There are 10 ways to get from Istanbul to Lugano by plane, train, bus, night train, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Istanbul Airport to Milano Malpensa Airport, train
best- Fly from Istanbul Airport (IST) to Milano Malpensa Airport (MXP)plane IST - MXP
- Take the train from Malpensa Aeroporto T1 to Luganotrain
8h 12mCHF 87–269Fly Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Il Caravaggio International Airport, bus, train
cheapest- Fly from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) to Il Caravaggio International Airport (BGY)plane SAW - BGY
- Take the bus from Milan Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport to Piazza Luigi di Savoiabus
- Take the train from Milano Centrale to Luganotrain
8h 55mCHF 76–430Bus
- Take the bus from Istanbul to Munichbus
- Take the bus from Munich central bus station to Luganobus FlixBus N76 / ...
29h 20mCHF 95–154Night train, train
- Take the nighttrain from Halkali to Videlenighttrain
- Take the train from Videle to Budapest-Keletitrain Ir
- Take the train from Budapest-Keleti to Zuerich Hbtrain Rjx
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Luganotrain Ec / ...
39h 29mCHF 231–358Drive 1,986.8 km
- Drive from Istanbul to Luganocar 1,986.8 km
19h 6mCHF 382–551Fly Istanbul Airport to Zurich Airport, train
- Fly from Istanbul Airport (IST) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)plane IST - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Luganotrain
8h 40mCHF 150–385Fly Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Zurich Airport, train
- Fly from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)plane SAW - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Luganotrain
8h 55mCHF 100–475Fly Istanbul Airport to Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport, train
- Fly from Istanbul Airport (IST) to Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ)plane IST - BLQ
- Take the train from Bologna centrale to Milano Centraletrain
- Take the train from Milano Centrale to Luganotrain
9h 8mCHF 124–329Bus, train
- Take the bus from Istanbul to Munichbus
- Take the train from München Hbf to St. Margrethen SGtrain 88
- Take the train from St. Margrethen SG to Zürich HBtrain Ec
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Luganotrain Ec / ...
30h 59mCHF 181–309Bus via Novi Pazar
- Take the bus from Esenler Otogar to Novi Pazar, Autobuska stanicabus
- Take the bus from Novi Pazar, Autobuska stanica to Lugano, Stazionebus
40h 39mCHF 165
Istanbul to Lugano by bus
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Istanbul to Lugano is to fly and bus and train which costs SFr 75 - SFr 430 and takes 8h 55m.
The fastest way to get from Istanbul to Lugano is to fly and train which takes 8h 12m and costs SFr 85 - SFr 270.
No, there is no direct bus from Istanbul to Lugano. However, there are services departing from Istanbul and arriving at Lugano via Munich central bus station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 29h 20m.
No, there is no direct train from Istanbul to Lugano. However, there are services departing from Yenikapi and arriving at Lugano via Halkali, Videle, Budapest-Keleti and Zürich HB. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 39h 29m.
The distance between Istanbul and Lugano is 1802 km. The road distance is 1986.8 km.
The best way to get from Istanbul to Lugano without a car is to bus which takes 29h 20m and costs SFr 95 - SFr 160.
It takes approximately 8h 12m to get from Istanbul to Lugano, including transfers.
Istanbul to Lugano bus services, operated by Alpar Turizm, depart from Istanbul station.
Istanbul to Lugano train services, operated by Bulgarian Railways (BDZh), depart from Halkali station.
Istanbul to Lugano bus services, operated by Alpar Turizm, arrive at Munich station.
What companies run services between Istanbul, Turkey and Lugano, Switzerland?
You can take a bus from Istanbul to Lugano via Munich central bus station in around 29h 20m.
