Istanbul
Kart (Istanbul Card) is in essence an all-round public transportation boarding
pass. To immediately answer the question raised in the title: yes it is worth
getting one if you plan to use (the advantages of) public transportation
multiple times during your stay in Istanbul. So, unless you prefer to do
everything on foot or take a taxi to get around, please do continue reading to
find out where to get it, how to use it, and the advantages it has.
What is Istanbul Kart?
The card was introduced in 2009. It’s a contact less or RFID (Radio-frequency identification) card for public transportation fare payment. It has the exact same size as a regular credit card, so it fits perfectly in your wallet. The card is pre-paid and easily rechargeable.
What is Istanbul Kart?
The card was introduced in 2009. It’s a contact less or RFID (Radio-frequency identification) card for public transportation fare payment. It has the exact same size as a regular credit card, so it fits perfectly in your wallet. The card is pre-paid and easily rechargeable.
The Advantages of Istanbul Kart
There are quite a few advantages to getting an Istanbul Kart as opposed to buying tokens or ticket every time you’re going to use public transportation.
1. Multi-Purpose — This single card enables you to pay for multiple types of
transportation: buses, metros, ferries, funiculars, and tramways (yes, even the
nostalgic one running on Istiklal Caddesi). Moreover, most of these
transportation types no longer accept cash payments, so you’ll have to buy some
kind of token or ticket before boarding anyway.
2. Pre-Paid — Istanbul Kart is a prepaid and rechargeable card. This means that
you don’t have to stand in line (and maybe miss the bus or tram) to get a valid
boarding pass every time you plan to make use of public transportation. And
uploading more credits can be done at designated machines, most of the times
without a queue in front of you.
3. Ease of Use — It is not necessary to bring the Istanbul Kart in contact with the reader. You can pay for your fare by ‘waving’ the smart card within 8 cm (3.1 in) of the reader. In most cases you don’t even have to take it out of your wallet, purse or light hand bag. Upon making a successful payment, the reader will make a sound and the screen will light up showing the amount left on the card. In case of insufficient funds, the screen will read Kontör Yetersiz.
4. Multiple Travelers — There is no need to buy multiple cards since one
Istanbul Kart can be used
5. Discounts — By using the card, you already benefit from a 10% discount over
the normal fare. Instead of paying 5 TL per ride, you pay 2,6 TL. And there is
more. You can make up until five transfers/connections within a two hour
period, and you’ll pay less for every transfer, already only 2,4 TL for the
first transfer.
Where to Get an Istanbul Kart
The easiest way to get the Istanbul Kart is at major transit stops such as the airport,Sultanahmet, and Eminönü. To buy an Istanbul Kart, you need to pay a non-refundable 10 TL fee (for the actual card and the service), and of course an amount of your choice to load onto the card.
How to Reload the Istanbul Kart
To reload the card, you can either go to newsstands and small shops (look for the phrase Akbil Dolum Noktası) which offer this service, use self-service special purpose machines at major transit stations. The machines accept notes of 5, 10, 20, and 50 TL and have instructions in multiple languages
The easiest way to get the Istanbul Kart is at major transit stops such as the airport,Sultanahmet, and Eminönü. To buy an Istanbul Kart, you need to pay a non-refundable 10 TL fee (for the actual card and the service), and of course an amount of your choice to load onto the card.
How to Reload the Istanbul Kart
To reload the card, you can either go to newsstands and small shops (look for the phrase Akbil Dolum Noktası) which offer this service, use self-service special purpose machines at major transit stations. The machines accept notes of 5, 10, 20, and 50 TL and have instructions in multiple languages
