There are 9 ways to get from Sandanski to Istanbul by car, plane, bus, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Drive to Skopje International Airport, fly to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport
best- Drive from Sandanski to Skopje-Airport-SKPcar
- Fly from Skopje International Airport (SKP) to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW)plane SKP - SAW
5h 18m₺3,144–7,944Train
cheapest- Take the train from Strumyani to Sofiatrain 5612 / ...
- Take the train from Sofia to Halkalıtrain
17h 39m₺937–4,341Bus
- Take the bus from Sandanski to Blagoevgradbus
- Take the bus from Blagoevgrad to Istanbulbus
11h 35m₺1,616–2,364Bus, train
- Take the bus from Sandanski to Sofiabus
- Take the train from Sofia to Halkalıtrain
15h 57m₺994–4,263Drive 592.5 km
- Drive from Sandanski to Istanbulcar 592.5 km
7h 15m₺4,096–5,916Drive to Skopje International Airport, fly to Istanbul
- Drive from Sandanski to Skopje-Airport-SKPcar
- Fly from Skopje International Airport (SKP) to Istanbul (IST)plane SKP - IST
5h 10m₺5,331–10,423Bus to Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia, fly to Istanbul
- Take the bus from Sandanski to Thessaloniki train stationbus
- Fly from Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia (SKG) to Istanbul (IST)plane SKG - IST
8h 7m₺4,132–8,824Bus to Sofia Airport, fly to Istanbul
- Take the bus from Sandanski to Sofiabus
- Fly from Sofia Airport (SOF) to Istanbul (IST)plane SOF - IST
8h 30m₺4,154–9,500Bus via Plovdiv
- Take the bus from Sandanski to Samokovbus
- Take the bus from Samokov to Plovdivbus
- Take the bus from Plovdiv Hristo Botev to Istanbul Büyük Otogaribus
14h 30m₺1,556–2,049
Sandanski to Istanbul by bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Sandanski to Istanbul is to bus via Plovdiv which costs 1.500 ₺ - 2.100 ₺ and takes 14h 30m.
The fastest way to get from Sandanski to Istanbul is to drive and fly which takes 5h 10m and costs 5.000 ₺ - 11.000 ₺.
No, there is no direct bus from Sandanski to Istanbul. However, there are services departing from Sandanski and arriving at Istanbul via Blagoevgrad. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 11h 35m.
The distance between Sandanski and Istanbul is 883 km. The road distance is 592.5 km.
The best way to get from Sandanski to Istanbul without a car is to bus which takes 11h 35m and costs 1.600 ₺ - 2.400 ₺.
It takes approximately 5h 18m to get from Sandanski to Istanbul, including transfers.
Sandanski to Istanbul bus services, operated by BG Razpisanie, depart from Sandanski station.
The best way to get from Sandanski to Istanbul is to bus which takes 11h 35m and costs 1.600 ₺ - 2.400 ₺. Alternatively, you can train, which costs 900 ₺ - 4.400 ₺ and takes 17h 39m.
Sandanski to Istanbul bus services, operated by BG Razpisanie, arrive at Blagoevgrad station.
Istanbul is 1h ahead of Sandanski. It is currently 5:32 PM in Sandanski and 6:32 PM in Istanbul.
What companies run services between Sandanski, Bulgaria and Istanbul, Turkey?
You can take a bus from Sandanski to Istanbul via Blagoevgrad in around 11h 35m. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Sandanski to Yenikapi via Strumyani, Strumyani, Sofia, and Halkali in around 17h 39m.
- Website
- en.aegeanair.com
Flights from Skopje International Airport to Istanbul via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- ₺3,500–12,000
Flights from Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia to Istanbul
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₺3,500–8,500
Flights from Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia to Istanbul via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 34m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₺3,500–8,500
- Website
- turkishairlines.com
Flights from Skopje International Airport to Istanbul
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 37m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₺4,200–9,000
Flights from Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia to Istanbul
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₺5,500–8,500
Flights from Sofia Airport to Istanbul
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₺3,400–8,000
- Website
- flypgs.com
Flights from Skopje International Airport to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₺2,000–14,000
Flights from Skopje International Airport to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport via Izmir
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- ₺2,500–15,000
- Website
- ajet.com
Flights from Skopje International Airport to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₺1,800–6,000
- Website
- tarom.ro
Flights from Sofia Airport to Istanbul via Bucharest Otopeni
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- When
- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- ₺3,400–8,000
- Phone
- +90 444 8 233
- cozum@tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr
- Website
- tcdd.gov.tr
Train from Sofia to Halkalı
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 49m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₺650–3,864
- Website
- https://www.tcdd.gov.tr/lang/en
- Double Room
- ₺2,145
- Single Room
- ₺3,864
- Four Person Room
- ₺1,886
- Phone
- +35929311111
- onlineticket@bdz.bg
- Website
- bdz.bg
Train from Strumyani to Sofia
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 1m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₺260–400
- Website
- https://www.bdz.bg/en
- 2nd Class
- ₺260–360
- 1st Class
- ₺380–400
- info@bgrazpisanie.com
- Website
- bgrazpisanie.com
Bus from Sandanski to Blagoevgrad
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Website
- https://bgrazpisanie.com/en
Bus from Sandanski to Sofia
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₺318
- Website
- https://bgrazpisanie.com/en
- Phone
- 0722 60019
- samokovtouristcenter@mail.bg
- Website
- samokov-info.com
Bus from Sandanski to Blagoevgrad
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 47m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- ₺110–170
- Website
- https://samokov-info.com/?lang=en
Bus from Sandanski to Samokov
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- ₺240–350
- Website
- https://samokov-info.com/?lang=en
Bus from Samokov to Plovdiv
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₺210–300
- Website
- https://samokov-info.com/?lang=en
- Phone
- +90 212 658 18 51
- info@alparturizm.com.tr
- Website
- alparturizm.com.tr
Bus from Blagoevgrad to Istanbul
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₺1,500–2,200
- Website
- https://www.alparturizm.com.tr/en/
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Sandanski to Thessaloniki train station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- ₺420–750
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
Bus from Sandanski to Sofia
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- ₺500–900
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
Bus from Plovdiv Hristo Botev to Istanbul Büyük Otogari
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ₺1,300–2,400
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +359 0885700870
- support@citylines.eu
- Website
- citylines.eu
Bus from Plovdiv Hristo Botev to Istanbul Büyük Otogari
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₺1,200–1,700
- Website
- https://citylines.eu/
- Phone
- +359 700 20 544
- Website
- ardatur.bg
Bus from Plovdiv Hristo Botev to Istanbul Büyük Otogari
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₺1,300–1,800
- Website
- https://ardatur.bg/en/
- Phone
- +90 212 658 00 61
- info@huntur.com.tr
- Website
- huntur.com.tr
Bus from Plovdiv Hristo Botev to Istanbul Büyük Otogari
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₺1,100–1,400
- Website
- https://www.huntur.com.tr/?l=EN
Want to know more about travelling around Türkiye
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.
Related travel guides
Want to know more about Flixbus?
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between Sandanski to Istanbul is 593 km. It takes approximately 7h 15m to drive from Sandanski to Istanbul.
There are 4286+ hotels available in Istanbul.

































