Istanbul Public Transport Fares Now: 46.20 TL a Ride With Istanbulkart

A ride on Istanbul's metro, tram or city bus now costs 46.20 TL with an Istanbulkart. That is the full fare in force since 20 July 2026, after a 10% rise approved by the city council. If you buy a single-ride ticket from a machine instead, the same ride costs 65 TL. Below are the fares a visitor actually pays this November, from the metro to the ferries. We also cover when a private car with driver is the better choice.

The tariff in this article is the one listed by Metro Istanbul and reported by the national press after the July change. Istanbul raises fares often: twice in 2025 and twice so far in 2026. Check again if you are travelling in 2027.

The fares in force since 20 July 2026

The full fare was 42 TL from 16 February 2026, when the city raised fares by 20%, and 46.20 TL from 20 July. In 2025, fares went up 35% in January and another 30% in September. If an older blog quotes 35 TL or less, it is out of date.

Istanbulkart or single tickets: which to buy

For almost every visitor, the answer is an Istanbulkart. The numbers explain why:

• One ride with an Istanbulkart: 46.20 TL.
• One ride with a single ticket: 65 TL, which is about 40% more.
• Ten rides on a 10-ride ticket: 530 TL, or 53 TL a ride. That is still more than the card.

You can buy and top up the card at the ticket machines in metro and tram stations and at kiosks near the big stops, such as Sultanahmet, Eminönü and Taksim. One card can pay for several people travelling together. Tap once for each person at the turnstile, and make sure the balance covers everyone.

Transfer discounts within two hours apply only to cards registered with a Turkish or foreigner ID number; on an anonymous card every ride costs the full card fare.

A simple rule: if you will take more than three or four rides in Istanbul, get a card on your first day. A typical sightseeing day in the Old City, with the tram from your hotel, a ferry across to Kadıköy and the metro back, is four or five taps per person.

Metrobus and Marmaray: you pay by distance

Two systems charge by how far you travel. The Istanbulkart works on both.

On both, follow the signs at the exit. On an anonymous card, the type most visitors buy, you pay the highest fare when you enter; only cards registered with a Turkish or foreigner ID number get the difference back when they tap out. Marmaray is the useful one for visitors. It runs under the Bosphorus between Sirkeci, next to the Old City, and Üsküdar on the Asian side, so you can cross continents for the price of a short ride.

Ferries and taxis

Ferries are the best-value sightseeing in the city. A commuter crossing gives you the Bosphorus view for the price of a metro ride or a little more. TürkiyeToday reported these July 2026 ferry fares:

• Üsküdar to Eminönü: 58.52 TL
• Kadıköy to Eminönü and Kadıköy to Beşiktaş: 65.21 TL
• Bostancı to the Princes' Islands: 171.89 TL

You pay all of them with the Istanbulkart. For routes and timings, see our self-guided Bosphorus ferry guide. For the Asian side, see things to do in Kadıköy.

Taxi meters went up by the same 10% on 20 July. The new meter rates are 71.94 TL to start, 47.92 TL per kilometre and 230 TL for the shortest trip. Minibuses (dolmuş) charge 43 TL for trips up to 4 km. Ask the driver to use the meter, and get the hotel to call the taxi if you can.

The airport metro has its own fare

The M11 metro between Gayrettepe, Istanbul Airport and Halkalı is run by TCDD Taşımacılık, the state railway operator, and not by Metro Istanbul. It has its own distance-based tariff. You still pay with the Istanbulkart, but the price depends on how many stations you ride, so it is not the 46.20 TL city fare. Look at the fare shown at the gate. The line has run all the way to Halkalı since June 2026, which links it to Marmaray.

At Gayrettepe you can change to the M2 metro for Taksim. To reach Sultanahmet from the airport by rail, most people combine two or three lines. If you land late with luggage, or you are a family, the per-person saving is small next to a private airport transfer to your hotel door.

When a private car or guide makes more sense

Public transport is cheap and good for one or two people with a day bag. It is harder in these cases:

• Families and groups. Five people at 46.20 TL each is 231 TL a ride, and children, prams and crowded trams at rush hour do not mix well.
• Short stays. On a one-day stop or a layover tour, you lose time to changes and queues.
• Spread-out sights. Dolmabahçe, the Asian side, Çamlıca Hill and the Old City in one day mean several lines, but only one car.

Our Istanbul tours with hotel pickup solve the transport part. For city-only private guiding, our sister site Get Istanbul Tours runs Istanbul private tours with a car and driver.

Tours that cover this

• Istanbul private city tour with Mercedes Vito and driver: from $299 per group, 8 hours.
• Istanbul full-day city tour with Bosphorus cruise: from $57 per person.
• VIP private Istanbul airport to hotel transfer: from $60 per group.
• Princes' Islands full-day tour with ferry and lunch: from $90 per person.

See all Istanbul tours, or what is running in the next few days on Istanbul tours today.

Frequently Asked Questions