Istanbul spans two continents, and its public transportation network is built to match: metro lines, trams, buses, ferries, and a rail line that runs under the Bosphorus all connect with a single rechargeable card. It’s a sprawling, occasionally confusing system, but tapping in is dead simple everywhere you go.
The basics
Metro İstanbul, owned by the city, runs the numbered metro lines (M1 through M7, with more under construction), the funicular and cable car lines, and the tram network — including the T1 tram, a good sightseeing ride through the historic peninsula. İETT runs the city’s bus network, including Metrobüs, a dedicated busway that cuts across the city faster than traffic-bound buses. TCDD Taşımacılık, the national rail operator, runs Marmaray — the commuter line that tunnels under the Bosphorus to link the European and Asian sides — and the M11 metro line out to Istanbul Airport. Şehir Hatları and a few private operators run the ferries that cross the Bosphorus and reach the Princes’ Islands.
Two lines matter most for visitors: M4 reaches Sabiha Gökçen Airport on the Asian side, and M11 reaches Istanbul Airport on the European side.
How to pay
Nearly everything in Istanbul runs on İstanbulkart, a rechargeable tap card that works across metro, tram, funicular, cable car, bus, Metrobüs, Marmaray, and ferries. You’ve got a few options:
- Anonymous İstanbulkart — the simplest choice for visitors. Buy one from the yellow machines at any station or airport, load it with cash or card, and tap in everywhere. No registration needed.
- Mavi Kart (Blue Card) — a registered card with cheaper subscription packages (a set number of rides per month at a lower per-ride cost). Worth it if you’re staying long enough to register one.
- Elektronik Bilet (paper ticket) — a single-use paper token you can buy if you don’t want a card, but it costs noticeably more per ride than tapping İstanbulkart.
Buy and reload İstanbulkart at station vending machines, kiosks, and the airport.
Fares
A single ride on İstanbulkart currently costs:
| Fare | |
|---|---|
| Anonymous İstanbulkart | ₺46.20 |
| Student | ₺22.55 |
| Social (discounted) | ₺33.08 |
| Single-use paper ticket | ₺65 |
Fares in Istanbul change more than once a year, so treat these as a snapshot rather than gospel. The registered Mavi Kart offers monthly subscription pricing that works out cheaper per ride if you’re riding often.
Getting from the airport
Istanbul has two major airports, each with its own rail link:
- Istanbul Airport (IST), the main international hub, connects to the city on the M11 metro, which reaches Gayrettepe and continues on to Halkalı. Tap İstanbulkart to ride. Havaist also runs 11 coach routes and İETT runs 5 bus routes from the airport’s transportation floor, including an overnight route (H-2) for late arrivals.
- Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW), on the Asian side and popular with budget airlines, connects to the city on the M4 metro line, plus an overnight İETT bus (E-10) to Kadıköy.
Official sources didn’t state a travel time or exact fare for either airport metro trip — both use the same İstanbulkart tap-in system as the rest of the network.
Apps to download
- İstanbulkart — the official app for checking your card’s balance and finding nearby top-up points.
- Otobüsüm Nerede — İETT’s official app for real-time bus tracking.
- Moovit — solid step-by-step trip planning across metro, bus, and ferry.
- Google Maps — reliable for basic trip planning with transit directions built in.
When it runs
Regular metro and bus service runs throughout the day, but the standout feature is Gece Metrosu (Night Metro): on the nights bridging Friday–Saturday and Saturday–Sunday, seven metro lines — M1A, M1B, M2, M4, M5, M6, and M7 — run nonstop for 66 straight hours, from 6am Friday to midnight Sunday. İETT also runs a network of dedicated night bus lines every night of the week, including routes to both airports.
One quirk worth knowing: a double-fare night tariff applies to any tap between 00:30 and 05:30, reverting to the normal fare at 5:30am.
Accessibility
Metro İstanbul’s stations are built with accessibility in mind: elevators and ramps (capped at a 6% incline) connect street level to platforms, tactile flooring and guide paths help visually impaired riders navigate, and elevators include Braille signage alongside audio and visual announcements. Disabled riders travel free on rail lines with a dedicated travel card. The T1 tram uses low-floor vehicles with step-free boarding, and staff are positioned to assist riders who need help getting from station entrance to train. At Istanbul Airport, the metro station connects to the terminal via a tactile paving pathway, and Havaist offers accessible midibuses with advance notice.
Etiquette & local quirks
- Priority seats are reserved — for elderly, disabled, pregnant, and child-accompanied riders. Give them up without being asked, and let the same groups go first for the elevator.
- No smoking anywhere in the system — tobacco products and e-cigarettes are banned in stations and on board.
- Don’t rush the doors. Let riders off before you board, and don’t try to board or exit once the closing chime starts — it’s a rule, not just a courtesy.
- Keep the left side of escalators clear for people walking up or down.
Good to know
- Tap every time — İstanbulkart is checked on entry and, on some lines, exit, so always tap in.
- Fares change often. Istanbul’s transit fares are revised multiple times a year; double-check the current price before you travel if it’s been a while since your last trip.
- Two airports, two lines. Make sure you know which airport you’re flying from — IST and SAW are on opposite sides of the city, and each has its own dedicated metro line.
- Ferries are transit, not just tourism. Crossing the Bosphorus by ferry is often faster than a bridge crossing by road at rush hour, and it’s a normal commute for plenty of Istanbullus, not just a sightseeing trip.