You can obtain your Istanbulkart from the 24 different İstanbulkart machines (BILETMATIK) on the lower 2nd floor at the airport (arrival public transportation floor) following the signs, the HAVAIST offices, and the contracted exchange offices at the airport.
Immediately after landing at either Istanbul Air Port (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW), you can buy an istanbul kart from there. Check out for kiosks or vending machines around the arrivals area which are usually yellow in color and quite visible. They receive cash payments and some accept cards too.
Fares: Standard fare with Istanbulkart: around 27 TRY per ride (The regular prices of a ride with the Marmaray and ferries are slightly higher than the ones with trams and buses) With contactless bank card: can be around 50 TRY (depending on the bank and processing fees)
The Istanbulkart can be used by up to five different people. So if you are travelling in a group of five or less, buy one card only. At the turnstile, one person will tap the card for each person to go through before going through themselves.
How to buy an Istanbul Kart - The key to public transportation in Istanbul
Can I buy Istanbulkart at Istanbul Airport?
You can obtain your Istanbulkart from the 24 different İstanbulkart machines (BILETMATIK) on the lower 2nd floor at the airport (arrival public transportation floor) following the signs, the HAVAIST offices, and the contracted exchange offices at the airport.
The Istanbulkart is exclusively for tourists and is red. There are other available models and colors for locals. Purchasing it costs 130 TL ( US$ 3.17) and it requires top-ups of up to 300 TL ( US$ 7.32) at most. However, it becomes unusable once a total of 500 TL ( US$ 12.20) has been reloaded.
The cost of the Istanbul City Card: Unlimited travel for 1 day — 554 TL. Unlimited travel for 1 day, Museums and Bosphorus Tour — 2534 TL. Unlimited travel for 3 days — 1038 TL.
How Can I Top-up TL to my İstanbulkart? You can top-up TL your Istanbulkart via all ticket vending machines branded BELBİM or all our sales representatives. How Do I Use My Istanbulkart? You can use Istanbulkart in all public transportation vehicles (Bus, Subway, Tram, Cable Car, Marmaray, Metrobus, Ferry, etc.).
Traveling from Istanbul New Airport to the city by metro is the cheapest option. The total journey time to the center is around 1 hour and 30 minutes. You'll ride the M11 for 30 minutes to “Gayrettepe”, and from there you'll have to transfer to the M2 metro line and take the metro to Taksim station in about 10 minutes.
The Istanbul Kart can be used on any public transportation in Istanbul, such as buses, trams (including the famous Istiklal Caddesi), metros, ferries, and funiculars.
Standard fare with Istanbulkart is 27 TL per ride. Single paper tickets cost 40 TL. There are also multi-ride tickets and unlimited-day cards for 1, 3, 5, or 7 days. You can buy it here.
You can buy them at stalls, ticket machines located at bus stops in the city centre, at railway stations, as well as on buses and trams. In most of them you can pay with coins and/or a payment card, however some of them accept card payment only.
It's usually best to have both cash and a card when travelling in Turkey. You'll need cash for small shops and markets, taxis and buses, while it's often easier to pay in hotels and restaurants with a card.
You can make your Istanbulkart loadings free of charge via CRC, Internet Branch and Mobile Branch channels with ease of payment from your account and credit card, and you can give automatic loading orders.
How do I get to Sultanahmet from Istanbul Airport?
You can take a train from Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet via Gayrettepe, Vezneciler, and Laleli in around 1h 6m. Alternatively, HAVAİST operates a bus from Istanbul Airport Bus to Istanbul Aksaray every 30 minutes. Tickets cost ₺130–280 and the journey takes 1h 30m.
Admission tickets can be purchased from the ticket booth and online (Skip-the-Line) through official seller DEM MUSEUMS with below link. There are no Museum Passes available for visiting the Hagia Sophia.
What is the difference between Istanbulkart and Istanbul City Card?
Unlike the Istanbulkart, which caters to both locals and long-term visitors, the Istanbul City Card is exclusively designed for tourists, making it the ideal choice for visitors looking to explore Istanbul's iconic attractions.
Istanbulkarts are sold by Istanbulkart vending machines which you can find at many metro, bus, marmaray and tram stops. The vending machines are bright yellow colored, which makes it hard to miss them. It's also possible to purchase one at both international airports.
The best city pass for Istanbul is the Istanbul Tourist Pass! With this city pass, you will have access to over 100 attractions in Istanbul. It also includes guided tours, as well as fun experiences like the Bosphorus Cruise and the Whirling Dervish Dance Show.
To reload the card, use the same self-service machines at major transit stations. Put your Istanbul card on the white pad on the righthand side of the machine.
