Travel Information from Sofia to Istanbul
| 311 miles (501 km) | |
| Bus or flight | |
| $32 - $44 | |
| Bus • $32 (€29) • 6 h 59 min | |
| Flight • $44 (€40) • 1 h 15 min | |
| Arda Tur or Turkish Airlines |
Travel 311 miles (501 km) by bus or flight from Sofia to Istanbul. The most popular travel companies which serve this route are Arda Tur or Turkish Airlines among others. Travelers can even take a direct bus or flight from Sofia to Istanbul.
Travel optionsfrom Sofia to Istanbul
How to get from Sofia to Istanbul by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Sofia to Istanbul is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
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FAQs: Travel from Sofia 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 Sofia to Istanbul.

There are 2 options to travel from Sofia to Istanbul including taking a bus or flight.
The cheapest way to go to Istanbul from Sofia is by taking a bus, which costs on average $32 (€29).
This is compared to other ways of getting from Sofia to Istanbul:
Taking a bus costs $12 (€11) less than taking a flight, which costs on average $44 (€40) for the same trip.
The quickest way to travel between Sofia and Istanbul is by flight, which takes on average 1 h 15 min compared to other travel options that take longer:
Taking a bus requires on average 6 h 59 min of travel time.
The Sofia to Istanbul distance is around 311 miles (501 km).
The average frequency per day from Sofia to Istanbul is:
- 6 buses a day.
- Around 14 flights per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your trip from Sofia to Istanbul as scheduled services by bus or flight can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Sofia to Istanbul:
- Buses mostly depart from Sofia, Centralna Avtogara (София, Централна Автогара) and arrive in Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler).
- Flights most often depart from Sofia at Sofia Airport and arrive in Istanbul at Istanbul Airport.
Omio works with many trusted partners that can help you travel the best way from Sofia to Istanbul:
- You can travel to Istanbul from Sofia by bus with Arda Tur, City Lines, Infobus, FlixBus, Citylines or Alpar Turizm. You can find cheap tickets on Omio for $32 (€29) with FlixBus from Sofia to Istanbul.
- You can take a flight from Sofia to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Aegean Airlines or Air Serbia. Cheap tickets can be found for $44 (€40) with Pegasus Airlines from Sofia to Istanbul.
Yes, there are direct services available from Sofia to Istanbul with the following travel companies:
- 6 direct buses per day with Arda Tur, City Lines, Infobus, FlixBus, Citylines or Alpar Turizm.
- 3 direct flights per day with Turkish Airlines or Pegasus Airlines.
Direct services tend to save you time and add more convenience in getting you to Istanbul as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking your tickets to Istanbul from Sofia.
Travelling from Sofia to Istanbul: related information
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