How to Travel from

Central Athens to Istanbul

by Plane, Rideshare, Route or Car

Greece Turkey Central Athens Istanbul

How to Get from Central Athens to Istanbul

Plane

1 h 45 min

Select a Ticket

Car

11 h 26 min

from $59

Rideshare

11 h 26 min

from $14.15

Cheapest

By car (1 085 km)

11 h 26 min

1085 km.

from $59

Fastest

Other

Rideshare

11 h 26 min

1085 km.

from $14.15

Bus, Plane (Fly to Istanbul)

5 h 11 min

560 km.

from $206.21

Bus, Plane (Fly to Alexandroupoli Airport Dimokritos)

7 h 7 min

560 km.

from $92.14

Bus, Plane (Fly to Sabiha Gökçen International Airport)

5 h 28 min

560 km.

from $174.73

Airlines

Aegean Airlines

Website:

en.aegeanair.com/

Plane from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul

Ave. Duration:

1h 35m

Frequency:

Every day

Estimated price:

$89.16–$636.89

Plane from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Alexandroupoli

Ave. Duration:

1h 10m

Frequency:

Every day

Estimated price:

$48.40–$140.12

Pegasus Airlines

Website:

flypgs.com/

Plane from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Sabiha

Ave. Duration:

1h 30m

Frequency:

Every day

Estimated price:

$52.22–$242.02

Turkish Airlines

Website:

turkishairlines.com/

Plane from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul

Ave. Duration:

1h 35m

Frequency:

Every day

Estimated price:

$89.16–$636.89

Sky Express

Website:

skyexpress.gr/

Plane from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul

Ave. Duration:

1h 30m

Frequency:

Every day

Estimated price:

$61.14–$242.02

Plane from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Alexandroupoli

Ave. Duration:

1h 5m

Frequency:

Every day

Estimated price:

$35.67–$121.01

Train operators

Turkish Railways (TCDD)

Phone:

+90 444 8 233

Email:

[email protected]

Website:

tcdd.gov.tr/

Train from Ayrilikcesme to Yenikapi

Ave. Duration:

14 min

Frequency:

Every 15 minutes

Estimated price:

$1.66–$2.42

Istanbul Ulasim

Phone:

+90 850 252 88 00

Email:

[email protected]

Website:

metro.istanbul/

Train from Gayrettepe to Vezneciler

Ave. Duration:

16 min

Frequency:

Every 10 minutes

Estimated price:

$0.48

Bus operators

Crazy Holidays

Phone:

+30 2310241545

Email:

[email protected]

Website:

crazyholidays.gr/root.en.aspx

Bus from Athens to Istanbul

Ave. Duration:

14h

Frequency:

Once a week

Estimated price:

$95.53–$140.12

Arda Tur

Phone:

0700 20 544

Website:

ardatur.bg

Bus from Alexandroupoli Evros Bus Station to Istanbul

Ave. Duration:

3h 20m

Frequency:

Once daily

Estimated price:

$17.83–$25.48

What is the cheapest way to get from Central Athens to Istanbul?

The cheapest way to get from Central Athens to Istanbul is to fly and night bus which costs $65.22 - $152.17 and takes 7h 7m.

What is the fastest way to get from Central Athens to Istanbul?

The fastest way to get from Central Athens to Istanbul is to fly and Metro which takes 5h 11m and costs $81.52 - $336.96 .

Is there a direct bus between Central Athens and Istanbul?

Yes, there is a direct bus departing from Athens and arriving at Istanbul. Services depart once a week, and operate Friday. The journey takes approximately 14h.

How far is it from Central Athens to Istanbul?

The distance between Central Athens and Istanbul is 627 km. The road distance is 1086.3 km.

How do I travel from Central Athens to Istanbul without a car?

The best way to get from Central Athens to Istanbul without a car is to bus which takes 14h and costs $81.52 - $119.57 .

How long does it take to get from Central Athens to Istanbul?

It takes approximately 5h 11m to get from Central Athens to Istanbul, including transfers.

Where do I catch the Central Athens to Istanbul bus from?

Central Athens to Istanbul bus services, operated by Crazy Holidays, depart from Athens station.

Where does the Central Athens to Istanbul bus arrive?

Central Athens to Istanbul bus services, operated by Crazy Holidays, arrive at Istanbul station.

Can I drive from Central Athens to Istanbul?

Yes, the driving distance between Central Athens to Istanbul is 1086 km. It takes approximately 11h 36m to drive from Central Athens to Istanbul.

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.

Six ways to Travel from Central Athens to Istanbul

Transport providers

Airlines

Aegean Airlines

Pegasus Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Sky Express

Train operators

Turkish Railways (TCDD)

Istanbul Ulasim

Bus operators

Crazy Holidays

Arda Tur

Questions and Answers

What is the cheapest way to get from Central Athens to Istanbul?

What is the fastest way to get from Central Athens to Istanbul?

Is there a direct bus between Central Athens and Istanbul?

How far is it from Central Athens to Istanbul?

How do I travel from Central Athens to Istanbul without a car?

How long does it take to get from Central Athens to Istanbul?

Where do I catch the Central Athens to Istanbul bus from?

Where does the Central Athens to Istanbul bus arrive?

Can I drive from Central Athens to Istanbul?

Where can I stay near Istanbul?