Early Morning Flights and Buses from Bakirkoy, Istanbul

If you have an early bus or flight, make the plan the night before: check the first departure of the line you will use against the current timetable, and if you have to leave before the first service, take a taxi. The Otogar bus terminal is reached on the M1A metro, Sabiha Gökçen with Marmaray and a change to M4, and Istanbul Airport by taxi, car or Havaist buses.

First, be clear about where you are going

• Istanbul main bus terminal (Esenler Otogar): walk about 18 minutes to İncirli and take the M1A towards Yenikapı to Otogar station. The metro ride takes about 15 minutes.
• Istanbul Airport (IST): about 40 km away. By car it takes 40–70 minutes depending on traffic; taxi, car or Havaist buses.
• Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW): about 50 km away. 60–90 minutes by car, and about 90 minutes by public transport: Marmaray to Ayrılık Çeşmesi, then a change to M4.
• Atatürk Airport: the last stop on the M1A and closed to passenger flights; go by the IST or SAW code on your ticket.

Every option in one table

Havaist departure points and times can change, so check the current details on Havaist's own channels.

The night-before checklist

1. Read your departure time, airport terminal or bus bay on the ticket once more.
2. Check the first departure of the line you will use from an official source. For Marmaray that is TCDD Taşımacılık; for the metro and Havaist, their own official channels.
3. If you are going by taxi, decide the night before how you will get one.
4. Put your passport — Turkish citizens may use their national ID card — and your ticket in your hand luggage.
5. Pack the suitcase in the evening so that only a final check is left in the morning.
6. Tell us your departure time.

Early-morning buses from the Otogar

The route to the Otogar is short and predictable; early in the morning, do check the first metro departure. If the first service is too late for your bus, take a taxi. If you go by metro, add up the 18-minute walk, the wait at the station, the ride of about 15 minutes and the walk to the platform inside the terminal, then add the time the company asks passengers to be on the platform. For the full route, see getting from Bakırköy to the Otogar by metro.

How early should you leave for the airport?

Car journey times come as a wide range: 40–70 minutes to Istanbul Airport and 60–90 minutes to Sabiha Gökçen. Accidents or roadworks can stretch that unexpectedly. Count on the upper end of the range and add the baggage drop and boarding cut-off times your airline gives you.

If you are going to Sabiha Gökçen by public transport, you board at Marmaray Bakırköy station, an 8-minute walk from us. Check separately whether the first Marmaray and M4 departures fit your flight. For a comparison of the lines, see Marmaray or Metrobus.

Taxi or public transport?

The decision usually comes down to three questions: does the first service fit the time you have to be there? How much luggage are you carrying? How many of you are travelling? If the first service is too late for you, a taxi may be the only practical option. If your luggage is light and the timing works, the rail sections of public transport are unaffected by traffic uncertainty. If two or three of you are setting off together, sharing a taxi may also sway the choice. Whichever you pick, do not leave the decision until the morning — settle it the night before.

Talk through your departure in advance

Standard check-out is 11:00. If you are leaving early in the morning, tell us at check-in or the day before so we can plan the departure together. Our phone and WhatsApp line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and you are welcome to write to us in English on WhatsApp. If you are arriving late at night from a flight or a bus, late arrivals are planned in advance too.

Which apartment?

Travelling alone or as a couple, the Studio apartment (1+0) (1–2 guests) fits. Up to three people, the One-bedroom apartment (1+1) (2–3 guests). For a family or team of 4–5, the Two-bedroom apartment (2+1). Every apartment has a kitchen, air conditioning and free Wi-Fi, and with your own kitchen you start an early day on your own schedule. The building has a lift and security cameras, so taking your suitcase down early is easy. You can compare the apartments on the apartments page.

To talk through your early departure and your route, call us on 0532 655 43 32.

Common questions