Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Besiktas: Taxi Fare & Transfer Cost

Quick answer

A metered taxi from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Besiktas costs about €34.5 (₺1,941) on the current official tariff. A pre-booked private transfer is €49–53 fixed, with the driver waiting for you at arrivals. The 39 km drive takes 45–80 minutes.

Tariff data updated: 2026-09-07 · Source: İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB · UKOME)

Book a fixed transfer from €49 →

Besiktas is the Bosphorus-front district between Dolmabahce Palace and Ortakoy, home to many of Istanbul's waterfront hotels, the Besiktas ferry pier and the stadium. From Sabiha Gokcen Airport on the Asian side it is about 40 km, and the drive takes 45 to 80 minutes because it includes a Bosphorus crossing.

distance: 39 km
drive: 45–80'
taxi ≈: €34.5
fixed from: €49+

Fixed price
Flight tracked
Free cancellation

Estimate your transfer cost

Passengers

Metered taxi

≈ €34.5

₺1,941 on the meter

Pre-booked private transfer

€49–53

fixed price, meets you at arrivals

Book a fixed-price transfer to Besiktas from €49 →

Taxi estimate uses the current official tariff. Tolls and traffic can change the final meter amount.

Interactive transfer map

Route at a glance

Where Besiktas sits relative to Sabiha Gokcen Airport — the 39 km drive at a glance.

SAW to Besiktas39 km · 45-80 min

Boundary data: Turkey-Maps-GeoJSON (Apache-2.0)

Airport

Sabiha Gokcen Airport

Istanbul transfer coverage

Besiktas39 km · 45-80 minfrom EUR 49

Your realistic options are a metered yellow taxi from the official rank, a fixed-price private transfer booked before you land, or the Havabus shuttle to Taksim plus a short local hop. The calculator below compares the first two for your group size.

All your options compared

Option	Duration	Price	Notes
Metered taxi	45-80 min	~€34.5 (₺1,941) metered	Official rank at arrivals; bridge or tunnel toll added to the meter legally.
Private transfer (pre-booked) best value	45-80 min	€49–53 (fixed)	Sedan for 1-4 passengers; price locked before you land, tolls included.
Havabus shuttle + local hop	~100 min	485 TL + local fare	Shuttle to Taksim, then a bus or short taxi down to Besiktas.
Metro M4 + ferry	100-120 min	~80-120 TL (Istanbulkart)	M4 to Kadikoy, then the Besiktas ferry; cheapest and scenic, hard with big bags.

Arriving in Besiktas

Besiktas stretches along the European shore of the Bosphorus. The palace hotels (Ciragan, Four Seasons Bosphorus, Shangri-La) sit right on the water, while the hotels around Macka and Akaretler are up the hill behind Dolmabahce. Tell the driver the hotel name rather than just the district, as the waterfront road is one-way in places and the drop-off point matters.

The ferry pier in the centre of Besiktas connects to Kadikoy and Uskudar in about 15 minutes, so once you are here the Asian side, and a cheap way back to Sabiha Gokcen via Kadikoy and the M4 metro, stays within easy reach.

Avoid the common scams

Insist on the meter (taksimetre). The bridge or Eurasia Tunnel toll is added to the fare legally; a flat cash quote for the whole trip is not.
Use the official taxi rank outside arrivals and ignore anyone offering a ride inside the terminal.
Crossing the Bosphorus at the evening rush (17:00-20:00) can add 30 minutes or more. If you land then, a fixed-price transfer removes the meter risk of sitting in traffic.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a taxi from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Besiktas?

A metered yellow taxi costs roughly the TL amount shown in the calculator above (updated with the current official tariff), about €35 plus the bridge or tunnel toll, depending on traffic.

How long does the transfer take?

45-80 minutes by car. The crossing of the Bosphorus is the variable: early morning and late evening arrivals are closest to 45 minutes, weekday evening arrivals sit at the top of the range.

Is a pre-booked private transfer worth it?

For 3-4 people with luggage a fixed transfer at €49–53 usually works out close to a taxi per person, and the driver waits at arrivals with a name sign, so there is no meter or toll discussion after a long flight.

Is there a cheaper public option?

Yes. The Havabus shuttle runs from the airport to Taksim, from where Besiktas is a short bus or taxi hop; or take the M4 metro to Kadikoy and the ferry across to Besiktas. Both take around 100-120 minutes door to door and are awkward with large luggage.

Which crossing does the taxi use?

Usually the 15 July Martyrs Bridge via the TEM motorway, arriving through Ortakoy, or the Eurasia Tunnel and the coastal road. Both are tolled and the toll is added to the meter.

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 →