Istanbul's two airports sit at opposite ends of the city: Istanbul Airport in the north of the European side, Sabiha Gökçen in the east of the Asian side. Between them lie roughly 80 kilometres and a crossing of the Bosphorus. For a passenger who lands at one and departs from the other, this is the most delicate part of the whole itinerary; a missed connection unravels everything. With a Solevra Travel private transfer, the connection is made in a single vehicle, with your flight tracked and your luggage beside you. This article explains how to plan it.
How long does the journey take?
A private transfer between the two airports usually takes 90 to 120 minutes. The route follows the Northern Marmara Motorway and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge without entering city traffic, which makes the timing more predictable than a transfer into Taksim or Kadıköy. On weekday evenings the approach to the bridge can slow down and the journey can slightly exceed two hours; at night and in the early morning it drops to about 80 minutes. Bridge and motorway tolls are included in the price shown at booking.
How to calculate a safe connection
For an airport-to-airport connection you need to account not only for the drive but for the procedures on both sides. A practical formula:
- After landing: allow 45 to 60 minutes for passport control and baggage on an international arrival, 20 to 30 minutes on a domestic one.
- The drive: 90 to 120 minutes; use the upper figure for peak hours.
- Before departure: be at the terminal at least 3 hours before an international flight and at least 2 hours before a domestic one.
Add these together and you need roughly 6 hours between flights for an international-to-international connection and roughly 4.5 hours for domestic-to-domestic. If your connection is shorter than that, moving your inbound flight earlier or your outbound flight later is healthier than relying on the transfer alone. For delay scenarios, read our flight delay and cancellation article.
Why flight tracking matters most here
A connecting transfer involves two flight numbers: the one you land on and the one you depart on. At booking you enter your inbound flight number; that flight is tracked, and your driver arrives at the terminal for the actual landing time. If you land early the driver is early; if you are delayed the driver waits, with a reasonable waiting period included in the price. Adding your outbound flight time to the booking note lets the operations team watch the journey against that deadline.
Luggage and meet and greet
Connecting passengers usually travel with all their luggage. In a private transfer your bags travel with the driver from the terminal to the car and from the car to the departures level of the other terminal; there is no intermediate point. If you choose meet and greet, the driver waits in the arrivals hall with a name sign and takes your luggage, and for a tired passenger with limited time those few minutes make a real difference. Details are in our meet and greet article.
Choose the vehicle class by luggage: the Eco Sedan (3 suitcases) for one or two passengers, the Eco Van or VIP Van (6 suitcases) for a family, the Minibus for a larger group. Capacities are shown on the booking screen.
Booking
On the booking form on the home page, select the airport you land at as the pick-up point and the airport you depart from as the destination. Enter the date, time and number of passengers, and the classes appear with fixed VAT-inclusive prices in EUR, USD or TRY; you see the full breakdown and it does not change on the road. Enter your inbound flight number, pay with 3D Secure, and your confirmation email and booking number arrive immediately.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a private transfer from Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Gökçen?
Usually 90 to 120 minutes, via the motorway and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge without entering city traffic. At night it drops to about 80 minutes.
What is the minimum time I should leave between flights?
Roughly 6 hours for an international-to-international connection and roughly 4.5 hours for domestic-to-domestic. For anything shorter, reconsider your flight times.
If my flight is delayed, do I lose my transfer?
No. Your inbound flight is tracked and the driver arrives for the new landing time. If the delay puts your outbound flight at risk, you are contacted through the details in your booking.
Is the bridge toll included?
Yes. The VAT-inclusive total on the booking screen covers bridge, motorway and fuel costs. Nothing is paid in the car.
Do not leave your connection between the two airports to chance. Select your arrival and departure airports and get your price.