A base rate (drop rate, flag fall) is levied during the daytime (gündüz); the night-time (gece) rate, from midnight to 6am, is 50% higher. Meters, with LCD displays, flash ‘gündüz’ or ‘gece’ when they are started. Occasionally, drivers try to put the night-time (gece) rate on during the day, so watch out. Few taxis have seatbelts. If you catch a taxi over either of the Bosphorus Bridges, it is your responsibility to cover the toll. The driver will add this to your fare.

 

Bus & tram
Bus
The International İstanbul Bus Station (Uluslararası İstanbul Otogarı; 212-658 0505) is the city’s main bus station for both intercity and inter­national routes. Called simply the otogar (bus station), it’s in the western district of Esenler, just south of the expressway and about 10km west of Sultanahmet. The LRT service from Aksaray stops here (Otogar stop) on its way from the airport; you can catch this to Aksaray and then connect with a tram to Sultanahmet. If you’re going to Beyoğlu, bus 83O leaves from the centre of the otogar between 5.45am and 1.40am every 3 to 25 minutes (depending on the time of day) and takes about an hour to reach Taksim Square. A taxi will cost approximately YTL20 to Sultanahmet, YTL25 to Taksim.
 

Many bus companies offer a free service (shuttle bus) between the otogar and Taksim Square or Sultanahmet. If you’re booking a ticket out of İstanbul from a bus office in Taksim (or elsewhere), ask about this service. You’ll be asked to front up at the bus office around an hour before your bus is due to leave and a minibus will pick you up and take you from the office to your bus at the otogar. If you’ve just arrived by bus in İstanbul, ask your bus driver about the services. One should be waiting close by to drop you at Sultanahmet or Taksim Square.
 

There’s a smaller bus station on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus at Harem (216-333 3763), south of Üsküdar and north of Haydarpaşa train station. If you’re arriving in İstanbul by bus from anywhere on the Asian side of Turkey, it’s always quicker to get out at Harem and take the car ferry to Sirkeci/Eminönü (every 30 minutes from 7.30am to 9.30pm); if you stay on the bus until the otogar, you’ll add at least an hour to your journey. If you’re going the other way, you may want to catch your bus here, instead of at the otogar; check if this is possible at the bus office.

City buses
The bus system in İstanbul is extremely efficient. The major bus stands are at Taksim Square, Beşiktaş, Aksaray, Rüstempaşa (Eminönü), Kadıköy and Üsküdar, and most services run between 6.30am and 11.30pm. Destinations and main stops on city bus routes are shown on a sign on the right (kerb) side of the bus (otobüs) or on the electronic display at its front.
 

İETT buses are run by the city and you must have a ticket (YTL1.30) before boarding. Buy tickets from the white booths near major stops and bus, tram and metro stations, or from some nearby shops for a small mark-up (look for ‘İETT otobüs bileti satılır’). Think about buying enough to last you throughout your stay in the city. You can also use your Akbil and save some money. Blue private buses regulated by the city called Özel Halk Otobüsü run the same routes; these accept cash (pay the conductor) and some accept Akbil.

Funicular & cable-car
There are two funiculars (funıküleri) and one cable-car (teleferic) in the city. An antique funicular called the Tünel carries passengers between Karaköy, at the base of the Galata Bridge, to Tünel Square, the southwestern end of İstiklal Caddesi. The second funicular carries passengers from Kabataş – at the end of the tram line from Zeytinburnu, through the Old City and over the Galata Bridge – to Taksim Square in Taksim, where it connects to the metro.

A cable-car runs between the waterside at Eyüp to the Pierre Loti Café.
 

All are short trips (approximately three minutes) and cost YTL1.30. Akbil can be used.

Boat

Cruise ships
Cruise ships arrive at the Karaköy International Maritime Passenger Terminal (212-249 5776), just near the Galata Bridge.
 

Ferries & seabuses
The most enjoyable way to get around town is by ferry. Crossing between the Asian and European shores, these vessels are as efficient as they are popular with locals. The İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri (212-444 4436; www.ido.com.tr) has fare and timetable information or you can pick up a printed timetable at any of the ferry docks. On the European side, the major ferry docks are at the mouth of the Golden Horn (Eminönü, Sirkeci and Karaköy), and at Kabataş, 2km past the Galata Bridge, at the end of the tram line from the airport and Sultanahmet.
 

The ferries run to two annual timetables: winter (mid-September to mid-June) and summer (mid-June to mid-September). Printed timetables are available from all ferry terminals and an online timetable (in Turkish) is available at www.tdi.com.tr. Tickets (jetons) are cheap (usually YTL1.30) and it’s possible to use Akbil on most routes. There are also deniz otobüsü (fast catamaran or seabus) services, but these ply routes that are of less interest to the traveller; they are also more expensive than the ferries. The most useful seabus routes are Bostancı–Karaköy–Eminönü and Bostancı–Princes’ Islands.

Source: Lonely Planet 2010