Istanbulcard – How to use Istanbul public transport
This is the coolest thing for us in Istanbul. The most comfortable payment system and public transport use in this metropolis, and, as a bonus, toilets can be paid for with the same card. And this is even cooler that it’s no problem to buy such card for tourists. First things first. Here is a map of public transport: subway, tram, funicular. This is what you will need most to visit Sultanahmet and Galata.
This is how a tram looks like.
This is a metrobus. It goes on highways to distant areas. While all the cars are stuck in traffic jams, these metrobuses rush on their special line, which is fenced from all others. All other drivers are looking through green glasses.
And this is another bus – a ferry. It rafts passengers from Europe to Asia and the Prince’s Islands at the same price.
That’s how this Istanbulcard works. There are Biletmatik machines at all main stations (perhaps not all). Opt English, click Istanbulcard and insert 10 lira, and a card falls out. Four lira will be already on your account. To the left you can see Jetonmatik – that’s for single trips, don’t use it, since the fare will cost twice as much.
It’s also easy to reload your card. You have to attach the card to a special place and insert a banknote. And that’s all! Information about your card balance will appear on the board.
Now you can go. At the entrance to a stop you have to attach the card to a pay gate screen (and again information appears on the balance and a fare). If you can’t figure out how to buy a card, reload it or have any navigation problems, there is a guard on every stop. He speaks English, explains everything politely, and even buys a card in the machine.
The whole point about the card is that during the next two hours your trip cost less. The first trip -2.15 lira, the second – 1.45 lira, the third – 0.57 lira. We don’t know about the rest for we didn’t change any more. And it works for all types of transport: bus, metrobus, subway, tram, ferry.
That’s not usual to give place to women in public transport. There are stickers on windows that one must give place to such categories of people as a pregnant woman, elderly person. It means that if there’s simply a woman – then you don’t have to 🙂
On the reverse of the card you can read that safety is respected here and that every passenger is insured. As well as a number of surveillance cameras everywhere, even inside the carriage.
As for the trips on trams and subway. This has to do with girls, although boys maybe too 🙂 Be careful with the Turks of all ages and don’t stand with your back to them. No, I’m not about stealing, I’m about touching. Someone may softly rub against you and don’t think it’s accidentally! It’s better to stand with your back to your husband or a window! This has never happened in other countries …
Rainbow Station to the Bosphorus University.
Once we almost accidentally had a free ride on the tram. We simply entered the territory of the tramline from crossroads, where some 20-30 meters were left to the stop. Although there are cameras and security guards – nobody stopped us. However, we don’t recommend to do that to anyone!
So, briefly and to the point. Istanbulcard is a card for multiple use of public transport. It’s valid for all types of transport. There are even toilets with payment by this system (it’s cool, because often you lack coins). If you consider the cost, the one-time trip costs 4 lira, while with Istanbulcard – 2.15 lira or less, if you change vehicles within two hours! It’s always easy to reload the account and pay for the travel even in buses. When you buy a card for 10 lira, 6 lira are used as security, and 4 lira for reloading and just enough for two trips. To get your 6 lira back, you need to return a card to the first kiosk found at bus stops. We did it, once we reached the last stop. We made more than 20 trips and spent about $ 35 for two for 7 days. We were impressed with such a system. Perhaps it sounds strange, but you enjoy riding at such transport, since we haven’t seen more convenient system yet. That’s Istanbulcard site http://istanbulkart.iett.gov.tr/en
With love, RH.
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