Istanbul transport map – Istanbul kart. What you need to know about it

Istanbul Card is a single contactless transport card of Istanbul, which will save a lot of time and money when traveling by public transport. The card is valid on the metro, tram, metrobuses, funiculars, Teleferik cable car and ferries.

Where to purchase
How much does the fare cost
What you need to know upon arrival in Istanbul
How the Istanbul Kart transport card works
The cost of the card
How to understand the terminal menu
Fares in Istanbul in 2023
The usual metro lines, trams, metrobuses, funiculars, telephones and ferries
The Marmaray Line (Marmaray)

Arriving in Istanbul, I strongly recommend that you immediately purchase an Istanbul kart transport card. The card works according to the principle of our "Troika". Before the opening of metro stations at Sabiha Gokcen Airports (SAW) and the New Istanbul Airport (IST), most arrivals used express buses - there was no point in buying a card on arrival — the card did not work on buses.

Transfer to the Istanbul metro

Right now, the fastest way to get to the city center during the daytime is by metro. Believe me, hanging out for a few hours in Istanbul traffic jams is not the best first impression of the city.

Istanbul Metro is open from 06:00 to 00:00

Where to purchase

There are no usual cash desks in Istanbul where the operator will accept your cash in exchange for a travel card, however, at almost every stop there is a terminal through which you can buy a one-time pass, a subscription for several trips or an Istanbul card.

The terminal for the purchase of a transport card

Transport cards are not available everywhere, and they tend to run out during the day. The problem is especially acute during the peak season, when tourists have to "hunt" for it. The second problem is that not everywhere there are devices with the reception of plastic cards.

How much does the fare cost

As of September 2023, the cost of buying a single ticket for one trip is 30TL, on the Marmaray line - 45TL. This is significantly more expensive than traveling on the Istanbul Mastercard transport card.

What you need to know upon arrival in Istanbul

If you do not have a plastic card, then I recommend changing some cash (I warn you, the rate is unprofitable) at the airport. If you plan to take the metro, make sure that the exchanger will issue banknotes not exceeding 100TL, since the machines at Sabiha Gökçen Havaalanı and Istanbul Havalimanı stations do not accept 200TL banknotes. At other stations, there are devices that accept bills of no more than 20TL at all.

How the Istanbul Kart transport card works

If, when buying a one-time ticket, you pay the full cost of the trip, then the calculation on the Istanbul Cart transport card is determined by the number of stations (on the Marmaray line and on Metrobuses) that you will pass. When leaving the station or transferring, it is necessary to bring the card to the Iade Makinesi reader placed after the turnstiles. This must be done, otherwise the trip will be charged at the maximum rate. Please note that transfers between lines are paid for.

The cost of the card

In September 2023, the Istanbul Transport Card costs 70TL. After purchase, it can be replenished in the amount of up to 500TL. Terminals do not issue change, so all deposited money will be credited to the balance.

The second side of the Istanbul Card (Istanbul Card)

Some stations have a Russian menu, but for some reason it becomes more difficult to meet it every year. In fact, there are three buttons in the menu - buy a one-time pass (or a subscription for several passes), top up, buy a transport card.

The interface of the payment terminal for transport in Istanbul

The Marmaray Line is an upgraded 76.6 km long commuter train line consisting of 43 stations. It is not part of the metro. Its main feature is a tunnel under the Bosphorus with a depth of 60.46 meters. This is the fastest way to travel between the European and Asian parts of Istanbul.

Cards with one-time tickets or season tickets for a fixed number of trips do not work on the Marmaray line, for it, if there is no transport card, you need to buy a special one-time ticket in blue machines, which also do not accept 200TL bills.