Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

GETTING AROUND İSTANBUL Public transport is cheap and efficient; children under six years of age travel free. Purchasing an İstanbulkart (transport card) is highly recommended. Tram The easiest way to travel between the Bazaar District, Sultanahmet and Beyoğlu, with a new line open along the western shore of the Golden Horn in early 2021. Frequent services from 6am to midnight. Metro The city’s ever-expanding metro network is modern and efficient. Most routes operate between 6am and midnight, although some operate 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays. Ferry The most enjoyable way to travel around the city; ferries on major routes operate between 7am and 9pm (approximately). A Bus Usually slow and crowded; you’ll need an İstanbulkart to travel as drivers don’t sell tickets. Most services operate between 6am and 11pm. Tickets & Passes A Jetons (ticket tokens) can be purchased from ticket machines or offices at tram stops, iskelesi (ferry docks) and funicular and metro stations, but it’s much cheaper and easier to use an İstanbulkart. A You must have an İstanbulkart to use a bus. A Pay the driver when you take a dolmuş (shared minibus); fares vary according to destination and length of trip. A Ticket prices are usually the same on public and private ferry services; İstanbulkarts can be used on some private ferries, but not all. A İstanbulkarts cannot be used to pay for Bosphorus ferry tours. Tram An excellent tramvay (tramway) service runs from Bağcılar, in the city’s west, to Zeytinburnu (where it connects with the metro from the airport) and on to Sultanahmet and Eminönü. It then crosses the Galata Bridge to Karaköy (to connect with the Tünel) and Kabataş (to connect with the funicular to Taksim Meydanı). A second service runs from Cevizlibağ, closer to Sultanahmet on the same line, through to Kabataş. Both services run every five