Bus from Sofia to Istanbul

Q: How much is the ticket from Sofia to Istanbul?

Tickets start from €25.00 one way. The final price depends on the date, carrier, and availability.

Q: Which carriers travel from Sofia to Istanbul?

Arda-Tur, Citylines, and Huntur. Arda-Tur departs from Serdika Bus Station and arrives at Istanbul Esenler Otogari (also serves other stops: Sofia Airport Terminal 2 Bus Stop – Istanbul Esenler Otogari; Sofia Serdika Bus Station – Istanbul Esenler Otogari). Citylines departs from Sofia Serdika Bus Station and arrives at Istanbul Büyük Otogari Bus Station. Huntur departs from Sofia Serdika Bus Station and arrives at Istanbul Büyük Otogari Bus Station.

Q: How many departures per day are there?

The schedule includes up to 7 departures per day. The days on which each departure is operated are listed in the table.

Q: Where does the bus depart from in Sofia?

The main boarding stop is Serdika Bus Station. The stops for each carrier are listed above the schedule.

Q: Where does the bus arrive in Istanbul?

The main drop-off stop is Istanbul Esenler Otogari.

Bus tickets from Sofia to Istanbul from 25.00 €. 3 carriers, up to 7 departures per day.

08:30

Sofia Serdica Bus Station

— 8h 0m —

17:30

Istanbul Esenler Otogari

Direct

from €31.00

Book

09:00

Sofia Serdica Bus Station

— 9h 0m —

19:00

Istanbul Büyük Otogari

Direct

from €44.00

Book

10:30

Sofia Serdika Bus Station

— 7h 0m —

18:30

Istanbul Esenler Otogari

Direct

from €31.00

Book

See all departures

Travel Details

The most important details about this trip in brief.

€25.00

From, one way

from 7 hours to 9 hours 15 minutes

Travel time

7

Departures per day

≈ 504 km

Distance

Buy Ticket Sofia → Istanbul

Why Travel with Biletim

Official Tickets

Tickets are purchased online directly for the selected departure.

Current Schedule

The times come from the reservation system, not from a static list.

Price is Clear in Advance

You see the price and travel time in the search engine before you pay.

Clear Stops

For each carrier, it is indicated where the bus departs from and where it arrives.

Schedule Sofia → Istanbul

Planned departures. Times are local for each stop.

Arda-Tur

Serdika Bus Station → Istanbul Esenler Otogari

Departs	Arrives	Duration	Days
10:30	18:30	7 hours	Every day
13:30	23:45	9 hours 15 minutes	Every day
19:00	05:15	9 hours 15 minutes	Every day

Citylines

Sofia Serdika Bus Station → Istanbul Büyük Otogari Bus Station

Departs	Arrives	Duration	Days
09:00	19:00	9 hours	Every day
17:00	02:00	8 hours	Every day
22:30	08:00	8 hours 30 minutes	Every day

Huntur

Sofia Serdika Bus Station → Istanbul Büyük Otogari Bus Station

Departs	Arrives	Duration	Days
22:30	07:00	7 hours 30 minutes	Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat

Boarding and Alighting

Learn exactly where the bus departs from and where it arrives.

Departure: Sofia

Serdika Bus Station
bul. Knyaginya Maria Luiza 102, 1202

Other stops in this city

Sofia Central Bus Station, bul. "Knyaginya Maria Luiza" 100, 1202
Sofia Serdika Bus Stop, bulevard "Knyaginya Maria Luiza" 102, 1202
Sofia Airport Terminal 1 Bus Stop, Departure Terminal 1, 1528
Sofia Serdika Bus Station, Mariya Luiza, predgarov ploshtad Blvd, 1202
Sofia Monument of Vasil Levski (Slovak Embassy), Yanko Sakuzov Blvd 9, 1000
Sofia Airport Terminal 2 Bus Stop, Arrival Terminal, 1592
Sofia Bus and Coach Station West, bulevard Ovcha kupel 1, 1618
Sofia Bus and Coach Station Poduyane, ul. Levski Vekoven 4, 1517
Sofia Airport, bul. Brussels
Sofia Vasil Levski Stadium, General Gurko St 76A, 1142
Sofia Serdika, bulevard "Knyaginya Maria Luiza" 102, 1202
Golden Bridges (Sofia), Unnamed Road, 1616
Sofia Maria Luiza, Knyaginya Maria Luiza, 1000
Sofia Aleko Hut, Buinovska Gorge, 1444
Sofia Botevgradsko shosse, Botevgradsko shosse 525, 1517

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Arrival: Istanbul

Istanbul Esenler Otogari
Esenler Otogarı, 34035

Other stops in this city

Atatürk Cultural Center (Taksim), Taksim Square, 34437
Istanbul Büyük Otogari Bus Station, Esenler Otogarı Otoparkı, 34035
Istanbul Fatih/S. Ahmet Ispark, İmran Öktem Cd. 4, 34440
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport, Sabiha Gökçen Havaalanı, 34906
Istanbul Hotel Montenegro, Koska Cd., 34130
Istanbul Central Bus Station, Esenler Otogari Otoparki 93, 34035
Istanbul Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha Cd., Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha Cd. 4, 34130
Istanbul Yavuz Selim Caddesi, Yavuz Selim Caddesi no 20, 34220
Istanbul Esenler Bus Station Peron 149, Esenler Otogarı, 34035
Istanbul Aksaray Kucuk Langa, Aksaray Küçük Langa Cd 69, 34096

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What to See in Istanbul

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey. Three places often planned around the first visit.

Hagia Sophia

A major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, completed in 537 AD. It was a church (360–1453) and a museum (1935–2020), and today it is a mosque.

Grand Bazaar

One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops.

Topkapi Palace

A large museum and library in the Fatih district. From the 1460s to 1853, it was the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire and the main residence of the sultans.

Frequently Asked Questions: Sofia → Istanbul

Answers to the most common passenger questions for this route.

How long does the journey from Sofia to Istanbul take?

According to the schedule, the journey is from 7 hours to 9 hours 15 minutes. The exact time depends on the carrier and the day.

How much is the ticket from Sofia to Istanbul?

Which carriers travel from Sofia to Istanbul?

How many departures per day are there?

Where does the bus depart from in Sofia?

Where does the bus arrive in Istanbul?

Buy Ticket Sofia → Istanbul

Official tickets purchased online. Prices from €25.00. Seats are limited, book in advance.

Buy Tickets

Bus from Sofia to Istanbul