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Sultanahmet

Photo: Moonik · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Istanbul Airport → Sultanahmet: Private Taxi & Transfer

Roughly 46 km, about 45 min on the road. A private car, your name on a sign, and a price that is fixed before you fly.

  • from €55
  • Fixed price
  • Free cancellation
  • Pay in the vehicle

Key facts

From Istanbul Airport (IST) to Sultanahmet it is roughly 46 km, about 45 min by car. With Trinktaxi the cheapest car is the Economy for up to 3 travellers, from €55 one way; the VIP Sprinter takes up to 16 travellers for €90. You pay the driver the price you booked. You can also fly into Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW): about 39 km to Sultanahmet, cars from €55.

Route
Istanbul Airport (IST) → Sultanahmet
Distance
~46 km
Travel time
~45 min
Price
from €55 one way · €110 return (per vehicle)
Vehicles
Economy €55 (3 passengers) · First Class €60 (6 passengers) · VIP Sprinter €90 (16 passengers)
Service
Private car, driver with name sign, flight monitoring, free cancellation up to 24 h
Hotels
55 hotels, dropped at the door
Other airport
Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) · ~39 km · from €55

Car prices for Sultanahmet

One price per car, however many seats you fill. A return is charged per direction.

Economy

Economy

  • 3
  • 3
One way
€55
Round trip
€110
Book now
First Class

First Class

  • 6
  • 6
One way
€60
Round trip
€120
Book now
VIP Sprinter

VIP Sprinter

  • 16
  • 16
One way
€90
Round trip
€180
Book now

Sultanahmet → Istanbul Airport: Taxi for Your Departure

Going back from Sultanahmet to Istanbul Airport costs the same and takes about 45 min. Leave at least 2 h 45 min before a domestic flight and 3 h 45 min before an international one. Book it together with your arrival – the cheapest round trip is €110.

Domestic2 h 45 minbefore departure, leave the hotel
International3 h 45 minbefore departure, leave the hotel

What each traveller pays

Trinktaxi charges per car, so sharing it lowers the cost per person. The figures below assume every seat is used.

CarSeatsPer person, one wayPer person, round trip
Economy 3 €18.33 €36.67
First Class 6 €10 €20
VIP Sprinter 16 €5.63 €11.25

Best value for a full group: the VIP Sprinter, about €5.63 per person one way.

Trinktaxi travel notes for this route

  • Add your flight number when booking – it lets the driver follow your landing time.
  • Allow about 45 min for the 46 km drive; the price stays the same in heavy traffic.
  • For the trip back, leave 2 h 45 min before a domestic and 3 h 45 min before an international departure.
  • Keep euros in cash for the driver – nothing is charged online.

Sultanahmet at a glance

Sultanahmet, at the tip of the historic peninsula, brings together the most important monuments of the Byzantine and Ottoman eras. Hagia Sophia, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque), Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern and the former Hippodrome are all within walking distance of one another, which is why many first-time visitors choose to stay here. The cobbled lanes are lined with small guesthouses and boutique hotels.

The area around the squares and some side streets are closed to traffic or very narrow, so your driver may drop you at the closest accessible point to your hotel. Because many hotels here have similar names, please write the exact hotel name and street in your booking. If you travel with large or numerous suitcases, add this to the notes so a suitable vehicle can be planned.

  • Istanbul Airport (IST)
  • About 46 km · 45 min
  • from €55 · one way

Arriving in Sultanahmet: what to know

Istanbul Airport lies far out on the Black Sea side of the city, so the ride into Sultanahmet is mostly motorway until the final approach. Depending on traffic, your driver will either come in along the Sea of Marmara shore road, with the old city walls on one side and the water on the other, or cut through the city towards the historic peninsula. Weekday mornings and, above all, late afternoons and Friday evenings are the slowest times; a rainy day can stretch the journey considerably.

Arrival is the tricky part. Much of the area around Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque is closed to cars, the tram runs along the main avenue, and the cobbled lanes sloping down to the sea are often one-way and barely wider than a van. Your driver will stop as close as the streets allow, which may mean a short walk. When flying home, plan your pickup generously: the airport itself is vast, and check-in queues can be long.

Hotels we drive to in Sultanahmet

Open a hotel for its own price, route and departure times.

