How to Travel from

Plovdiv to Istanbul

by Rideshare, Route or Car

Bulgaria Turkey Plovdiv Istanbul

Cheapest

By car (416 km)

4 h 5 min

416 km.

from $22

Other

Rideshare

4 h 5 min

416 km.

from $15.83

Train via Svilengrad

8 h 10 min

372 km.

from $9.83

Bus, Plane (Bus)

6 h 34 min

372 km.

from $179.78

Bus, Plane (Bus)

5 h 53 min

372 km.

from $179.20

Bus operators

FlixBus

Phone:

+49 30 300 137 300

Email:

[email protected]

Website:

flixbus.com

Bus from Plovdiv Bus Station South to İstanbul

Ave. Duration:

5h 45m

Frequency:

Twice daily

Estimated price:

$39.16–$55.59

Citylines

Phone:

+3590885700870

Email:

[email protected]

Website:

citylines.eu/

Bus from Plovdiv Bus Station South to İstanbul

Ave. Duration:

Frequency:

Twice daily

Estimated price:

$24.00–$32.85

Alpar Turizm

Phone:

+90 212 658 18 51

Email:

[email protected]

Website:

alparturizm.com.tr/en/

Bus from Plovdiv to Istanbul

Ave. Duration:

Frequency:

Once daily

Estimated price:

$18.95–$32.85

Traventuria

Phone:

+359 2 493 0191

Email:

[email protected]

Website:

traventuria.com/

Bus from Plovdiv Hotel Trimontium to Sofia

Ave. Duration:

1h 45m

Frequency:

3 times a week

Estimated price:

$26.53–$35.37

Arda Tur

Phone:

0700 20 544

Website:

ardatur.bg

Bus from Plovdiv Bus Station South to İstanbul

Ave. Duration:

7h 15m

Frequency:

Once daily

Estimated price:

$25.27–$36.64

Airlines

Aegean Airlines

Website:

en.aegeanair.com/

Plane from Sofia Airport to Istanbul

Ave. Duration:

3h 45m

Frequency:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday

Estimated price:

$252.67–$884.35

Pegasus Airlines

Website:

flypgs.com/

Plane from Sofia Airport to Sabiha

Ave. Duration:

1h 15m

Frequency:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday

Estimated price:

$69.48–$303.21

Turkish Airlines

Website:

turkishairlines.com/

Plane from Sofia Airport to Istanbul

Ave. Duration:

1h 33m

Frequency:

Every day

Estimated price:

$151.60–$404.27

Tarom

Website:

tarom.ro/

Plane from Sofia Airport to Istanbul

Ave. Duration:

3h 35m

Frequency:

Wednesday to Friday

Estimated price:

$151.60–$404.27

Train operators

Turkish Railways (TCDD)

Phone:

+90 444 8 233

Email:

[email protected]

Website:

tcdd.gov.tr/

Train from Svilengrad to Halkalı

Ave. Duration:

4h 9m

Frequency:

Once daily

Estimated price:

$4.42–$6.19

Train from Plovdiv to Halkalı

Ave. Duration:

7h 39m

Frequency:

Once daily

Estimated price:

$5.69–$69.61

Bulgarian Railways (BDZh)

Phone:

+35929311111

Website:

bdz.bg/en

Train from Plovdiv to Svilengrad

Ave. Duration:

2h 23m

Frequency:

Every 4 hours

Estimated price:

$4.30–$8.21

What is the cheapest way to get from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

The cheapest way to get from Plovdiv to Istanbul is to train which costs $7.61 - $13.04 and takes 8h 10m.

What is the fastest way to get from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

The fastest way to get from Plovdiv to Istanbul is to drive which takes 4h 5m and costs $59.78 - $97.83 .

Is there a direct bus between Plovdiv and Istanbul?

Yes, there is a direct bus departing from Plovdiv and arriving at Istanbul. Services depart once daily, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 5h.

Is there a direct train between Plovdiv and Istanbul?

No, there is no direct train from Plovdiv to Istanbul. However, there are services departing from Plovdiv and arriving at Yenikapi via Svilengrad and Halkali. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 8h 10m.

How far is it from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

The distance between Plovdiv and Istanbul is 433 km. The road distance is 415.2 km.

How do I travel from Plovdiv to Istanbul without a car?

The best way to get from Plovdiv to Istanbul without a car is to bus which takes 5h and costs $16.30 - $28.26 .

How long does it take to get from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

The bus from Plovdiv to Istanbul takes 5h including transfers and departs once daily.

Where do I catch the Plovdiv to Istanbul bus from?

Plovdiv to Istanbul bus services, operated by Alpar Turizm, depart from Plovdiv station.

Where do I catch the Plovdiv to Istanbul train from?

