How to get to Istanbul from Sofia

Fri 20 Mar
+ Add return
Travel by coach, flight with
City Lines
Pegasus Airlines
ArdaTur
Infobus
FlixBus
1,000+ more
City Lines
Pegasus Airlines
ArdaTur
Infobus
FlixBus
1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare coach and flight for Sofia to Istanbul

Omio recommends booking the coach as it is the most popular option from Sofia to Istanbul among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the coach with prices starting from £27. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 4h 17m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the coach is your best bet as it emits only 0.5 - 1.3kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a coach costs an average of £27, and a flight costs an average of £41.

Distance: 502 km

Compare bus with

Most popular
Coach
Flight

£30

Average Price

Cheapest

£134

Average Price

8h 1m

Average total duration

7h 31m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

7h 17m

Average total duration

Fastest

4h 17m

Onboard

+

3h 0m

Additional time*

0.5 - 1.3kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

1.5 - 3.0kg

CO2 emissions

City Lines

Most popular bus company

Pegasus Airlines

Most popular airline

Direct Options

Direct Options

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

Travel options
from Sofia to Istanbul

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

Our recommendation

bus

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

FlixBusFlixBus
11:008h30
София, Централна Aвтогара 2 (Sofia, Centralna Avtogara 2)
20:30Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
£391One-way
0 changes

Cheapest

ArdaTur0
23:598h46
Sofia (София)
09:45Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
£351One-way
0 changes

Fastest

Pegasus AirlinesPC272
10:451h15
Sofia Airport
13:00Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport
£1711One-way
0 changes

Other options

ArdaTur6617561
00:208h25
Sofia, Sofia International Airport (София, Летище София)
09:45Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
£361One-way
0 changes
ArdaTur0
19:008h05
Sofia (София)
04:05Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
£361One-way
0 changes
FlixBusFlixBus
23:008h00
София, Централна Aвтогара 2 (Sofia, Centralna Avtogara 2)
08:00Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler)
£391One-way
0 changes
Turkish AirlinesTK1032
16:001h30
Sofia Airport
18:30Istanbul Airport
£2901One-way
0 changes
Aegean AirlinesA3981 · A3990
19:2514h10
Sofia Airport
10:35Istanbul Airport
£2721One-way
1 change
Turkish AirlinesTK1030
21:401h35
Sofia Airport
00:15Istanbul Airport
£3201One-way
0 changes

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

Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, coaches, flights and ferries

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FAQs: 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.

FAQs
There are 2 options to travel between Sofia and Istanbul including taking a coach and flight.
The cheapest way to travel from Sofia to Istanbul is a coach with an average price of £27.

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

A coach is £14 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Sofia to Istanbul costing on average £41.

The fastest way to travel from Sofia to Istanbul is by flight with an average journey time of 1h 15m.

Other travel options to Istanbul take longer:

Coach takes on average 6h 59m.

The Sofia to Istanbul distance is approximately 502 km.
The average frequency per day from Sofia to Istanbul is:
  • Around 17 flights per day.
  • Around 5 coaches per day.

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

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Sofia to Istanbul:
  • Flights mostly depart from Sofia Airport and arrive in Istanbul Airport.
  • Coaches mostly depart from София, Централна Aвтогара 2 (Sofia, Centralna Avtogara 2) and arrive in Istanbul, Buyuk Otogar (Esenler).
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Sofia to Istanbul, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with City Lines, ArdaTur, Infobus, FlixBus, Citylines, Huntur, Luks Yonca to go to Istanbul by coach.
  • Travel with Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Aegean Airlines, Air Serbia to go to Istanbul by flight.
Yes, there are direct services available from Sofia to Istanbul with the following travel companies:
  • 5 direct coaches per day with City Lines, ArdaTur, Infobus, FlixBus, Citylines, Huntur, Luks Yonca.
  • 4 direct flights per day with Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines.
Omio customers who travel from Sofia to Istanbul often also extend their vacation to go to Antalya, İzmir, Athens, Ankara, 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 Sofia to Istanbul: related information

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

HomeTravelTravel to IstanbulHow to get to Istanbul from Sofia

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