IST → Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) · 90 km
Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Gokcen (SAW): Taxi Fare & Transfer Cost
Taxi ≈ €77.9 · Fixed €55–65Istanbul's two airports sit on opposite sides of the city and the Bosphorus, and moving between them is one of the longest airport transfers in Turkey: about 90 km from IST on the European side to Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) on the Asian side, 75 minutes on a clear night and easily two hours in daytime traffic. If you are connecting between a flight into one and a flight out of the other, treat this as a proper journey, not a shuttle hop.
Quick answer
A metered taxi from Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) costs about €77.9 (₺4,385) on the current official tariff. A pre-booked private transfer is €55–65 fixed. The 90 km drive takes 75–130 minutes.
Tariff data updated: 2026-09-05 · Source: İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB · UKOME)
Book a fixed transfer from €55 →- distance
- 90 km
- drive
- 75–130'
- taxi ≈
- €77.9
- fixed from
- €55+
- Fixed price
- Flight tracked
- Free cancellation
Estimate your transfer cost
Metered taxi
≈ €77.9
₺4,385 on the meter
Pre-booked private transfer
€55–65
fixed price, meets you at arrivals
Taxi estimate uses the current official tariff. Tolls and traffic can change the final meter amount.
Interactive transfer map
Route at a glance
Where Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) sits relative to Istanbul Airport — the 90 km drive at a glance.
Boundary data: Turkey-Maps-GeoJSON (Apache-2.0)
Airport
Istanbul Airport
Istanbul transfer coverage
A metered taxi comes to roughly €78 (about 4,385 TL) with the motorway and bridge tolls added on top, a pre-booked private transfer is €55–65 fixed with tolls included, and the Havaist airport-to-airport bus is the cheap option if your connection allows three hours. The calculator below prices the meter for your group size.
All your options compared
| Option | Duration | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metered taxi | 75-130 min | ~€77.9 (₺4,385) metered | single 24/7 tariff; bridge and motorway tolls added to the meter |
| Private transfer (pre-booked) best value | 75-130 min | €55–65 (fixed) | tolls included; driver tracks the inbound flight |
| Havaist airport-to-airport bus | ~2-2.5 hours | per-person ticket, card only | direct coach between the terminals; check hava.ist for the current timetable |
Arriving in Sabiha Gokcen (SAW)
Sabiha Gokcen is a single-terminal airport, so arriving by car is simple: the driver drops you at the departures level, and check-in, security and the gates are all under one roof. Allow the usual two hours before an international departure and note that SAW's security queues at peak times are longer than IST's. If you are being met rather than departing, the taxi rank and the pre-booked transfer meeting points are outside arrivals on the ground floor.
The route itself is almost all motorway: the Northern Marmara Motorway east from IST, over the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge - the northernmost Bosphorus crossing - and down the TEM to the airport. There are no useful stops on the way and no rail link between the two airports; the M11 metro from IST and the M4 from SAW both run into the city but do not connect to each other without several changes.
Before you fly
Have data the moment you land
A Turkey eSIM installed before departure connects as soon as the plane doors open, so you can message your driver, open the meter estimate or ring the hotel without hunting for airport Wi-Fi. Airalo's Turkey plans run on the Turk Telekom network, from 3 to 30 days with unlimited-data options; it is data only and needs an unlocked, eSIM-capable phone, so check compatibility before you buy.
See Turkey eSIM plans →Things to do in Istanbul
Popular tours and tickets travellers book alongside their transfer.
Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Live ShowsA three-hour evening cruise between the European and Asian shores, with dinner, drinks and Turkish live entertainment. The classic first night in Istanbul.Check availability →
Hagia Sophia Skip-the-Line TicketsPriority entry to Sultanahmet's most famous landmark, with audio-guide and guided-tour options. Security queues can reach an hour in season, so the ticket line is worth skipping.Check availability →
Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line TicketsThe underground Byzantine cistern with its Medusa columns, two minutes' walk from Hagia Sophia. Short visit, big impression, and easy to slot in on arrival day.Check availability →
Dolmabahce Palace TicketsThe Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus shore, near the Kabatas tram and ferry stops. Book a timed ticket to avoid the ticket-office queue.Check availability →Avoid the common scams
- Ask for the meter and expect tolls on top. Istanbul taxis run one 24/7 tariff, and the bridge and motorway tolls on this route are legally added to the metered amount, so the total will be noticeably more than the meter reading - that is normal, not a scam. A flat off-meter price quoted at the rank is the thing to refuse.
- Build in buffer. Most airlines will not protect a connection between two different airports, so a late inbound flight plus two hours of traffic can cost you the outbound. Four hours between landing at IST and departing from SAW is a sensible minimum by road; the Havaist bus needs more.
- A pre-booked transfer is the calmer choice here because the driver tracks your inbound flight and the price is locked with tolls included. Give the airline and flight number of the arriving flight when you book, not the departing one, so the pickup time moves with any delay.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi from Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Gokcen?
On the current tariff the 90 km run reads around 4,385 TL on the meter, about €78, and the motorway and Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge tolls are added on top at the end. Istanbul has no night surcharge, so the meter figure is the same at 3 a.m. as at noon; only the traffic changes.
How long does it take from IST to SAW?
Around 75 minutes with clear roads, typically 90-130 minutes in daytime, and worse in the evening rush when the TEM motorway on the Asian side slows to a crawl. The Havaist airport-to-airport bus takes two hours or more once you count boarding and stops.
Is there a bus between Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen?
Yes. Havaist runs a direct coach between the two airports at intervals through the day, taking about two hours; tickets are bought on board by contactless card, not cash. Check hava.ist for the current timetable and fare before relying on it for a connection, because a missed coach means an hour's wait.
Is a pre-booked transfer worth it between the airports?
For a connection, yes: the fixed €55–65 price includes tolls, the driver tracks your inbound flight, and you skip the rank queue at a moment when time matters more than money. A metered taxi at around €78 plus tolls is the fallback if you have not booked.
Can I connect between IST and SAW on the same ticket?
Only rarely - most airlines sell IST and SAW as separate airports and will not rebook you if you miss the second flight because of the transfer. If your booking shows a change of airport, treat the two flights as independent, leave at least four hours between them, and pre-book the car so that a delay on the first leg moves your pickup automatically.
Other routes from Istanbul Airport
Comparing all ways into the city?
The Istanbul Airport guide compares every way into the city side by side — with live prices and journey times.
Istanbul Airport transfer guide →IST → Sabiha Gokcen (SAW)Fixed €55–65 · pre-book before you land
Book transfer