- Website
- turkishairlines.com
Flights from Istanbul Airport to Milano Malpensa Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 110–370
Flights from Istanbul Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 1m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 95–300
Flights from Istanbul Airport to Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 100–320
- Website
- airserbia.com
Flights from Istanbul Airport to Milano Malpensa Airport via Belgrade
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 80–260
Flights from Istanbul Airport to Zurich Airport via Belgrade
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 90–180
- Website
- flypgs.com
Flights from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Il Caravaggio International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–310
Flights from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–310
- Website
- ajet.com
Flights from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Il Caravaggio International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 65–270
Flights from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 45–360
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Istanbul Airport to Zurich Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Monday to Thursday
- Estimated price
- CHF 90–430
- Phone
- +39 02 7249 4494
- my-link@trenord.it
- Website
- Trenord
Train from Malpensa Aeroporto T1 to Lugano
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 5–7
- Website
- Trenord
Train from Milano Centrale to Lugano
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 5–7
- Website
- Trenord
Train from Milano Centrale to Lugano
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 5–7
- Website
- Trenord
- Phone
- +359 2 931 11 11
- bdz_passengers@bdz.bg
- Website
- Bulgarian Railways (BDZh)
Night train from Halkali to Videle
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 35m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 8–25
- Website
- Bulgarian Railways (BDZh)
- 2nd Class
- CHF 8–12
- 1st Class
- CHF 8–12
- Phone
- 0219521
- Website
- Romanian Railways (CFR)
Train from Videle to Budapest-Keleti
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 8m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 52–57
- Website
- Romanian Railways (CFR)
Train from Zürich HB to Lugano
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 50–85
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
Train from Zürich HB to Lugano
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 50–85
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
Train from Zürich HB to Lugano
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 50–85
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
Train from St. Margrethen SG to Zürich HB
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 39m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 30–55
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
Train from Zürich HB to Lugano
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 50–85
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
- Phone
- +39 06 8937 1892
- Website
- Italo Treno
Train from Bologna centrale to Milano Centrale
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 4m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- CHF 22–40
- Website
- Italo Treno
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from München Hbf to St. Margrethen SG
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 21m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 30–65
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
- Phone
- +90 212 658 18 51
- info@alparturizm.com.tr
- Website
- Alpar Turizm
Bus from Istanbul to Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 23h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 70–110
- Website
- Alpar Turizm
Bus from Istanbul to Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 23h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 70–110
- Website
- Alpar Turizm
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Munich central bus station to Lugano
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 20m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- CHF 30–50
- Website
- Flixbus
- Phone
- +420 222 222 221
- info@regiojet.com
- Website
- RegioJet
Bus from Munich central bus station to Lugano
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 55m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 24–40
- Website
- RegioJet
- customerservices@terravision.eu
- Website
- TERRAVISION
Bus from Milan Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport to Piazza Luigi di Savoia
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- CHF 4–21
- Website
- TERRAVISION
- Phone
- 035.319366
- ticket@orioshuttle.com
- Website
- orioshuttle.com
Bus from Milan Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport to Piazza Luigi di Savoia
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- CHF 10–13
- Schedules at
- orioshuttle.com
- Phone
- + (381) 20 316 581
- office@gameks.biz
- Website
- gameks.biz
Bus from Esenler Otogar to Novi Pazar, Autobuska stanica
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 30m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 46
- Schedules at
- gameks.biz
- Phone
- +381 020 313101
- Website
- facebook.com
Bus from Novi Pazar, Autobuska stanica to Lugano, Stazione
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 9m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 120
- Schedules at
- facebook.com
Want to know more about travelling around Switzerland
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
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Booking & Getting There
Lugano is 2h behind Istanbul. It is currently 7:36 AM in Istanbul and 5:36 AM in Lugano.
Istanbul to Lugano train services, operated by Bulgarian Railways (BDZh), arrive at Videle station.
Yes, the driving distance between Istanbul to Lugano is 1987 km. It takes approximately 19h 6m to drive from Istanbul to Lugano.
Book your Istanbul to Lugano bus tickets online with Omio and 12go.asia.
There are 6222+ hotels available in Lugano.

























































