IstanbulKart Guide: Use, Prices, and Tips

Updated: 2 October, 2024

Let's dive into everything you need to know about the IstanbulKart for using public transportation in Istanbul, covering prices, purchase, use and how to recharge.

Istanbul is a bustling megacity where public transportation is both affordable and efficient.

While you can buy single tickets for each journey, if you're planning to use public transport frequently, I highly recommend getting an IstanbulKart.

It's practical, saves money, and allows you to navigate this city and even reach the airport seamlessly

Throughout this guide, I'll provide all the essential information about this card to help you explore Istanbul like a local.

What the IstanbulKart Covers?

The IstanbulKart allows access to all forms of public transportation: buses, trams, metros (including the airport metro), trams, cable cars, funiculars, and ferries.

istanbulkart

The only modes of transportation not included are taxis, minibuses (dölmus), and private transportation such as tour boats.

⭐ Check out this article for further insights on How to get from Istanbul Airport to the City by metro.

Where and How to Buy IstanbulKart

You can buy this card from any yellow machine, similar to the one in the photo, although they may vary slightly, and I've also seen some blue machines.

buy-istanbulkart

At the airport, these machines are located near the metro entrance. In the city, you'll find them near metro, tram, and other transport stops.

These machines also allow you to add credit to your IstanbulKart balance; I'll explain more about this below.

In the city, you may come across some machines that don't sell IstanbulKart.

The machines are easy to use and have a language selector with several options. Some of the languages are on the second screen—you'll need to press the arrow to access them.

To buy a card, select IstanbulKart, choose the amount you want to add, and proceed with payment.

Price, Payment Options, and Card Lifespan

The current price of an IstanbulKart is 70 TL (2.02 euros), and it is not a returnable card.

You'll need to load credit onto the card to use public transportation. You can top up the card with a maximum of 500 TL (14.45 euros), all at once or in multiple transactions. Once the balance reaches this limit, the card stops functioning, and you'll need to purchase a new IstanbulKart.

The machines generally accept only cash in 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Turkish lira bills.

While the airport machines accept bank cards, many city machines offer card payment options, however, in general it doesn't work. In my experience, I've had to pay in cash for all the reloads in Istanbul.

When purchasing the card, you choose the amount to load and pay for it all at once.

tram-istanbul
Nostalgic Tram

How Much Does Public Transportation Cost?

In Istanbul, most trips within the city using IstanbulKart cost 17.70 TL (about 0.50 euros) for the entire journey.

Ferries charge a bit more depending on the number of stops, and the M11 metro ride from Gayrettepe to the airport, covering 6 stops, costs 22.83 TL (0.65 euros).

IstanbulKart Refunds

After your trip, you can use a refund machine to get back any unused balance on your IstanbulKart.

Yes, you heard correctly—you can get money back. 😉

When you get on, the machine charges you for the entire trip because it doesn't know where you'll get off. If you travel only a few stops, refund machines will return the unused amount by adding credit back onto your IstanbulKart.

machine-return-istanbulkart

These machines are called "refund machines." The downside is they can be hard to find—I tried a couple of metro stops without success. However, since public transportation in Istanbul is so affordable, I didn't search much harder.

I stumbled upon this machine in the photo when passing by, but I couldn't try it out because I had used public transport a while ago.

How to Top Up IstanbulKart

To add credit to your IstanbulKart, you can use the same machines where you bought the card.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Place the card on the reader, it is the white screen on the right side. You can see it above, in the section where I explain where to buy the card.
  2. It will show your current balance in Turkish lira.
  3. Insert cash or bank card.
  4. Wait for it to display the final balance after adding your chosen amount.
  5. Your IstanbulKart is now ready to use!
ferry-in-istanbul
Ferry in Istanbul

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I share the IstanbulKart?


Yes, if you travel to Istanbul with more people, up to 5 people can use the same IstanbulKart.

The only downside is that if you want a refund for unused travel credit, the refund machine will only return the last passenger's unused amount. However, as mentioned earlier, locating these refund machines can be challenging.

2. Is It Worth Buying the IstanbulKart?


Absolutely! The IstanbulKart makes it super convenient to hop on any form of transportation without having to buy a new ticket each time, and you can share it.

Another perk is that you just need to hold it near the reader to use it, so you can keep it in your phone case or wallet without taking it out.

Plus, it saves you money. For instance, a trip that costs 17.70 TL (0.50 euros) with the IstanbulKart would cost 20 TL (0.57 euros) with a single ticket, and there's no refund option for single tickets.

3. How Can I Find Out the Cost of Each Transportation?


Most public transport in Istanbul costs 17.70 TL (0.50 euros). For longer routes or ferries, you can check the price on Google Maps when you enter the route you want to take.

4. How Can I Check My IstanbulKart Balance?


You can check your balance at the top up machines.
Also, every time you use your IstanbulKart, it shows the cost of the trip and your remaining balance.

Final Thoughts

I hope this guide helps you navigate Istanbul easily with your IstanbulKart. It's a wonderful city with an excellent public transportation system that will make your visit even more enjoyable.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment below and I'll help you as much as I can. If you found the article useful, share it with other travelers. Have a good trip! 😘

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