Plovdiv to Istanbul train services, operated by Bulgarian Railways (BDZh), depart from Plovdiv station.

Train or bus from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

The best way to get from Plovdiv to Istanbul is to bus which takes 5h and costs $16.30 - $28.26 . Alternatively, you can train, which costs $7.61 - $13.04 and takes 8h 10m.

Where does the Plovdiv to Istanbul bus arrive?

Plovdiv to Istanbul bus services, operated by Alpar Turizm, arrive at Istanbul station.

What is the time difference between Plovdiv and Istanbul?

Istanbul is 1h ahead of Plovdiv. It is currently 05:34 in Plovdiv and 06:34 in Istanbul.

Where does the Plovdiv to Istanbul train arrive?

Plovdiv to Istanbul train services, operated by Bulgarian Railways (BDZh), arrive at Svilengrad station.

Can I drive from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

Yes, the driving distance between Plovdiv to Istanbul is 415 km. It takes approximately 4h 5m to drive from Plovdiv to Istanbul.

How do I get a bus ticket from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

Book your Plovdiv to Istanbul bus tickets online with Distribusion.

Where can I stay near Istanbul?

There are 4660+ hotels available in Istanbul. Prices start at $22.90 per night.

Book in Istanbul

Hotel Radisson Blu Hotel, Istanbul Sisli

19 Mayis Cad. No: 2, Sisli, 34360 Istanbul, Turkey, Istanbul

Great

Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Center

Silahsor Cad. No: 42 Bomonti Sisli, Istanbul

Fine

8.8

Wyndham Grand Levent Istanbul Hotel & Conference Center

Esentepe Mahallesi, Istanbul

Fine

8.9

All accommodation options in IstanbulAll hotels

Topkapı Palace

The Topkapı Palace (Turkish: Topkapı Sarayı; Ottoman Turkish: طوپقپو سرايى, romanized: ṭopḳapu sarāyı, lit. 'Cannon Gate Palace'), or the Seraglio, is a large museum and library in the east of the Fatih district of Istanbul in Turkey. From the 1460s to the completion of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856, it served as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire, and was the main residence of its sultans.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia (Turkish: Ayasofya; Ottoman Turkish: آیا صوفیا; Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, romanized: Hagía Sophía; Latin: Sancta Sapientia; lit. 'Holy Wisdom'), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (Turkish: Ayasofya-i Kebir Cami-i Şerifi; Ottoman Turkish: آیا صوفیه کبیر جامع شریفى), is a mosque and former church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively erected on the site by the Eastern Roman Empire, it was completed in AD 537, becoming the world's largest interior space and among the first to employ a fully pendentive dome. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture". From its dedication in 360 until 1453 Hagia Sophia served as the cathedral of Constantinople in the Byzantine liturgical tradition, except for the period 1204‑1261 when the Latin Crusaders installed their own hierarchy. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, it served as a mosque, having its minarets added shortly later. The site became a museum in 1935, and was redesignated as a mosque in 2020. In 2024, the upper floor of the mosque began to serve as a museum once again.

Golden Horn

The Golden Horn (Turkish: Altın Boynuz or Haliç) is a major urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey. As a natural estuary that connects with the Bosphorus Strait at the point where the strait meets the Sea of Marmara, the waters of the Golden Horn help define the northern boundary of the peninsula constituting "Old Istanbul" (ancient Byzantium and Constantinople), the tip of which is the promontory of Sarayburnu, or Seraglio Point. This estuarial inlet geographically separates the historic center of Istanbul from the rest of the city, and forms a horn shape, sheltered harbor that in the course of history has protected Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and other maritime trade ships for thousands of years.

Five ways to Travel from Plovdiv to Istanbul

Transport providers

Bus operators

FlixBus

Citylines

Alpar Turizm

Traventuria

Arda Tur

Airlines

Aegean Airlines

Pegasus Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Tarom

Train operators

Turkish Railways (TCDD)

Bulgarian Railways (BDZh)

Questions and Answers

What is the cheapest way to get from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

What is the fastest way to get from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

Is there a direct bus between Plovdiv and Istanbul?

Is there a direct train between Plovdiv and Istanbul?

How far is it from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

How do I travel from Plovdiv to Istanbul without a car?

How long does it take to get from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

Where do I catch the Plovdiv to Istanbul bus from?

Where do I catch the Plovdiv to Istanbul train from?

Train or bus from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

Where does the Plovdiv to Istanbul bus arrive?

What is the time difference between Plovdiv and Istanbul?

Where does the Plovdiv to Istanbul train arrive?

Can I drive from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

How do I get a bus ticket from Plovdiv to Istanbul?

Where can I stay near Istanbul?