Istanbul: getting there via SAW and IST, districts, Hagia Sophia, Topkapı and costs

Istanbul lies on two continents: the Bosphorus separates the European from the Asian half of the city. The city suits you if you want to see Byzantine mosaics, sultans' palaces and the Grand Bazaar in a few days. You commute between the two shores by scheduled ferry.

Most visitors stay briefly. In accommodation with a tourism licence, the length of stay in 2024 averaged 2.22 days, and for foreign visitors 2.37 days. German nationals entered through Istanbul's airports and ports a good 1.5 million times in 2025; only from Russia did more come.

Istanbul is a poorer fit if you are looking for warmth in winter or expect admission at local prices. In December an average of 99.2 mm of precipitation falls. For the combination ticket at Topkapı Palace, foreign visitors pay 2,750 TL, locals 500 TL (as of September 2026).

Getting there and from the airport into the city

From Germany you fly either to Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side or to Istanbul Airport (IST). In 2025 around 2.95 million passengers boarded flights to Istanbul at the main German airports, which was 4th place among all foreign destinations. The larger share, around 1.9 million, flew to SAW and around 1.0 million to IST (Destatis, as of July 2026).

Which airport suits you better depends mainly on your accommodation.

Sabiha Gökçen (SAW): Asian side, metro M4

Sabiha Gökçen lies in Pendik/Kurtköy on the Asian side. It is 40 km to Kadıköy and 50 km to Taksim. Since 2 October 2022 the metro M4 has stopped directly at the airport, with access from the terminal.

The M4 runs entirely underground to Kadıköy, over 33.5 km with 23 stations in 52 minutes. It operates from 06:00 to 00:00, every 5 minutes at rush hour. From Friday 06:00 to Sunday 00:00 it runs as a night metro without a break (as of September 2026). A journey costs the flat fare of 46.20 TL with the İstanbulkart.

On the way you have connections to Marmaray, Metrobus and M8. In Kadıköy ferries and the tram T3 are waiting. One large suitcase plus a cabin suitcase or small rucksack travel free on the M4. Anyone who boards with more than one suitcase pays for an additional journey.

The Havabus airport bus goes to Taksim for 485 TL and takes about 1.5 hours depending on traffic. From SAW it leaves every 30 minutes from 06:30 to 00:30, and between 01:00 and 04:00 there are journeys for delayed flights. To Kadıköy the Havabus costs 300 TL and takes about 60 minutes (as of September 2026).

Cheaper is the city bus E-10 via Kurtköy to Kadıköy for 92.40 TL (as of July 2026).

Istanbul Airport (IST): metro M11 and Havaist buses

From Istanbul Airport the bus route to Taksim is 48 km long, and to Kadıköy on the Asian side 75 km.

The metro M11 has run from the airport to Gayrettepe since January 2024. At the opening the Ministry of Transport gave 30 minutes to there and 41 minutes to Taksim with a change (as of January 2024). At Gayrettepe you change to the M2 or the Metrobus, at Kağıthane to the M7. Since 20 June 2026 the line has extended in the opposite direction as far as the transport hub Halkalı.

The M11 fare depends on the number of stations. With the İstanbulkart you pay 37.40 TL for up to three stations and at most 73.19 TL for 15 to 16 stations (as of July 2026). When you board, the maximum amount is deducted first, and when you get off you get the remainder back.

The Havaist buses run on 11 routes into the city and start from transport level −2. Except when buying online, you pay only with İstanbulkart, QR code, credit or debit card; concession, transfer and subscription cards are not valid (as of July 2026). Wheelchair users register an accessible midibus at the Havaist desk at least one hour in advance.

The main routes according to Havaist (as of September 2026):

• HVL-9 to Taksim: Departure from bus bay 16, 470 TL, scheduled 90 minutes. There are 30 departures a day, every 40 to 60 minutes during the day, with a break at night from 02:15 to 04:30. Towards the airport, the "orange" journeys from Taksim also stop at Beşiktaş Meydan, while the "blue" ones run as express.
• HVL-13 to Sultanahmet (Çatladıkapı): 470 TL, scheduled 110 minutes, 21 departures from 05:00 to 23:45, with stops at Şişhane and the Eminönü pier, among others. The city tariff gives 420 TL for it (as HVL-11).
• HVL-6 to Kadıköy: 515 TL, scheduled 120 minutes, around the clock, mostly every 75 minutes.
• Between IST and SAW: 515 TL, according to the city tariff (HVL-10) 530 TL.

Cheaper are the wheelchair-accessible city buses H-1, H-2, H-3, H-6 and H-8 at 92.40 TL per journey (as of July 2026). The H-2 goes, for example, to Mecidiyeköy, the H-8 to Hacıosman.

