What it costs
Municipal public toilets, marked with a WC sign ("Bay" for men, "Bayan" for women), are paid. The 2026 official fee set by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is 10 TL per person, tax included. Some entrances can be paid with the Istanbulkart; also keep small change, because change is not always given for a large note.
Prices in toilets run by businesses or tourist sites are set freely: at the entrance to some places you will pay more than the municipal fee.
Where to find toilets
Mosques
Most large mosques, including the Blue Mosque and the Süleymaniye Mosque, have facilities near the courtyard or the ablution fountains, often with an attendant who expects a small coin. They can be packed at prayer times.
Shopping malls, hotels and cafés
Shopping malls have free, clean toilets, usually on the top floor or near the restaurants. On İstiklal, several arcades and department stores have them. In a café or restaurant, ask politely: "Tuvalet nerede?" (where are the toilets?); buying something makes the request more natural. Hotels often let a discreet visitor pass.
Museums and sights
The big museums and palaces, such as Topkapı, have facilities within the grounds, best used during the visit rather than in the street.
In the districts
In the busiest areas (Sultanahmet, Eminönü, Karaköy, Taksim), WC signs dot the squares, parks and the approaches to the ferry piers. Spot them before you need them, especially before a ferry ride.
Squat or Western style
In public toilets you will find Western-style bowls and, more rarely, squat toilets (a floor basin); most public facilities offer at least one Western-style bowl. Many toilets have a small tap or spray next to the bowl for washing: this is the local custom. Paper is not always supplied: carry a small pack of tissues. When a sign asks you to put paper in the bin rather than the bowl, follow it.
Practical tips
- Always keep a few coins or a small note, and tissues.
- Use the toilets of your hotel or a café before setting out.
- Tram and metro stations do not always have toilets: do not count on them.
- For a family with children, note the shopping malls and big museums; see our guide to Istanbul with children.
Going further
For more good habits in the city, see our guide to health in Istanbul and our advice on money, payment and tipping, which explains where to keep small change. For visits without an admission ticket, read free Istanbul.
