Taksim Square
5 min walk down İstiklal
Underground — inside the metro and bus station complex, accessible from any entrance to Taksim Square. Several yellow + blue machines available.
Show on map →Getting around
Istanbulkart — your transit card
The one card that works on every tram, metro, ferry, and bus in Istanbul. Here's how to get one.
What is Istanbulkart?
Istanbulkart is a contactless reloadable card that works across virtually all of Istanbul's public transport — metro, tram, funicular, Marmaray, bus, Metrobüs, and city ferries. Buy it once at any Biletmatik machine (or İBB kiosk), then top it up as needed. The card uses NFC: tap it on the yellow reader at the gate or on the vehicle to ride.
Where to get one
Yellow Biletmatik machines sit inside every metro, tram, and major ferry station. The newer blue touchscreen machines (called Biletmatik too) work the same way but accept contactless credit cards directly. You'll also find smaller kiosks and İBB offices in tourist areas. Both Istanbul airports have machines in arrivals.
Biletmatik machines Yellow (keypad) and blue (touchscreen) — every metro and ferry station.
İBB kiosks Small booths near major squares (Sultanahmet, Kabataş, Kadıköy).
Airports Arrivals halls at IST and SAW — same ₺165 price.
How much does it cost?
₺165
From any yellow or blue Biletmatik. The card itself is non-refundable but the credit on it is yours to spend.
How to use it
Tap the card flat on the yellow circular reader. Gates open, or a green light + beep confirms you've paid. For buses, tap on entry. For some ferry routes, you tap once per journey. For Marmaray (the undersea rail), you tap in at the start and tap out at the end.
Where it works
All Istanbul public transport: Metro lines M1–M7, tram lines T1 (Sultanahmet–Kabataş), T4 and T5, the F1 Taksim funicular, F4 Rumelihisarü–Boğaziçi, Marmaray (the underwater rail), city ferries (Şehir Hatları), İDO sea-bus routes, all IETT buses, and Metrobüs. Private ferries and tour boats usually accept it too.
Topping up
Same Biletmatik machines: insert the card, choose "Load credit," pay with cash or credit card. Minimum top-up ₺20, maximum ₺2,750 (cards store up to that much credit). The yellow machines accept notes and coins; the blue ones accept contactless cards. Receipts are optional.
Mobile app
The official "İstanbulkart" app (iOS + Android) lets you check your balance, see recent rides, and top up via credit card without queuing. You don't need a Turkish phone number to use it. Tap your physical card on your phone to read its balance.
Transfers within 2 hours
If you change lines within 120 minutes, the second ride is discounted — and a third or fourth within that window can be free. The discount applies across modes (metro → bus → tram, for example), so a single trip across town costs roughly what one full fare costs.
Monthly cap
Istanbulkart caps your spend at around ₺2,750 per calendar month. After that, rides are heavily discounted — usually ₺3 or less. The cap resets on the 1st of each month. Useful only for long-stay visitors.
From Heya
Three machines within a short walk of the hotel — no need to plan a special trip:
Taksim funicular entrance
6 min walk
Yellow machine at the funicular turnstile.
Show on map → Şişhane metro
8 min walk downhill
Yellow machines inside the paid area.
Show on map →Common pitfalls
Avoid ₺200 notes in the yellow machines — many refuse them. Keep the card away from other contactless cards and magnets; they can demagnetize the chip. Don't bend it; the antenna runs through the middle. If you lose it, the balance is gone — there's no name registration for tourist-purchased cards. Treat it like cash.