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Getting around · Plane · Car · Bus · Train

How to get from Istanbul to Kars

Every way we could verify, sorted by door-to-door time. Airport and terminal transfers are inside the figures — the number you see is the number you live.

Timetables checked · Fares are ranges, not live prices

At a glance

Choose by time or starting fare.

Fastest checked option

Plane

5 hr door to door · $35–110

Lowest starting fare

Train

32 hr 6 min door to door · $34–63

These figures reflect the dates shown below, not live availability. Check the route, travel time and current fare with the operator or another reliable source before booking.

Istanbul to Kars

  1. PlaneFastestOur pick

    5 hr door to door · $35–110 · checked Aug 2026

    Direct IST-KSY (~2 h 10 m in the air), a few flights daily; transfers are inside these times.

  2. Car

    16 hr 44 min door to door · $186–388 · checked Sept 2026

    Self-drive: rent a car, ~16 h 44 m (1429 km by road, OSRM, no stops). Cost shown: fuel plus a share of one-way rental.

  3. Bus

    21 hr 19 min door to door · $41–51 · checked Sept 2026

    About 38 direct coaches a day each way (Aras, Turgutreis, Kamil Koç, Kafkas Kars, Bizim Iğdır, Kars Kalesi), taking around 21 h 20 m.

  4. TrainLowest starting fare

    32 hr 6 min door to door · $34–63 · checked Sept 2026

    No direct train. Take a midday high-speed train to Ankara (the 12:20 works), then the 18:00 Eastern Express (Doğu Ekspresi, seats and 4-berth couchettes), which reaches Kars at about 20:26 the next evening.

Kars to Istanbul

  1. PlaneFastestOur pick

    5 hr door to door · $35–110 · checked Aug 2026

    Direct IST-KSY (~2 h 10 m in the air), a few flights daily; transfers are inside these times.

  2. Car

    16 hr 44 min door to door · $186–388 · checked Sept 2026

    Self-drive: rent a car, ~16 h 44 m (1429 km by road, OSRM, no stops). Cost shown: fuel plus a share of one-way rental.

  3. Bus

    21 hr 19 min door to door · $41–51 · checked Sept 2026

    About 38 direct coaches a day each way (Aras, Turgutreis, Kamil Koç, Kafkas Kars, Bizim Iğdır, Kars Kalesi), taking around 21 h 20 m.

  4. TrainLowest starting fare

    32 hr 30 min door to door · $34–63 · checked Sept 2026

    No direct train. The Eastern Express (Doğu Ekspresi) leaves Kars at 08:00 and reaches Ankara about 10:30 the next morning; a high-speed train then reaches Istanbul about 16:30.

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