbul travel rules · Sabiha Gökçen Airport, metro
Euro amounts at €1 = ₺55.6.
Related guides: Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) · Sabiha Gökçen to Kadıköy · Arriving at Sabiha Gökçen at night · Istanbulkart for visitors · M11 metro from Istanbul Airport
Frequently asked questions
Is there a metro from Sabiha Gökçen Airport?
Yes. The M4 runs from the airport station to Kadıköy on the Asian side, 23 stations and about 52 minutes. A ride costs ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) with an Istanbulkart, wherever you get off. The station is reached from the terminal, and the M4 is the only metro line serving the airport.
What time is the first and last M4 train?
The first train leaves each end at 06:00 and the last at 23:59. On Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday nights, extra trains run every 30 minutes from 00:30 to 05:30 at a double fare of ≈€1.65 (₺92.40). There is no night service from Sunday to Thursday night.
How often do M4 trains run?
On weekdays every 4–5 minutes at 07:00–09:00 and 17:00–19:00, every 5–6 minutes at midday and every 5–10 minutes after 21:00. On Saturday and Sunday mornings the gap is 5–9 minutes. We checked the timetable on 19 October 2026.
How much does the M4 cost from Sabiha Gökçen?
≈€0.85 (₺46.20) per ride with an anonymous Istanbulkart, the same fare to every station on the line. A contactless bank card or single ticket costs ≈€1.15 (₺65). The Istanbulkart itself costs ≈€3 (₺165) and comes with no credit.
How do I get from Sabiha Gökçen to Sultanahmet by metro?
Take the M4 to Ayrılık Çeşmesi, change to the Marmaray and ride two stops to Sirkeci (about 7 minutes), then walk or take the T1 tram to Sultanahmet. Allow about 1½ hours. A visitor's Istanbulkart pays the full fare on each leg, because the transfer discount is only for cards personalised with a Turkish ID or residence permit.
Can I take large suitcases on the M4?
Yes. Each passenger may carry one large suitcase and one cabin case or small backpack free of charge, with a limit of 30 kg and 120 × 60 × 50 cm per item. More than one suitcase means one extra fare. Avoid 07:00–09:00 and 17:00–19:00 if you can, when trains are crowded.
Does the M4 connect to the M5?
Not directly. The M5 has no interchange with the M4, including at Ünalan. Change to the M8 at Kozyatağı and ride towards Dudullu for the M5, or take the Marmaray to Üsküdar, where the M5 starts.
Is the M4 good for Taksim?
Not really. By rail it means the M4, the Marmaray and the M2, about 80–90 minutes with two changes. The Havabüs coach goes direct in about 90 minutes, and a taxi costs about €39–50 (₺2,150–2,800) plus tolls. A private transfer to Taksim starts at €57 per vehicle.
What if I land at Sabiha Gökçen after the last M4?
On Friday and Saturday nights the M4 keeps running every 30 minutes until 05:30. On other nights, take the E-10 night bus to Kadıköy, a taxi (there is no night rate) or a pre-booked transfer. A transfer driver tracks your flight, messages you on WhatsApp after you land and meets you just outside the arrivals exit.
Rather skip the metro and the changes?
Your driver tracks your flight, messages you on WhatsApp after you land and meets you just outside the arrivals exit, then drives you to your door. A Mercedes Vito for up to 6 passengers costs from €53 to Kadıköy, and the exact price for your date and pickup time is shown before you pay.
See transfer prices Book a Sabiha Gökçen transfer