Istanbul to Bursa Ferry

The Sea of Marmara crossing

The ferry from İstanbul to Bursa crosses the Sea of Marmara, the inland sea that separates European İstanbul from the Asian mainland and the Bursa region. İDO (İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri) runs the route year-round, docking at Güzelyalı in the Mudanya district, on the Marmara coast about 25 km from central Bursa.

The crossing is one of the quickest ways to reach Bursa from İstanbul, often faster than driving round once you add İstanbul traffic, and far more relaxing. The fast ferry takes about 1 hour 35 minutes, with six or seven sailings a day in each direction; from Güzelyalı you continue by bus, taxi or car to central Bursa.

Yenikapı and Güzelyalı

Ferries depart from Yenikapı, İstanbul's main İDO terminal on the European shore. Yenikapı is on the metro and the Marmaray rail line, making it straightforward to reach from both the European and Asian sides of the city.

The Güzelyalı terminal lies just east of the old port town of Mudanya, which kept much of its historic waterfront character and is worth a stop in its own right. From the terminal, buses and taxis run to Bursa city centre and on to the cable-car base station for Mount Uludağ.

Car ferry: travelling with a vehicle

This is one of the İDO routes that carries cars and motorbikes on its fast car ferries, although some sailings use passenger-only sea buses. That makes it useful if you plan to explore the Bursa region or continue south by road. Friday evenings, weekends and long holiday weekends see high demand; book vehicle space online in advance. Foot passengers can usually walk on with less planning, though summer sailings can be busy.

Bursa, beyond the ferry

Bursa is Turkey's fourth-largest city and the first Ottoman capital. The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) and the Green Mosque (Yeşil Cami) are the historic centrepieces; Uludağ, the ski mountain visible from the coast, is reached by cable car from the suburbs. The city is also famous for İskender kebap, the spinning-meat dish invented here.