How to travel from Ankara to Istanbul

Thu, Apr 23
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Travel by bus, flight with
FlixBus
pegasus
Turkish Airlines
AJet
Has Turizm
1,000+ more
FlixBus
pegasus
Turkish Airlines
AJet
Has Turizm
1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare bus and flight for Ankara to Istanbul

Omio recommends booking the bus as it is the most popular option from Ankara to Istanbul among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $19. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 2h 30m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the bus is your best bet as it emits only 0.4 - 0.9kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $19, and a flight costs an average of $28.

Distance: 218 miles (352 km)

Compare bus with

Most popular
Bus
Flight

$22

Average price

Cheapest

$52

Average price

3h 59m

Average total duration

3h 29m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

5h 30m

Average total duration

Fastest

2h 30m

Onboard

+

3h 0m

Additional time*

0.4 - 0.9kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

1.1 - 2.1kg

CO2 emissions

FlixBus

Most popular bus company

pegasus

Most popular airline

Direct Options

Direct Options

Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.

Travel options
from Ankara to Istanbul

How to get from Ankara to Istanbul by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

bus

The best way to travel from Ankara to Istanbul is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    10:00 AM6h30
    Ankara, Şehi̇rler Arasi Otobüs Temi̇nali̇
    4:30 PMİstanbul, Alibeyköy Cep Otogarı
    $301One-way
    0 transfers

Cheapest

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    10:00 AM6h30
    Ankara, Şehi̇rler Arasi Otobüs Temi̇nali̇
    4:30 PMİstanbul, Alibeyköy Cep Otogarı
    $301One-way
    0 transfers

Fastest

  • pegasusPC2671
    8:50 PM1h10
    Ankara Esenboga International Airport
    10:00 PMIstanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport
    $551One-way
    0 transfers

Other options

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    9:00 AM6h30
    Ankara, Şehi̇rler Arasi Otobüs Temi̇nali̇
    3:30 PMİstanbul, Alibeyköy Cep Otogarı
    $301One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    10:00 AM6h45
    Ankara, Şehi̇rler Arasi Otobüs Temi̇nali̇
    4:45 PMIstanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
    $301One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    9:00 AM7h00
    Ankara, Şehi̇rler Arasi Otobüs Temi̇nali̇
    4:00 PMIstanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
    $301One-way
    0 transfers
  • pegasusPC2675
    4:30 PM1h10
    Ankara Esenboga International Airport
    5:40 PMIstanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport
    $711One-way
    0 transfers
  • pegasusPC2673
    10:05 PM1h10
    Ankara Esenboga International Airport
    11:15 PMIstanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport
    $551One-way
    0 transfers
  • pegasusPC2667
    2:25 PM1h10
    Ankara Esenboga International Airport
    3:35 PMIstanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport
    $801One-way
    0 transfers

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

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FAQs: Travel from Ankara to Istanbul

Travel to Istanbul easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Ankara to Istanbul.

FAQs
There are 2 options to travel between Ankara and Istanbul including taking a bus and flight.
The cheapest way to travel from Ankara to Istanbul is a bus with an average price of $19 (€15).

This is compared to other travel options from Ankara to Istanbul:

A bus is $9 (€7) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Ankara to Istanbul costing on average $28 (€23).

The fastest way to travel from Ankara to Istanbul is by flight with an average journey time of 1h 5m.

Other travel options to Istanbul take longer:

Bus takes on average 6h 25m.

The distance from Ankara to Istanbul is approximately 218 miles (352 km).
The average frequency per day from Ankara to Istanbul is:
  • Around 35 buses per day.
  • Around 20 flights per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Ankara and Istanbul as scheduled services by bus and flight can vary by season or day of the week.

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Ankara to Istanbul:
  • Flights mostly depart from Ankara Esenboga International Airport and arrive in Istanbul Airport.
  • Buses mostly depart from Ankara, Şehi̇rler Arasi Otobüs Temi̇nali̇ and arrive in Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler).
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Ankara to Istanbul, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with FlixBus, Has Turizm, Kamil Koc to go to Istanbul by bus.
  • Travel with pegasus, Turkish Airlines, AJet to go to Istanbul by flight.
Yes, there are direct services available from Ankara to Istanbul with the following travel companies:
  • 35 direct buses per day with FlixBus, Has Turizm, Kamil Koc.
  • 19 direct flights per day with pegasus, Turkish Airlines.
Omio customers who travel from Ankara to Istanbul often also extend their vacation to go to Sofia, Antalya, İzmir, Athens, Thessaloniki. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Istanbul and these popular destinations at a great price.

Travelling from Ankara to Istanbul: related information

Here are some other resources that might have the information you need

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