Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Sirkeci
Overview
The Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Sirkeci transfer takes you from the Asian side across to one of Istanbul's most historic quarters, home to the old Orient Express terminus and the ferries of the Golden Horn. Inside the arrivals hall, a Haqqi Tours driver holds up your name board before leading your group to a private black Mercedes V-Class or Sprinter for the crossing into Sirkeci, the price already agreed and confirmed on WhatsApp. Rather than a shared shuttle, you get a single car reserved for your family, flight tracking so a delay changes nothing, and a driver who can point you towards Sirkeci's railway station, the nearby Spice Bazaar and the old city streets beyond it.
Highlights
- Sirkeci's historic railway station once marked the end of the Orient Express.
- The Spice Bazaar and Eminönü's waterfront sit a short walk away.
- Ferries from nearby piers cross the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus.
- Narrow lanes around the station keep a lived-in, old-city feel.
- Sultanahmet's mosques and museums are within easy reach on foot.
- Your Mercedes is reserved for your family alone, not shared transport.
- Driver waits with a name board so you never search for transport.
- Local dessert shops and grilled meat spots line the surrounding streets.
Route details
About the destination
Sirkeci sits on the historic peninsula where old Istanbul meets the Golden Horn, best known as the terminus of the legendary Orient Express and its handsome nineteenth-century railway station. Narrow streets around the station are filled with modest hotels, tea houses and shops selling everything from luggage to jewellery, giving the district a lived-in, working character rather than a polished tourist strip. Ferries leave nearby for both shores of the Bosphorus, and a short walk brings you to the Spice Bazaar and the waterfront bustle of Eminönü. Travellers who stay in Sirkeci tend to be those who want to be within easy reach of Sultanahmet's mosques and museums while still sleeping somewhere with its own quieter, older rhythm.
Hotels nearby
- Sirkeci Konak Hotel
- Hotel Momento İstanbul
- Legacy Ottoman Hotel
- Yasmak Sultan Hotel
- ibis Istanbul Sirkeci Hotel
Landmarks nearby
- Sirkeci Railway Station (Sirkeci Garı)
- Gülhane Park
- Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı)
- New Mosque (Yeni Cami)
- Eminönü ferry piers on the Golden Horn
Restaurants nearby
- Hamdi Restaurant
- Orient Express Restaurant
- Bereket Döner
- Hafız Mustafa 1864
Good to know
- Currency exchange counters sit near the arrivals exit at Sabiha Gokcen Airport.
- Keep your passport accessible, as the driver checks names against the booking at pickup.
- Traffic crossing into the old city can build during the evening commute.
- Comfortable shoes help once you arrive, as Sirkeci's streets are best explored on foot.
- Visit the old railway station building early in the day for quieter photos.
- Ask your driver about the nearest ferry pier if you plan to cross the water.
- Small shops near the station accept cash more readily than cards.
