World City Guide

Getting Around

Public Transport
There are numerous private and state-owned city buses (tel: 0800 211 6068 (freephone); website: www.iett.gov.tr/en) in Istanbul. Perpetual traffic jams mean that they are slow, uncomfortable and crowded, with services coming to a virtual halt at midnight. A slick, new underground (metro) system from Taksim to Levent, the city’s busiest business district, opened in 2000 (website: www.istanbul-ulasim.com.tr). Hours of operation are 0600-0200.

There are two tramways on the European side. A quick, modern commuter tram runs from Eminönü through Sultanahmet and onto outlying suburbs. It divides at Aksaray, where travellers should change trains to get to Esenler Otogar, the bus station. The other, referred to as the Nostaljik Tramvay, clatters slowly the length of Istiklal Caddesi between Beyoglu and Taksim Square in turn-of-the-century trams. It is connected to Karaköy by the Tünel underground, built in 1877 and touted as the shortest in the world, which runs up and down the steep hill between Karaköy and Istiklal Caddesi. Both the Tünel and the Nostaljik Tramway operate from 0700 to 2130.

The light railway opened in 2002 and stops include the airport, the main bus station and Aksaray. Information on this, plus Metro and tramway, is available (tel: (0212) 568 9970; website: www.istanbul-ulasim.com.tr).

Passenger ferries (tel: (0212) 244 4233, website: www.tdi.com.tr) are by far the most pleasant way to travel in Istanbul. These zip back and forth across the waterways and serve many useful destinations. Tokens are bought from dockside kiosks. The primary routes run roughly every 20 minutes, between approximately 0700 and 2300, although the Eminönü-Kadiköy service stops at 2000. There are numerous docks along Eminönü quay, including ferries to Üsküdar, Kadiköy and Besiktas, and car ferries to the Prince’s Islands. Services from Karaköy run to Haydarpasa Station and the residential suburb of Kadiköy.

A collection of small, private operators run the boat service between Üsküdar and Besiktas, which departs every ten minutes during the day and whenever it fills up after midnight. Prices are the same as for the state ferries, although these accept cash only.

Bus, metro, ferry and tram tickets are cheap and usually available near the main stops, either from a kiosk, all main bus and metro stops and ferry terminals or a private seller, who adds about 25% to the price. An akbil (electronic token) is available for purchase in advance, with a small returnable deposit. This is valid for a number of journeys, slightly cheaper and more convenient for buses, ferries, the Tünel, and the metro.

Taxis
Yellow taxis can be hailed almost anywhere in the street. However, it is safest for tourists to order them from a hotel, rather than taking those stationary outside, minimising the chance of being cheated. The night rate (2400-0600) is 50% more than the day rate, so visitors should check the correct rate is on the meter - ‘Gündüz’ means day and ‘gece’ night, which should be digitally displayed. Alternatively, one light indicates the day meter and two lights the night meter. It also pays to have some understanding of Turkish currency before handing over a large note and expecting change, which is a perpetual problem for Istanbul drivers. Be aware of the difference between the 10million and the 1million note when handing over cash. Tips are not expected unless special service has been provided and there is no extra charge for more than one person or for luggage.

The dolmus (shared taxi) is a large, modern yellow mini-van, which runs a prescribed, short, circular route, such as Taksim-Besiktas and Taksim-Nisantasi, or a smaller, rackety blue minibus, which does longer journeys within the city and suburbs. Passengers can hail the latter almost anywhere and it will cram as many standing passengers in as can possibly fit. Payment is in cash, upon boarding, costing a little more than the bus, especially for longer journeys.

There is also a Marine Taxi service available from Bebek, an upmarket Bosphorus village above Arnavütköy.

Driving in the City
Istanbul is home to bad traffic jams and worse driving, while Turkey has 14 times more accidents than the UK – driving is thus not recommended to tourists. With a little improvement since larger fines and better enforcement of road rules, indicators are still rarely used, drivers almost never stop at pedestrian crossings and tailgating is standard, with racing along the coastal strip on the Asian side leading to deaths despite a government campaign. It is not advisable for foreigners to in Istanbul unless strictly necessary.

Car Hire
Hiring a car here is not advised, due to traffic congestion and bad driving. For the adventurous, car hire is provided by Avis (tel: (0212) 663 0646 or (0212) 368 6822; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (212) 663 0858; website: www.budget.com), Europcar (tel: (0212) 663 0746 or 254 7710; website: www.europcar.com) and Hertz (tel: (0212) 663 0807; website: www.hertz.com). Drivers must be over 21 years, have held a licence for at least one year and have a credit card or substantial sum of money to leave as a deposit. Basic insurance is covered in the cost, although visitors should make sure that Collision Damage Waiver is included, as it may well be needed.

Bicycle and Scooter Hire
Cycling in the city is not recommended and this is best left for resort destinations.