Taxi: three classes, price by taximeter

At IST airport taxis in three classes wait around the clock. The orange class C cars are called yellow taxis in the city's tariff, and there are also turquoise (D) and black (E) ones. All run on the taximeter. You pay the toll for bridges, tunnels and motorway on top.

The tariffs have applied since 20 July 2026.

Which airport suits which district

For Kadıköy, SAW is clearly ahead, at 40 km distance and with a direct metro. To Taksim both routes are similarly long: 50 km from SAW, 48 km of bus route from IST. To the old town a bus runs directly from IST.

Where to stay: the districts compared

The statistics count most overnight stays in the old town. The district of Fatih with Sultanahmet reached around 9.2 million in 2024, Beyoğlu around 5.7 million. Beşiktaş was at around 1.4 million, Kadıköy on the Asian side at around 784,000 (as of the year 2024).

The Turkish tourism portal names Galata, Karaköy, Beyoğlu and Kadıköy as particularly good to explore on foot. İstiklal Caddesi is Beyoğlu's paved main street. Since 1991 the heritage tram has run along it between Taksim and Tünel, past arcades such as Çiçek Pasajı and Atlas Pasajı. The "Tünel" itself opened in 1875 and counts, after London, as the second-oldest underground railway in the world.

In Kadıköy the T3 runs as a 2.6 km loop line through Moda, with 11 stops in 20 minutes. Second-hand Tatra trams of type GT6 from Jena operate there.

Sights: admission, closing days and getting there

Since 1985 the "Historic Areas of Istanbul" have been on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Protected are the Archaeological Park at the tip of the peninsula, the Süleymaniye district, Zeyrek and the land walls. They date from the time of Theodosius II and are 6,650 m long.

Hagia Sophia: gallery for visitors

Hagia Sophia was designed by Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus in the years 532 to 537. From 1935 it was a museum, and since 2020 it has been a mosque again. Since 15 January 2024 worshippers and foreign visitors have been separated: tourists visit the gallery, and the ticket office is opposite the fountain of Ahmed III.

The entrance is on the south side under the minaret of Bayezid II. Upstairs you see Byzantine mosaics and walk through the so-called Heaven-and-Hell door. You hear explanations via QR code and headphones, in a choice of 23 languages.

According to the Ministry of Culture, admission for foreign visitors was 25 euros (as of January 2024). That is the last official price, so check the current price before your visit.

Blue Mosque: six minarets

The Sultanahmet Mosque dates from the 17th century and has six minarets. Its nickname comes from the blue İznik tiles in the interior. Prayer times change daily and are given by the religious affairs authority Diyanet.

Topkapı Palace: closed on Tuesdays

Mehmed II had the palace built in the 15th century after the conquest of Constantinople. On 3 April 1924 it became the first museum of the Republic, and since 2019 it has been run by the presidential authority Millî Saraylar.

On Tuesdays the palace is closed, as it is on New Year's Day and on the first day of Eid al-Fitr. Tickets are available from 09:00 to 17:00. The combination ticket for the palace, harem and Hagia Irene costs foreign visitors 2,750 TL. The harem and Hagia Irene individually cost 1,050 TL each, the night tour 4,000 TL (as of September 2026). Children up to 6 years get in free.

Dolmabahçe Palace: closed on Mondays

Dolmabahçe Palace in the Beşiktaş district is the largest palace in Turkey. Over 14,595 m² there are 285 rooms, 44 halls and 6 hamams. From 1856 six sultans resided here, and Atatürk also died here. The palace has been open to the public as a museum since 1984.

The closing day is Monday; it is also closed on New Year's Day and on the first day of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The ticket office opens from 09:00 to 17:00. Selamlık, harem and the Painting Museum together cost foreign visitors 2,000 TL. The "Milli Saraylar Full Pass" for Dolmabahçe and other palaces and pavilions, but without Topkapı, costs 3,500 TL (as of September 2026).

Basilica Cistern: over 300 columns beneath the city

Emperor Justinian I had the cistern built in the 6th century. More than 300 marble columns support the space, and none of the many cisterns beneath the city is larger. Two Medusa heads serve as column bases; why one lies upside down and one on its side is not known. The special price of 1 TL has been available since April 2026 only to Turkish citizens with an ID card.

Grand Bazaar: 65 streets

The founding year of the Kapalıçarşı is given as 1461. The bazaar measures 110,868 m², of which 45,000 m² is covered, and has 65 streets. The traders' association gives 3,600 shops on its website, while the management plan published there in 2024 gives 2,385 shops, 14 hans and 2 bedestens.

