How to Get to Hagia Sophia: Public Transport Details!

Hagia Sophia is a famous Mosque in the Sultanahmet neighborhood and is 48 km away from Istanbul Airport and opposite the Blue Mosque. 

Address: Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya Meydanı No:1, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye. Get Directions

Visitors planning to visit the Hagia Sophia Mosque must know about the transportation options available to them.

In this article, we’ll discover all the public transportation options, their routes and the nearby parking spots for the city’s mosque! 

Where is Hagia Mosque Exactly? Location!

The Hagia Mosque is the historical heart of the Sultan Ahmet district, a popular tourist spot.

It is close to other famous attractions, including the Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Suleymaniya Mosque, and more.

The Mosque is within walking distance from the famous Grand Bazaar, which houses the biggest mall in the city! 

It is a 3-minute walk from Topkapi Palace, making it a perfect spot for a combo tour of many surrounding structures. 

Getting to the Mosque by Metro

The closest metro station to the Mosque is Sultanahmet metro station, which is a 4-minute walk away from the attraction. 

If you are a tourist getting off at Istanbul Airport, you will need to change three metro lines to reach Hagia Sophia.

First, hop on line M11 and change your line to M7, from which you must switch again to line M2.

Line M11 leads from the Airport to Gayrettepe, while line M2 gets you directly to Sultanahmet station.  

Getting to the Hagia Mosque from the Airport by metro can take more than an hour.

The metro will arrive at the Airport after a 30-minute gap. 

Hop on a Direct Bus from the Istanbul Airport

The closest bus stop to Hagia Mosque is the Çatladıkapı —Yenikapı Yonu bus stop, which is a 13-minute walk away.

If you’re visiting the Mosque from the Istanbul Airport or other nearby spots, we recommend taking the Havaist bus, which stops opposite the Mosque.

You can get one of these buses every half an hour from the Airport. 

Tourists traveling from other parts of Istanbul can take bus lines 35A, 36, 36ES, 38, 38Z,97, and 92B to the Mosque.

If you’re traveling late at night, we recommend bus line BN1, the last bus to Hagia Mosque at 12:18 a.m. 

A Quick Tram Ride to Hagia Mosque

The Sultanahmet tram stop is a 7-minute walk from the Mosque and a great way to enjoy a scenic experience!

You must take tram line T1, running from Kabatas to Bagcilar, and stop at Sultanahmet.

Tourists can also take this line directly from the Istanbul Airport and reach the attraction in an hour. 

This tram line offers views of Istanbul’s coastline, making it a great place to take stunning photos and enjoy a calm ride!

You can also get to Hagia Mosque from the Istanbul Port via Tram in 11 minutes. 

Buying Metro/Bus/Tram Tickets in Istanbul

When traveling in Istanbul, you cannot pay cash to get a ticket and hop on any bus, tram, or metro to your destination.

You must have an Istanbul bus, metro, or tram pass that must be scanned once you get on the vehicle.

Tourists will find yellow machines on trams and metro stations from where they can get their pass. 

It is easy to use these machines, as they have many language options available. 

You can get a one-use pass, a three-use pass, or an Istanbul card.

All machines do not sell the Istanbul card, so please check well before using them for booking. 

When putting money in the yellow machine, amounts smaller than ₺50 cannot be used. 

If your pass is cheaper than ₺50, the remaining amount will be added back to your account, while the pass money needed will go towards the pass.  

Riding a Train to Hagia Mosque

The closest train station to Hagia Sophia is Sirkeci, a 13-minute walk away.

The two trains leading in this direction from the Istanbul Airport are Marmaray (Atakoy- Pendik) and Marmaray (Halkali Gebze).

The Marmaray (Halkali Gebze) is the last train you can hop on to get to the Mosque.

It will take around an hour to get to your destination from the Airport. 

Train Ticket Details

You can easily get a train ticket from the train station in Turkey or the Trenmatik ticket machine at the station. 

If you get a travel agent to book your ticket, you must pick them up from the ticket office from which the ticket was booked.

You cannot collect them directly from your travel agent. 

A Comfortable Car Ride to Hagia Sophia

If you’re exploring Turkey in your car or have hired a private vehicle to get you around the city, the Hagia Mosque is also easily accessible by road!

Visitors arriving from the airport will reach the attraction by road in an hour, as it is 41 km away. 

The fastest way to the Mosque is via D020, which will take you about an hour to reach your destination.

You can also choose alternative routes like O-7, which takes slightly longer and has tolls you must pass by. 

For the best experience, we recommend checking Google Maps as soon as you leave the Airport to determine which route is the least crowded! 

Please remember to leave at least an hour and a half before your time slot is booked since Turkey is known for its heavily trafficked roads. 

Parking Facilities Near the Mosque

Visitors traveling using their private vehicles will need to find great parking spaces around Hagia Mosque since the attraction does not have official parking.

Some of the best parking spots you will find within walking distance from the attraction are: 

• Sports Car Park: Located 270 meters from the Mosque, the attraction can be easily reached on foot in 4 minutes. Get Directions. 
• Dalbasti Parking: Located 230 meters from the attraction, you can get here by walking for 3 minutes. Get Directions. 
• Sultanahmet Square Parking: You can also park your car in Sultanahmet Square, which has many parking levels and is a 3-minute walk from the attraction. Get Directions 
• Ispark Otopark: A 4-minute walk from the Mosque, Ispark Otopark is a 24-hour paid parking service. Get Directions. 

Hire a Taxi

If you do not have a private vehicle, you can easily find a taxi from around Turkey to the Mosque.

In Istanbul, there are three types of Taxis: yellow, bluish, turquoise, and black. 

The yellow taxis are much more affordable and a great daily-use option.

Blue taxis, on the other hand, are much more luxurious and expensive than other means of public transport. 

The Black Taxis are the most expensive since you will ride a Mercedes or other expensive brands. 

The beginning price of the yellow taxis is around ₺5, and every kilometer you cover will add a ₺3 increase to your fare. 

You must also pay an additional ₺1 every five minutes if you keep the taxi waiting.

All taxis go by meter, and remember that the traffic amount highly influences the final price of your journey.  

The taxi fare must be paid in cash. 

Beware of scams when it comes to taxis since they tend to charge a higher fee from foreigners unless you book through a reliable app like BiTaksi or Uber. 

A Scenic Walk to the Mosque

The attraction is very close to some of Turkey’s most popular attractions, including the Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque and more.

We recommend enjoying a scenic walk around the bustling Sultanahmet Square and admiring its magnificent architecture before exploring the Mosque.

It is only a 3-minute walk away and one of the best spots for all locals and tourists to explore because of the view of the stunning Hippodrome.

If you purchase combo tickets, you can easily explore more than one of these attractions in a single day on a budget! 

Check out our article on the Best Restaurants near Hagia Sophia to find eateries and enjoy a meal close by so you can take a break after your long travels. 

FAQs on How to get to Hagia Sophia

Suggested Articles

Featured Photo by Zen zeee on Unsplash