What to know before you go
- The terrain: Istanbul is built on hills. Sultanahmet is fairly flat, but Galata, Beyoğlu, Süleymaniye and Balat have significant slopes.
- Pavements: often narrow, uneven, sometimes blocked by cars, café terraces or stalls. Cobbles shake a wheelchair.
- Monuments: many historic buildings have been adapted with ramps, but full access is not guaranteed everywhere.
- Equipment: if you come with an electric wheelchair, check weight and dimensions before the flight, and plan a back-up (a light manual chair, crutches) for sights with narrow access.
Getting around
The T1 tram
The T1 tram, which serves Sultanahmet, Eminönü and Karaköy, is low-floor: boarding from the platform is level, though at some older stops a slight gap or a raised platform calls for help. It is the most practical way to link the old city.
The metro, Marmaray and funiculars
Metro lines and Marmaray are generally fitted with lifts, escalators and ramps at most stations. The newest lines are usually the best equipped; on older ones, check that the station lift is working before setting off. The funiculars linking the low districts to the high ones help avoid slopes; see our guide to funiculars and cable cars.
Ferries
Most public ferries are wheelchair accessible, with a boarding ramp and a reserved space on the lower deck. It is one of the city's most accessible outings: the crossing to Kadıköy gives a full view of the old city skyline without a single step. Check the departure pier: access varies from one pontoon to another. See our most scenic ferry rides.
Taxis
Taxis are often the simplest way to reach a sight on a slope. Folding wheelchairs fit in the boot. Order through an app (BiTaksi, İTaksi, Uber) to know the fare and avoid unpleasant surprises; fares are detailed in our guide to transport in Istanbul and in the one on taxis.
The Istanbulkart
Istanbulkart validators are everywhere; the card is needed for the whole public network. Ask about reduced or free fares for people with disabilities: they may be reserved for residents or for specific cards.
Sights: more or less accessible
The rule: call or check the official site before you go. Here are benchmarks for the main places.
- Hagia Sophia: access to the ground floor is generally via a side ramp. Foreign visitors' route goes through the upper gallery, reached by a long sloping path; confirm accessibility at the entrance. The ticket costs €25.
- Blue Mosque: the visiting area is level, but shoes come off at the entrance, onto a carpeted floor. Free entry outside prayer times.
- Basilica Cistern: wooden walkways above the water, reached by stairs; ask at the entrance whether adapted access is available.
- Topkapı Palace: large, gently sloping, cobbled courtyards; some rooms, including the Harem, have steps. Plan a taxi to the gate and long breaks.
- Archaeological museums: museum buildings, generally easier than an old monument; check access to each building.
- Istanbul Modern: a recent building on the Bosphorus, presumably easier to enter than an old monument; confirm the lifts and the rooms concerned.
- Dolmabahçe Palace: guided visit inside, with monumental staircases; ask about the adapted route.
- Grand Bazaar: mostly level, but crowded, with an uneven floor.
This list gives general benchmarks, not a guarantee: confirm accessibility by phone or email before you go.
Neighbourhoods: where to start
- Sultanahmet: relatively flat, served by the tram, with the main monuments a short distance apart.
- Karaköy and the Bosphorus shore: easy for a stroll, with the funicular to go back up towards Beyoğlu.
- Asian side (Kadıköy): the seafront promenade is flatter than many European districts.
- To avoid or tackle by taxi: Balat, Fener, the Süleymaniye hill and the top of Galata, with cobbled, steep lanes.
Where to sleep
Ask before booking: lift, door width, walk-in shower, steps at the entrance. Many charming hotels in old houses have no lift. Large recent hotels are generally better equipped, but ask for written confirmation. See our guide on where to stay in Istanbul.
Our tips
- Shorten the programme: two sights a day at most.
- Favour the morning: fewer people on the pavements.
- Take taxis for the climbs and the tram or ferry for the rest.
- Write ahead to the main sights to learn about adapted access and whether a companion enters free.
- Keep a fallback: see what to do in Istanbul when it rains for covered visits.
- Insurance: check that your travel insurance covers medical equipment.
Going further
Our guide to a first trip to Istanbul gathers the general tips. To limit standing in queues, also read how to avoid queues, and for an effortless outing, the Bosphorus cruise.