According to this plan, the bazaar is open in all twelve months, and the board sets the opening hours internally. The T1 stops at the Beyazıt-Kapalıçarşı station.

Süleymaniye Mosque: Sinan's complex on the third hill

Court architect Sinan designed the complex in the years 1550 to 1557. The mosque stands on the third hill above the Golden Horn and has four minarets. In the garden are the tombs of the sultan and his wife. The surrounding district is part of the World Heritage site. Its wooden houses were already considered endangered when it was added to the list.

Galata Tower: open until 23:00

Genoese builders built the tower in the middle of the 14th century, and today it is a museum. It is open daily from 08:30 to 18:30, then as a "night museum" until 23:00 with last admission at 22:00. Admission costs 30 euros (as of September 2026). Anyone younger than 18 gets in only with their parents.

Chora (Kariye): mosaics from the 14th century

The Kariye in Edirnekapı (Fatih) is part of the World Heritage site. Its mosaics and frescoes date from the 14th century, sponsored by Theodore Metochites. From 1945 it was a museum, and in 2021 it became a mosque again. It was restored for four years, and since 6 May 2024 worshippers and visitors have been allowed in again.

Bosphorus and Museum Pass

On both shores of the Bosphorus stand around 360 historic waterfront villas, the yalıs. You commute between Europe and Asia by scheduled ferry, for example from Beşiktaş to Üsküdar for 50.15 TL (as of July 2026).

The Museum Pass Istanbul costs 105 euros and is valid for 5 days from the first museum visit (as of September 2026). It covers 13 museums of the Ministry of Culture, each once. It is best to check which ones they are before buying.

Best time to visit: the climate in Istanbul

The figures come from the Turkish weather service MGM. Measurements were taken at the stations Kadıköy, Florya and Sarıyer over the period 1950 to 2025.

High summer is the driest: in July an average of 22.1 mm falls, and the maximum temperatures in July and August are 29.7 °C. May, June and September are somewhat milder, with mean maximums of 22.3 to 27.1 °C, and have 5.37 to 7.52 rainy days.

In winter it gets wet and cool. January averages 16.27 rainy days, and December brings the most precipitation with 99.2 mm. The records of the measurement series: 40.6 °C in July, −9.0 °C in February and 41 cm of snow on 9 March 1987.

Costs

For the Basilica Cistern, the Chora and the İstanbulkart itself the table gives no price, because no verified figure was available for them.

Practical information: money, time, tickets, emergencies

Money and cards

You pay in Turkish lira (TRY). With the German Girocard you can get cash from many machines, but most Turkish banks charge a fee for it. Credit cards are accepted, and sometimes you have to show your passport or ID card as well (as of September 2026).

Time

Since 2016 Turkey has no longer changed its clocks and stays on summer time all year round. The difference from German time therefore shifts whenever Germany switches between summer and winter time.

Tickets, changing and night service

Changing saves money. Within 120 minutes with the İstanbulkart, the first transfer costs 34.40 TL, the second 26.42 TL and the third to fifth 17.18 TL each (as of July 2026).

After midnight it gets more expensive. From 00:30 to 05:30 every journey by rail, bus and boat costs double, with the Metrobus among the exceptions. On seven lines (M1A, M1B, M2, M4, M5, M6, M7) there is continuous service on the nights to Saturday and to Sunday, 66 hours in a row in total.

On city ferries, luggage over 50 litres or 30 kg incurs a surcharge. In a taxi the taximeter price applies in principle.

Emergencies and entry

The single emergency number is 112. It has combined former individual numbers such as 155, 156 and 110.

The current rules on entry, safety and health are set out by the German Foreign Office.

Who Istanbul is not for

• If you are looking for warmth in winter: In December the mean maximum is 11.8 °C, in January 9.6 °C, and in both months there are more than 15 rainy days.
• If you expect culture at local prices: Foreign visitors pay 2,000 TL at Dolmabahçe Palace, locals 250 TL. The Galata Tower costs 30 euros.
• If you want to get from the airport to the hotel quickly: Havaist takes a scheduled 90 minutes to Taksim and 120 minutes to Kadıköy, the Havabus from SAW to Taksim about 1.5 hours.
• If you are not good on foot: Between the shore at Kabataş and Taksim there are 70 metres of elevation, and the funicular overcomes a 22.19 % gradient in doing so.
• If you want to take the train at night during the week: M2, M4 and the tram T1 run from 06:00 to 00:00. The night metro runs through only on the nights to Saturday and Sunday, from 00:30 at double the price.
• If you plan palaces for Monday or Tuesday: Dolmabahçe is closed on Mondays, Topkapı on Tuesdays.