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Uludağ Ski Season 2027: Bursa Day Trip from Istanbul, Prices and Times

Uludağ plans to open the 2026-27 season on 18 December. Cable car, ski pass and ferry prices, and how to see snow and Bursa in a day from Istanbul.

Ayşe ArslanAuthor20 October 20268 min read

Uludağ Ski Season 2027: Bursa Day Trip from Istanbul, Prices and Times

Uludağ, the ski mountain above Bursa and the closest real snow to Istanbul, lists 18 December as the opening day of its 2026-2027 season, and season passes went on sale online in October. The resort's official site, Uludağ Info, shows the date in its events calendar; whether the lifts actually turn on that day depends on snow, as it does every year. The adult season pass was announced at 22,500 TL for new holders, according to the Turkish travel site Karekod, which reported the 2026-27 prices on 9 October.

For visitors staying in Istanbul, the question is simpler: can you see snow, ride the cable car and eat İskender kebab in Bursa in one day, and what does it cost? You can. A fast ferry from Yenikapı reaches the Bursa side of the Sea of Marmara in about 1 hour 35 minutes, and the cable car from Bursa to the hotel zone at the top takes around half an hour.

Skiers on a sunny slope at Uludağ ski resort above Bursa, with pine trees and a sea of clouds below

At a glance


Season opening (planned)	18 December 2026, snow permitting
Adult season pass 2026-27	22,500 TL new, 19,500 TL renewal (announced)
Day ski pass	1,700 TL online in the 2025-26 season; 2026-27 price not yet published
Bursa cable car	500 TL return (full fare, 2026), about 9 km, 25 to 30 minutes
Cable car hours	normally 10:00 to 18:00, weather permitting
Istanbul to Bursa	fast ferry Yenikapı to Güzelyalı about 1 h 35 min; by road about 2.5 hours via the Osmangazi Bridge
Summit	Uludağ, 2,543 m
Our tours	Bursa day trip with cable car and lunch from $90; private Bursa day from $100

What is new for the 2026-27 season

The headline numbers are the passes. Uludağ Info said 2026-27 season passes are on sale online, and last season's holders get a personal discount code by email. Karekod's report put the adult season pass at 22,500 TL for a new card and 19,500 TL for a renewal, with a child season pass at 12,500 TL. Day and points tickets for 2026-27 had not been published when we checked on 20 October. In the 2025-26 season an online one-day pass cost 1,700 TL, so expect the new figure to be higher.

The cable car fare is the other cost most day-trippers pay. Bursa's local paper Bursa Hakimiyet reported on 7 July 2026 that a full-fare return ticket costs 500 TL and a student return 250 TL. The line runs about 9 km from Teferrüç station on the edge of Bursa, via Sarıalan, to the Oteller (hotels) zone, and the full ride takes 25 to 30 minutes. Strong wind stops it, which happens on some winter days; when it does, minibuses and taxis take the mountain road instead.

A cable car cabin passing over snow-covered pine forest on the line from Bursa up to Uludağ

How to do Uludağ and Bursa in a day from Istanbul

The trip works best with an early start. A typical day our guides run in winter looks like this:

Time	What happens
06:30 to 07:00	Hotel pick-up in Istanbul
07:30 to 09:10	Fast ferry from Yenikapı to Güzelyalı, or road via the Osmangazi Bridge
10:00	Cable car from Teferrüç up to Sarıalan and the hotel zone
10:30 to 13:30	Snow, short ski lesson or sledging, photos at the top
14:00	Down to Bursa, lunch: İskender kebab, the city's own dish
15:00 to 16:30	Green Mosque and Green Tomb, Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), Koza Han silk bazaar
17:00 to 19:30	Ferry or road back to Istanbul

If skiing is the main goal rather than a taste of snow, a day trip is tight. By the time you have rented boots and skis and bought a pass, you have perhaps four hours on the slopes. For a real ski day, consider a night in one of the hotels in the Oteller zone or in Bursa, and go up first thing the next morning.

