Buying the Istanbulkart
The card costs 165 TL, with no credit included and non-refundable, according to the fare table we found; the price has been raised several times already, so check it on the machine's screen before paying. Two places sell it:
- Biletmatik machines, in tram, metro and Marmaray stations, at ferry piers and at the airports. The screen is available in English.
- Kiosks and shops marked "İstanbulkart", near bus stops and stations: they sell and top up the card at the counter.
Avoid buying a card from someone on the street: a second-hand card may be empty or blocked. For arrivals by plane, see the guide Istanbul's airports and connections to the centre.
Topping up the card
At the Biletmatik, put the card on the reader, choose the language, then the amount. The accepted means of payment (cash, bank card) depend on the machine and are shown on the screen; authorised shops top up in cash. Keep enough balance for ferries, which cost more than the tram. You can check your balance on the validator screen at each tap, at the Biletmatik or in the official İstanbulkart app.
What a journey costs
A full-fare journey costs 46.20 TL. Within a 120-minute window, transfers are cheaper: 34.40 TL, 26.42 TL, then 17.18 TL for the next three. Marmaray and the metrobus are charged by distance, and ferries have their own fare table. Children travel free until their 7th birthday. Line-by-line details are in our guide to transport in Istanbul.
Bank card and limited-use ticket
The validators accept contactless bank cards, but a journey then costs 65 TL and does not qualify for transfers. The limited-use tickets from the Biletmatik (65 TL for one journey, 120 TL for two, 185 TL for three, 275 TL for five, 530 TL for ten) have the same drawback. From three journeys on, the card is cheaper.
Using the card
- Bus, tram, metro, funicular: tap the card on the validator at the entrance. The turnstile opens and the balance is shown.
- Transfers: tap again on each new line, within 120 minutes. The reduced fare applies automatically.
- Ferries: validate at the pier, before boarding. The Tünel funicular and the F1 Taksim–Kabataş (see Tünel funicular) also debit a journey.
- Marmaray and metrobus: validate on entry and on exit, because the price depends on distance.
Sharing a card
One card can serve several people: tap it once per traveller, and each tap is debited. For a group of more than two or three people, or if you split up, one card per person is simpler. The decreasing transfer fares are calculated card by card.
What to do with the card at the end of your stay
The card is not refundable. Spend the balance before leaving: a last ferry on the Bosphorus (see the Bosphorus cruise) or a trip to Dolmabahçe Palace will do. Refunding the balance is provided only for personalised cards, linked to a Turkish ID; a tourist's card is not one of them. Keep it for your next trip: it stays valid.
Common mistakes
- Buying a limited-use ticket out of habit: more expensive than the card from the third journey.
- Forgetting to validate on exit from Marmaray or the metrobus.
- Loading too little before a ferry or a night journey: between 00:30 and 05:30, journeys are charged at double the fare, except the metrobus.
- Confusing the Istanbulkart with a tourist pass: it gives no museum entry. For that, see the Museum Pass.
To put the card to use, follow our Istanbul in 3 days itinerary and estimate your spending with the budget for a trip to Istanbul.