Hotel Sultan HillTavukhane Sokağı Sultan Ahmet Sultanahmet Palace HotelTorun Sokağı Sultan Ahmet Blue House HotelDalbast sokak Sultan Ahmet Magnaura Palace HotelKutlugun sokak Cankurtaran Hotel TurkomanAsmali çeşme sokak Binbirdirek Hotel SphendonAkbıyık Değirmeni Sokağı Sultan Ahmet Hotel Fehmi BeyÜçler sokak 13 Binbirdirek GLK Premier Regency Suites & SpaAkbıyık Caddesi Cankurtaran Hotel Arcadia Blue Istanbulİmran Öktem Caddesi 1 Binbirdirek Hotel Amira IstanbulAksakal Sokağı Küçük Ayasofya Sura Design Hotel & SuitesTicarethane Sokak 13 Alemdar Rose Garden Suites IstanbulŞehit Mehmetpaşa Sokağı 12 Küçük Ayasofya Antusa Palace Hotel & SpaÇatalçeşme Sokak Alemdar Hotel Valide Sultan KonağıKutlugün Sokağı Cankurtaran White House Hotel IstanbulÇatal Çeşme Sokak;Çatalçeşme Sokak 21 Alemdar İshak Paşa Palace by Signature HotelsIshakpaşa Caddesi Cankurtaran Best Western Antea Palace Hotel & SpaCinci Meydanı Sokağı Küçük Ayasofya Dedem Boutique HotelEmin Sinan Hamamı Sokağı Emin Sinan Hotel AziyadéCephaneci Sokağı Emin Sinan Antik Konak OtelKüçük Ayasofya Caddesi Küçük Ayasofya Hotel SultaniaIbn-I-Kemal Caddesi 3 Hocapaşa Black Tulip HotelHüdavendigar Caddesi Hocapaşa Empire Palace Hotel & SpaHüdavendigar Caddesi Hocapaşa Levni Hotel & SpaSafveti Paşa Sokağı Hocapaşa Hotel NenaKlodfarer caddesi Binbirdirek Bucoleon Palace HotelÇayıroğlu Sokak Küçük Ayasofya Crowne Plaza Istanbul Old CityFethi Bey Caddesi Balabanağa DoubleTree by Hilton Istanbul Old TownOrdu Caddesi 31 Mimar Kemalettin Antik Hotel IstanbulBuyuk handar efindi caddesi Mimar Kemalettin Orka Royal HotelDarüssade Sokak Hocapaşa Büyük Şahinler HotelMesihpaşa Caddesi Mimar Kemalettin Zurich Hotel IstanbulVidinli Tevfikpaşa Caddesi Balabanağa Aprilis Gold HotelPeykhane caddesi Binbirdirek Bekdaş Hotel DeluxeDerinkuyu Sokağı 4 Nişanca Grand Ons HotelAzimkar Sokak Mesihpaşa Legacy Ottoman HotelHamidiye Caddesi, Sirkeci, Fatih/İstanbul Hagia Sophia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by HiltonKabasakal Caddesi 5 Cankurtaran Ottoman Hotel ImperialNeviye Sokağı Şehsuvar Bey Sirkeci MansionTaya Hatun Caddesi 5 Cankurtaran Hotel Ibrahim PashaTerzihane Sokağı Binbirdirek Kybele HotelYerebatan Caddesi Alemdar Hotel Empress ZoeAdliye Sokağı Cankurtaran Seven Hills HotelTevkifhane Sokak 8 Cankurtaran Eresin Crown HotelKucuk Ayasofia Caddesi 40 Küçük Ayasofya Armada Istanbul Old City HotelYerebatan Caddesi 15 Alemdar Hotel SultanhanPiyer loti caddesi Binbirdirek Sura Hagia Sophia HotelTicarethane Sokak 10 Alemdar Avicenna HotelAmiral Tafdil Sokağı 19 Cankurtaran Ajwa Hotel Sultanahmetİncili Çavuş Sokak Alemdar Adamar HotelYerebatan Caddesi Alemdar Neorion HotelOrhaniye Caddesi Hocapaşa Hotel ArenaÜçler Hamamı Sokak Küçük Ayasofya Romance Istanbul HotelHüdavendigar Caddesi Hocapaşa Hotel Celal SultanSalkım Söğüt Sokak Alemdar Grand Oztanik HotelTiyatro caddesi Mimar Hayrettin

Close to Sultanahmet

All destinations
Alternative airport Sabiha Gökçen Airport – Sultanahmet ~39 km · 40 min · from €55

Questions travellers ask us

Short answers about the ride from Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet.

How much time should I plan for Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet?

Plan around 45 min for the roughly 46 km drive. Rush hour can add minutes, but it never adds euros – the price is set when you book.

What does a car from Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet cost?

You pay per car, not per traveller. One way: Economy €55 (3 passengers), First Class €60 (6 passengers), VIP Sprinter €90 (16 passengers). Tolls, taxes and the name-sign pickup are already inside the price.

Is a Trinktaxi from Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet a normal taxi?

It is a taxi you book ahead: a private car just for your group, from Istanbul Airport to your door in Sultanahmet. There is no meter – the price, from €55 per car, is fixed when you book, and luggage or traffic never adds to it.

Which car suits a big group going to Sultanahmet?

For Sultanahmet the biggest option is the VIP Sprinter: up to 16 travellers for €90 one way. The booking form only offers cars that fit your group.

Can Trinktaxi also take me back from Sultanahmet to Istanbul Airport?

Of course. Tick "Add return" and enter the date and time. The way back costs the same; the cheapest round trip is €110.

Is Sabiha Gökçen Airport an option for Sultanahmet too?

Yes. Sultanahmet lies about 46 km from Istanbul Airport and about 39 km from Sabiha Gökçen Airport. From Sabiha Gökçen Airport, cars to Sultanahmet start at €55.

Can I book other places near Sultanahmet?

Yes. From Istanbul Airport we also drive to nearby places such as Beyoğlu, Fatih and Taksim. The airport page lists every destination.