The Grand Mosque of Bursa lit up at night, with its twin minarets and the city around it

Group tour vs private day vs a night on the mountain

	Group day trip	Private day with car and guide	Overnight ski trip
Price from	$90 per person	$100 per person	on request
Transport	ferry plus coach	private van door to door	private transfer
Cable car ticket	included	extra (500 TL)	as needed
Lunch	included	your choice	hotel
Time in the snow	about 2 to 3 hours	flexible	full ski day
Skiing	not included	can be arranged	yes
Best for	first snow, families on a budget	couples, families with small children	skiers

The group trip is the cheapest way to see Uludağ in snow and Bursa's mosques on the same day. It includes the ferry, cable car, guide and lunch, but not ski hire or lift passes. The private day trades the ferry for a van, which means no waiting at piers and the option to stop at Cumalıkızık, the Ottoman village outside Bursa listed by UNESCO in 2014 with the city's early Ottoman monuments.

When to go for snow

Uludağ's season usually runs from mid or late December to March, and the best and most reliable snow is in January and February. Opening dates are set by snow, not the calendar. If you have only one free day in early December, the cable car still gives you mountain views, forest and often some snow at the top, but do not count on open pistes.

Weekends in January and February and the two-week Turkish school winter break are the busiest times on the mountain. Weekdays outside those weeks are far quieter on the lifts and on the road.

What this means for your trip

For most visitors to Istanbul, the realistic plan is one winter day in Bursa: cable car, snow, lunch and the old Ottoman capital. Book it for a weekday in January or February if you want the best chance of snow at the top, and bring waterproof shoes and gloves; rental shops on the mountain cover skis, boots and suits, but not much else. If you want to ski properly, add a night and treat Uludağ as a separate trip.

Check the weather the day before. When the cable car is stopped by wind, the trip still runs by road, but the day is longer.

Questions travellers are asking

Can you go to Uludağ from Istanbul in one day?

Yes, Uludağ can be done as a day trip from Istanbul: a fast ferry from Yenikapı to Güzelyalı takes about 1 hour 35 minutes, the drive to the Bursa cable car about 30 minutes more, and the cable car to the hotel zone 25 to 30 minutes. That leaves two to four hours in the snow. Proper skiing is easier with an overnight stay.

When does the ski season start in Uludağ?

Uludağ's official site lists 18 December 2026 as the planned opening of the 2026-2027 ski season, though the lifts only open when there is enough snow. The season normally lasts until March, with the most reliable snow in January and February.

How much is the Bursa cable car?

A full-fare return ticket on the Bursa cable car (teleferik) to Uludağ costs 500 TL in 2026, and a student return 250 TL, according to Bursa Hakimiyet in July 2026. The line runs about 9 km from Teferrüç to the hotel zone, usually from 10:00 to 18:00. Wind can stop it.

How much is a ski pass in Uludağ?

An online one-day ski pass at Uludağ cost 1,700 TL in the 2025-26 season, and the 2026-27 day price had not been published by 20 October 2026. The adult season pass for 2026-27 was announced at 22,500 TL for new holders. Equipment hire is extra and paid at rental shops on the mountain.

Is Uludağ good for beginners?

Uludağ is a good mountain for beginners and intermediate skiers, with wide, gentle slopes around the hotel zone and ski schools that run lessons for children and adults. Expert skiers will find only a few steep runs. For a first time on snow, a short lesson and a day pass are enough.

Is Bursa worth visiting in winter?

Bursa is well worth a winter visit: the city has the Grand Mosque, the Green Mosque and Tomb, silk bazaars and İskender kebab, and Uludağ above it gives you snow in the same day. The city itself rarely gets heavy snow, so sightseeing is easy. Days are short, so start early.

Plan it with us

We run Bursa and Uludağ trips from Istanbul all winter, as group tours or with a private car and guide.

Bursa day trip from Istanbul with cable car and lunch, from $90
Bursa full-day private tour from Istanbul, from $100
Sapanca and Maşukiye day trip with ATV, zipline and cable car, from $70
Istanbul classic private guided tour, from $200

Message us on WhatsApp at +90 545 307 67 88 with your date. More in our Bursa day trip from Istanbul guide, the Istanbul to Bursa transfer page and our places to visit in Istanbul this winter.

Sources: Uludağ Info official site, read 20 October 2026; Karekod, 9 October 2026; Bursa Hakimiyet, 7 July 2026; Eleman.net 2025-26 skipass prices; İDO Yenikapı to Bursa timetable via E-Yaşam Rehberi, June 2026.