Sofia to Istanbul

Sofia to Istanbul

Sofia
Istanbul
Fri, Sep 4
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Sofia to Istanbul Destination Reviews

M
Manuel
Great value for money and kind staff. We were offered free tea during the ride and the staff was always there to help. We had to wait for a long time at the border but that is not the bus company's fault.
Sofia to Istanbul, Bus Standard AC, Citylines, Oct 11, 2022
4.4
20 customer reviews
5
55%
4
25%
3
10%
2
10%
1
0%

Sofia to Istanbul Schedule

TypeOperatorClassDeparture TimeArrival TimePriceRating
Bus
Vip Arda Tur
Standard 2X2
00:20
10:20
$26.94
Flight
Air Serbia
Economy
05:00
18:50
$488.19
Flight
LOT Polish Airlines
Economy
05:20
13:05
$239.14
Flight
Wizz Air
Economy
05:55
22:05
$337.97
Flight
Lufthansa
Economy
06:15
13:05
$298.52
Flight
Wizz Air
Economy
06:55
19:00
$246.80
Flight
Aegean Airlines
Economy
08:45
20:00
$513.07
Flight
Turkish Airlines
Economy
09:25
10:55
$456.56
Flight
Aegean Airlines
Economy
09:45
20:00
$359.99
Flight
Turkish Airlines
Economy
10:05
11:35
$254.53
Flight
Pegasus Airlines
Economy
10:25
19:30
$102.05
Flight
Pegasus Airlines
Economy
10:45
12:00
$62.97
Flight
Aegean
Economy
11:15
20:00
$93.49
Bus
Citylines
Standard AC
12:00
21:00
$38.47
Flight
Wizz Air
Economy
12:25
05:20
$186.99
Flight
Pegasus Airlines
Economy
12:45
14:00
$110.67
Flight
Pegasus Airlines
Economy
13:05
14:20
$87.26
Bus
Vip Arda Tur
Standard 2X2
13:30
01:30
$26.94
Flight
Pegasus Airlines
Economy
13:50
15:05
$162.44
Flight
Pegasus Airlines
Economy
14:15
15:30
$65.99

How to get from Sofia to Istanbul

Travelling between Sofia and Istanbul is possible by Flight and bus. Flight guarantees the fastest travel on this route. Bus is the slowest option.

The most expensive ticket will cost you USD 61.15 if you go by Bus; to keep it budget-friendly, opt for a bus which will set you back mere USD 34.75.

How long does it take to get from Sofia to Istanbul?

It can take you anywhere between 2 and 9 hours to travel between Sofia and Istanbul depending on the means of transport you choose.

Flight is the fastest way to travel between Sofia and Istanbul. Flight will bring you to your destination in 1h 15m. Bus does a much slower job and take about 9h to reach Istanbul.

How much does it cost to get from Sofia to Istanbul?

Travelling between Sofia and Istanbul can be as cheap as USD 34.75 if you opt for a Citylines bus and as expensive as USD 61.15 if you buy a Citylines Bus ticket.

Here is the list of how much you can expect to pay travelling by each means of transport available for this route.

How many trips per day are there between Sofia and Istanbul ?

  • 3 from Sofia to Istanbul starting from 09:00 Sofia until 22:30 Sofia

Check above for a bus, train, flight and ferry timetable from Sofia to Istanbul.

What mode of transportation is the best one for my route?

Flights

Flying is the fastest and often the most expensive way to travel from Sofia to Istanbul, but with a bit of luck you can score very good deals for as little as USD 59.54.

Things to remember: Note that some of the airlines may have restrictions on checked luggage weight or require paying extra for check-in, choosing seats or transportation of oversized luggage.

If opting for a flight, calculate the time you will spend getting to and from the airports as well as the waiting time before your flight, getting through immigration in case of an international flight and recovering your checked luggage.

In certain cases all these procedures can add no less than 5 hours to your total travel time.

Airlines flying between Sofia and Istanbul

Pegasus Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Turkish Airlines

Bus

Travelling from Sofia to Istanbul overland will inevitably take longer but in many cases it is the cheapest option if you opt for a bus.

Things to remember: For a more comfortable ride opt for a higher-class bus wherever possible. These buses usually have soft reclining seats and are equipped with air-conditioning and on-board toilets.

They often include water, snacks or a light lunch into your ticket price and make bathroom stops en-route.

Companies operating bus routes between Sofia and Istanbul

Citylines

What is the most popular transport to get from Sofia to Istanbul?

There is a choice of transportation means any time of the day with flight remaining the most popular option due to their reasonable pricing and comfort.

Out of 1000 travellers who bought tickets for this route

  • 50% decided to fly
  • 50% opted for a bus

Transportation from Sofia to Istanbul

Facts about the transport from Sofia to Istanbul

Cheapest Transport$35
Fastest Transport1h 15m
Earliest Departure9:00 AM
Latest Departure10:30 PM
Departures per day3
Distance544 kilometers
Transport CompaniesCitylines, Pegasus Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Turkish Airlines