Istanbul to Bursa by Private Transfer, Plus a Bursa Day Trip
Bursa is one of the richest day trips you can make from Istanbul. The first Ottoman capital has a historic bazaar quarter, remarkable mosques, old villages such as Cumalıkızık and the slopes of Uludağ behind it, easily enough for a full day. Since the Osmangazi Bridge opened you no longer have to drive around the Gulf of İzmit, and the trip is much shorter. This guide covers the route, drive times and tolls for a private transfer from Istanbul to Bursa, followed by a plan for the day.
The route: over the Osmangazi Bridge
The usual way runs like this: on the Asian side, the Anatolian Motorway (O-4) takes you to Gebze, where you join the Gebze–Orhangazi–İzmir Motorway (O-5) near Dilovası. The Osmangazi Bridge crosses the Gulf of İzmit between Dilovası and Altınova, and from there the motorway descends to Bursa via Orhangazi.
Starting on the European side, you first need to cross the Bosphorus. In the options our booking system calculated for this article, all three Bosphorus crossings (the Eurasia Tunnel, the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge) came up from both Taksim and Sultanahmet; the fastest was the 15 July Martyrs Bridge from Taksim and the Eurasia Tunnel from Sultanahmet. Our bridge or tunnel guide explains which crossing suits which neighborhood.
There is also a toll-free way around the gulf via İzmit, but it is noticeably longer, and it did not appear among the suggested options in the queries we ran for this article.
Distance and drive time
Approximate distances to Bursa's historic center (around the Grand Mosque, Ulu Cami):
- From Kadıköy: about 146 km
- From Taksim: about 151–160 km, depending on the Bosphorus crossing
- From Sultanahmet: about 154–171 km, depending on the Bosphorus crossing
Google Routes traffic predictions (approximate, as of 2026):
- Saturday, leaving 8:00: 112 min from Kadıköy, 115 from Taksim, 116 from Sultanahmet.
- Saturday, leaving 10:00: 123 min from Kadıköy, 127 from Taksim and Sultanahmet.
- Weekday, leaving 18:00: 141 min from Kadıköy, 150 from Sultanahmet, 156 from Taksim.
Heading back on a Sunday evening from Bursa:
- Sunday 17:00: 120 min to Kadıköy, 146 to Taksim.
- Sunday 19:00: 122 min to Kadıköy, 144 to Taksim.
In short: leave early on a weekend morning and you reach Bursa in just under two hours. Coming back on a Sunday evening, especially to the European side, it is realistic to expect close to two and a half hours.
Going on a weekday
If you are heading to Bursa on business or midweek, the picture shifts a little. Google Routes estimates for a Wednesday: leaving at 8:00, 119 min from Kadıköy, 122 from Sultanahmet, 123 from Taksim. Coming back the same day from Bursa to Taksim, 143 min leaving at 8:00 and 138 leaving at 18:00; to Kadıköy about 121–122 min at either time. So on a weekday morning, city traffic adds roughly ten minutes on the way out of Istanbul, and an evening return to the European side takes about as long as on a weekend evening.
Bridge and motorway tolls
The biggest cost item on the Istanbul–Bursa road is the Osmangazi Bridge. The figures below are the current fees used in the TristGo booking system. They are approximate, valid as of 2026, and are updated when tariffs change. One way:
- Osmangazi Bridge: about 1,870 TL
- O-5, Altınova–Bursa North: about 560 TL
- O-4, Çamlıca–Kurtköy: about 56 TL
- O-4, Kurtköy–Gebze: about 89 TL
From Kadıköy that comes to about 2,575 TL. From the European side you add a Bosphorus crossing: about 75 TL for the 15 July Martyrs or Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, or about 495 TL for the Eurasia Tunnel.
Bridge and tunnel fees are included in your price and shown as their own line. For motorway tolls you choose "pay now" or "pay the driver during the trip" when you book. Our guide to tolls explains how this works.
A day in Bursa: sample plan
Morning: an early start
Leave around 7:30–8:00 on a weekend and you will be in Bursa before 10:00, just in time for breakfast there.
The bazaar quarter and the Grand Mosque
Start at Ulu Cami, the Grand Mosque. Koza Han and the covered bazaar are right next to it, all within a few minutes' walk. The courtyard of Koza Han, the old silk market, is a good spot for a glass of tea and a look at silk and local goods.
Green Mosque, Green Tomb and Tophane
A little east of the bazaar, the Green Mosque and Green Tomb are among Bursa's best-known buildings, famous for their tilework. To the west, Tophane holds the tombs of Osman Gazi and Orhan Gazi and the clock tower, with a fine view over the city.
Lunch
You cannot really leave Bursa without trying İskender kebab, which comes from here. For dessert, try kemalpaşa, and pick up candied chestnuts (kestane şekeri) to take home.
Afternoon: Cumalıkızık or Uludağ
Two options stand out for the afternoon. East of the city, Cumalıkızık is a quiet village of Ottoman-era houses and narrow lanes. If you prefer nature, the cable car from Teferrüç climbs up Uludağ. Services depend on the weather, so check before you go.
Late afternoon: heading back
If you return on a Sunday, plan around the times above. Going back to the European side, allow nearly two and a half hours; having dinner in Bursa and leaving a little later is another sensible option.
What to bring
Comfortable shoes are a must for the historic center and the cobbled lanes of Cumalıkızık. If you are going up Uludağ, it can be noticeably cooler up there even on a mild day in town, so bring a light jacket. For mosque visits, clothes that cover shoulders and knees, and a headscarf for women, make things easier.
How to book it
Each booking on our form covers one direction. For a day trip you make two separate bookings: one from your Istanbul address to Bursa in the morning, and one from Bursa back to Istanbul in the evening. Each shows its own route options, distance, estimated duration and crossing fees. The duration on screen assumes normal traffic flow, so use the estimates above when planning a Sunday-evening return.
Our vehicles are Mercedes Vito, with plenty of room for families and small groups, and for the shopping bags you will probably bring back from Bursa.
Choose a clear pickup point for the return booking. The heart of the bazaar quarter is made up of pedestrian lanes, so a hotel or an address on a street where a car can pull up makes the meeting easier.
Looking for other day trips from Istanbul? See our Sapanca and Maşukiye guide, or for a longer road trip, Istanbul to Cappadocia by road.
Book your Bursa transfer
On the booking page, enter your starting address and your destination in Bursa to see the route options and price, and book online.
