🪪 Everything You Need to Know About the Istanbulkart

🏙️ What Is the Istanbulkart

The Istanbulkart is Istanbul’s universal transportation card — used across buses, metro, trams, ferries, funiculars, and even public restrooms in some places 🚻. It’s a rechargeable smart card that makes getting around the city cheaper and way more convenient than buying single-ride tokens.

✅ Accepted almost everywhere in the city
✅ Offers discounted fares
✅ Can be shared by multiple people (although only one discount per transfer)

🛒 Where to Get the Istanbulkart

You can buy your Istanbulkart at:

📍 IETT Vending Machines (yellow machines at metro/tram/ferry stops)
🏪 Convenience stores (look for signs that say “Istanbulkart Bayi”)
🧾 Price: Around 70-100 TL for the card (not including credit)

➡️ Note: You must add balance after purchasing the card to use it.

💰 How to Load Money (Top Up)

You can add credit using:

🔸 Top-up Machines (yellow kiosks at most stations)
🔸 Mobile App – Istanbulkart on Android/iOS
🔸 Retailers – small shops or kiosks with the Istanbulkart logo

🪙 Insert card → Insert cash → Done!
📱 On the app: Tap “Para Yükle” (Load Money) → enter card details → pay online

📱 Istanbulkart Mobile App

Download the official Istanbulkart app for a fully digital experience:

🔹 See your balance
🔹 Top up from your phone
🔹 Check ride history
🔹 Get route suggestions

📲 Available on Android & iOS
Search: “İstanbulkart Mobil”

🧾 Fares and Transfers

Here’s a breakdown of public transport costs with the Istanbulkart (as of early 2025):

• 🚇 Metro, Tram, Bus, Ferry: ~15 TL per ride
• 🔄 1st Transfer: 10 TL
• 🔁 2nd Transfer: 8 TL
• 🧍 Single-use ticket: 35 TL (!) — not economical

💡 If you’re transferring between lines or transport types within 2 hours, Istanbulkart gives discounted transfer fares.

🧠 Tips & FAQs

🧍 Can I share it? Yes, but only the first person gets the discount per transfer.
💸 Cash refunds? Nope — be mindful when topping up.
⚠️ Lost card? Balance is gone unless you had a personal registered card.
🚫 No credit card top-up at machines — use cash or the app.

🧳 Why You NEED the Istanbulkart as a Visitor

✔️ Save money on every ride
✔️ Skip long lines for tickets
✔️ Works on all modes of public transport
✔️ Easy to recharge and manage
✔️ Essential for exploring Istanbul efficiently!

📍 Where You Can Use It

• 🚇 Metro (M1, M2, M4 lines etc.)
• 🚋 Tram (T1, T4)
• 🚌 City buses (IETT)
• ⛴️ Ferries (Şehir Hatları and private ones too)
• 🚡 Funiculars (Taksim–Kabataş, etc.)
• 🚻 Public Toilets in some areas 😅

🧿 Final Word

The Istanbulkart is your golden ticket 🎫 to navigating Istanbul smoothly and affordably. Don’t even think about traveling without it—it’s one of the first things you should get when arriving in the city.

Whether you’re hopping on a tram to Sultanahmet or catching a ferry across the Bosphorus, this little card will make it all seamless.

Start Exploring Istanbul: