How do I get from Istanbul airport to Sultanahmet?

Q: How do I get from Istanbul airport to Sultanahmet?

Havaist coach to Aksaray: TRY 470 for one traveler, 90 min. It leaves you at Aksaray Metro, at the western edge of the old city, via Nurtepe, Ayvansaray and Ulubatlı. Havaist's direct Sultanahmet coach runs 05:00 to 23:45 only, 110 minutes; İBB lists TRY 420 but the operator charges TRY 470 — expect to pay 470. At night, or for more departures, the Havaist Aksaray coach (TRY 470, 90 minutes, through the night) leaves you at Aksaray, four T1 tram stops away (the tram runs 06:00 to midnight). The metro-only route — M11 to Gayrettepe, M2 to Vezneciler, then a walk — is three legs with luggage and not priced here.

Home / Istanbul / Istanbul Airport / Sultanahmet

Istanbul airporttoSultanahmet

Airport to destination · One way · All prices are totals for 1 adult · All service hours

2 ways to Sultanahmet

For Istanbul generally we recommend the M11 metro to Gayrettepe; for Sultanahmet the answer changes.

Recommended

The cheapest way in. Nothing listed is quicker.

Havaist coach to Aksaray

Havaist · Havaist (İBB), fare set by İBB — line HVL-1

90 min rideEvery 40 minRuns all night

Transportation floor -2Aksaray Metro

Non-stop24-hour service

TRY 470total for 1 adultTRY 470 eachBuy ticketOn Havaist, fare set by İBB

Pickup, hours & luggage

Boards at. Transportation floor -2, Peron 12

Flat, per person, TRY 470 in İBB's tariff (HVL-1) and in Havaist's own fare data. Card, online ticket or İstanbulkart on board; no cash; no single-use ticket on this 11-unit line.

Luggage. Two bags of no more than medium size free per passenger; TRY 120 for each bag beyond that.

Price for every party size · Fare source

Shuttle

Havaist coach to Sultanahmet

Havaist · Havaist (İBB), fare set by İBB

110 min rideEvery 60 min05:00–23:45

Transportation floor -2Çatladıkapı

Non-stop

TRY 470total for 1 adultTRY 470 eachBuy ticketOn Havaist, fare set by İBB

Pickup, hours & luggage

Boards at. Transportation floor -2, Peron 11

Havaist charges TRY 470; İBB's tariff lists TRY 420; Havaist's English site says 8 Euro. Expect to pay TRY 470. Card, online ticket or İstanbulkart only — no cash, and no transfer, concession or season cards.

Luggage. Two bags of no more than medium size free per passenger; TRY 120 for each bag beyond that.

Hours. Roughly hourly from the airport, 05:00 to 23:45, on Havaist's own timetable. No night departures on this line.

Price for every party size · Fare source

Havaist's direct Sultanahmet coach runs 05:00 to 23:45 only, 110 minutes; İBB lists TRY 420 but the operator charges TRY 470 — expect to pay 470. At night, or for more departures, the Havaist Aksaray coach (TRY 470, 90 minutes, through the night) leaves you at Aksaray, four T1 tram stops away (the tram runs 06:00 to midnight). The metro-only route — M11 to Gayrettepe, M2 to Vezneciler, then a walk — is three legs with luggage and not priced here.

Ride times exclude walking and waiting. Every way from Istanbul Airport into Istanbul

Your destination

Straight there.

The old city — Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Eminönü and Sirkeci — which no metro from the airport reaches.

Istanbul Airport

Follow the signs

Transportation floor -2

Havaist coach to Aksaray · 90 min

Sultanahmet

Havaist coach to Aksaray serves Sultanahmet. M11 metro to Gayrettepe does not.

Arriving late?

Not everything runs around the clock: the Havaist coach to Sultanahmet runs 05:00–23:45. Outside those hours, the Havaist coach to Aksaray is what remains. and the board keeps only what is running.

From arrivals to Sultanahmet

Find the stop

Transportation floor -2. Follow the signs from arrivals.

Choose Havaist coach to Aksaray

Check the destination and departure board before boarding.

Arrive at Sultanahmet

90 min. Continue to your accommodation or follow signs for onward transport.

Rather go door to door?

A private car into Istanbul: TRY 3,900 for four

Four pay TRY 1,880 on the cheapest way to Sultanahmet on this page. The car meets you in arrivals and drives to your door. TRY 3,900 is what Welcome Pickups charges to the centre of Istanbul; it quotes the fare for your own address when you book ahead.

A partner link: Welcome Pickups pays us a commission on a booking. It has no say in how the options are ranked.

Book transfer The car in detail

A few things for the rest of your trip

Partner offers

Not transport options · Affiliate links

Data in TürkiyeAiralo

An eSIM for Türkiye, installed before you fly, works in the arrivals hall: tickets, maps, the driver's messages.

Choose an eSIM

Bags in IstanbulBounce

Bounce keeps bags in shops and hotels around Istanbul: 87 places by its own count, booked by the day for the hours before check-in.

Find a bag drop

A late flight?AirHelp

A flight three or more hours late, or cancelled at short notice, can be owed up to €600 a passenger under EU and UK rules, depending on the flight. AirHelp charges only if the claim succeeds.

Check your flight

These links pay us a commission. They never change which transfer we rank first.

Continuing by public transport?

Follow the station signs for your onward connection.

Walking to your stay?

Check the address and choose the nearest exit.

Before you travel

Does the M11 metro to Gayrettepe stop at Sultanahmet?

No. It runs to Gayrettepe.

Does the Havaist coach to Taksim stop at Sultanahmet?

No. It runs to Taksim Square. Some departures run via 4. Levent.

What if my flight arrives late?

Not everything runs around the clock: the Havaist coach to Sultanahmet runs 05:00–23:45. Outside those hours, the Havaist coach to Aksaray is what remains.

How far is Sultanahmet from the centre?