Which carriers travel from Sofia to Istanbul?

You can choose between Arda-Tur, Citylines, and Huntur. Each has its own schedule on this page.

Bus from Sofia to Istanbul

Q: How much is a bus ticket from Sofia to Istanbul?

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

Q: Where does the bus to Istanbul depart from?

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. Huntur departs from Sofia Serdika Bus Station and arrives at Istanbul Büyük Otogari.

Q: How many buses are there per day from Sofia to Istanbul?

Schedules above show up to 7 departures per day. The 'Days' column shows which days of the week each runs.

Q: How do I buy a ticket from Sofia to Istanbul?

Select a date in the search, review available departures, and purchase your ticket online with Balkanbus.

Bus tickets from Sofia to Istanbul from €25.00. Compare Arda-Tur, Citylines, and Huntur: travel time from 7h to 9h 15min.

00:20

Sofia Airport Terminal 2 Bus Station

— 7h 30m —

08:50

Istanbul Esenler Otogari

Direct

from €31.00

Book

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

See all departures

Travel Details

The essentials for this journey at a glance.

€25.00

From, one way

from 7h to 9h 15min

Travel Time

7

Departures per Day

≈ 504 km

Distance

Buy Ticket Sofia → Istanbul

Why Travel with Balkanbus

Schedules in One Place

Departures are arranged by carrier, with departure time, arrival time, and duration, to compare before buying.

Current Departures

The search shows departures available for your selected date.

Stops Listed

Each schedule names the stop from which the bus departs and the stop at which it arrives.

Buy Online

Select a departure and buy your ticket online in a few steps.

Schedule Sofia → Istanbul

Planned departures. Times are local for each stop.

Arda-Tur

Serdika Bus Station → Istanbul Esenler Otogari

Departure	Arrival	Duration	Days
10:30	18:30	7h	Every day
13:30	23:45	9h 15min	Every day
19:00	05:15	9h 15min	Every day

Citylines

Sofia Serdika Bus Station → Istanbul Büyük Otogari

Departure	Arrival	Duration	Days
09:00	19:00	9h	Every day
17:00	02:00	8h	Every day
22:30	08:00	8h 30min	Every day

Huntur

Sofia Serdika Bus Station → Istanbul Büyük Otogari

Departs	Arrives	Duration	Days
22:30	07:00	7h 30min	Every day

Boarding and Alighting

Find out exactly where the bus departs from and 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 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 Vasil Levski Monument (Slovak Embassy), Yanko Sakuzov Blvd 9, 1000
Sofia Airport Terminal 2 Bus Stop, Arrival Terminal, 1592
Sofia Bus Station and West Bus Station, bulevard Ovcha kupel 1, 1618
Sofia, Poduyane Bus Station, ul. Levski Vekoven 4, 1517
Sofia, bus station, bul. "Knyaginya Maria Luiza" 100, 1202
Sofia Airport, bul. Brussels
Sofia Central Bus Station, Knyaginya Maria Luisa Blvd. 100
Sofia Central Bus Station, bul. Knyaginya Maria Luiza 100
Sofia Vasil Levski Stadium, General Gurko St 76A, 1142
Sofia Botevgradsko shosse, Botevgradsko shosse 525, 1517

Open in Google Maps

Arrival: Istanbul

Istanbul Esenler Otogari
Esenler Otogarı, 34035

Other stops in this city

Istanbul Taksim Ataturk Cultural Center, Taksim Square, 34437
Istanbul Büyük Otogari, Esenler Otogarı Otoparkı, 34035
Istanbul Fatih/S. Ahmet Ispark, İmran Öktem Cd. 4, 34440
Istanbul, Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Sabiha Gökçen Havaalanı, 34906
Istanbul, Montenegro Hotel, 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

Open in Google Maps

What to See in Istanbul

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey. Here are three places you can explore.

Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace is the main sultan's palace, the seat of administration of the Ottoman Empire from 1465 to 1853.

Hagia Sophia

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

Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops.

Frequently Asked Questions: Sofia → Istanbul

Answers to the most common passenger questions for this route.

How long does the bus from Sofia to Istanbul take?

Current schedules show travel time from 7h to 9h 15min. The exact time depends on the carrier and the departure you choose.

How much is a bus ticket from Sofia to Istanbul?

Which carriers operate from Sofia to Istanbul?

Where does the bus to Istanbul depart from?

How many buses are there per day from Sofia to Istanbul?

How do I buy a ticket from Sofia to Istanbul?

Buy Ticket Sofia → Istanbul

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

Buy Tickets

Bus from Sofia to Istanbul