Sabiha Airport to Eyupsultan
Overview
This transfer to Eyupsultan starts at Sabiha Airport and crosses the Bosphorus toward the upper reaches of the Golden Horn, covering roughly 48.8 kilometres in a drive that typically runs 45 to 60 minutes. The district is centred on one of Istanbul's most visited religious sites, and many of our passengers on this route are heading to accommodation near the mosque or planning a ride up to Pierre Loti Hill once they have settled in. For this crossing, the assigned driver keeps an eye on your inbound flight and is already positioned in arrivals with your name held up, adjusting the pickup moment to your real landing time. Throughout this longer crossing the car, whether V-Class or Sprinter, remains reserved for your party only, and its price is worked out and confirmed in writing before your departure.
Highlights
- Longest of our two Eyupsultan routes, crossing the Bosphorus from Sabiha
- Covers about 48.8 kilometres, usually 45 to 60 minutes on the road
- Ends near Eyup Sultan Mosque, an active site of pilgrimage
- Pierre Loti Hill rises above the district, reachable by cable car
- Streets nearby reflect a devotional character rather than a tourist one
- A name board welcomes you inside the arrivals hall upon landing
- Car seats available on request for young children in your group
- Alibeykoy metro station on the M7 line links onward into the city
Route details
About the destination
Eyupsultan sits where the Golden Horn narrows toward its upper reaches, and it has been a place of pilgrimage since Ottoman times, built around the tomb and mosque associated with a companion of the Prophet. The district still carries a devotional atmosphere, with pilgrims and worshippers moving through its courtyards and cemeteries at most hours of the day, and streets nearby selling prayer beads, religious texts and sweets rather than souvenirs. Above the mosque, wooded slopes rise to Pierre Loti Hill, long associated with Ottoman-era writers and travellers, and reachable by a short cable car or a walk through the historic cemetery. Away from the tourist trail followed in the old city, Eyupsultan offers a quieter, more local sense of Istanbul's Ottoman past, and it draws visitors focused on faith and heritage rather than shopping or nightlife.
Hotels nearby
- Eyüp Sultan Palace Hotel
- The Elegant Hotel
- Turquhouse Hotel
Landmarks nearby
- Eyüp Sultan Mosque
- Pierre Loti Hill
- Eyüpsultan Cable Car
- Zal Mahmut Pasha Mosque
Restaurants nearby
- Pierre Loti Cafe
- Tarihi Tokat Pidecisi
- Akmanoğlu Fırını
- Avlu Restaurant
Nearest metro
Alibeyköy Metro Station (M7)
Good to know
- If you need cash or a SIM before this longer crossing, both are available inside the arrivals hall.
- Allow extra minutes after landing before reaching your driver's meeting point in arrivals.
- The Bosphorus crossing toward the Golden Horn can slow during weekday evening traffic.
- Since the route ends near an active mosque, pack something to cover shoulders and knees for a same-day visit.
- Keep your hotel address noted, since some streets near Eyupsultan are narrow and old.
- Pierre Loti Hill is best visited in the late afternoon for softer light.