Getting Around Istanbul: The Complete Transit Guide
Tram, metro, ferry, funicular, taxi — the actual system explained, with the one card that runs them all.
The Istanbulkart
One card, all transit. Buy at any metro station kiosk for €2, load with credit, tap in and out. Rides run €0.60–1 each. Refund the balance at the airport when you leave.
The tram (T1)
The tourist line. Sultanahmet to Kabataş via Eminönü and Karaköy. Connects almost every headline sight.
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Free hop-on-hop-off bus with select pass tiersThe metro
**M2** — Taksim to Şişhane and beyond. Deep-tunnel line. **M1a/M1b** — old airport (SAW) and Yenikapı. **M11** — Istanbul airport (IST) to Gayrettepe.
The ferries
The city's soul. Eminönü to Kadıköy every 15 minutes, €0.75, 25 minutes. Do this at least twice.
The funiculars
**Tünel** — Karaköy to Beyoğlu, world's second-oldest subway (1875). **F1** — Kabataş to Taksim.
Taxis
Yellow, metered, cheap by European standards. Use BiTaksi or Uber apps to avoid negotiation. Reject any fixed-price offer.
What to avoid
The M1 to the old Sabiha Gökçen airport requires transfers. Take the Havabus direct.
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Fewer transit worries with the passFAQs
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One pass covers everything mentioned in this article.
