Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GETTING AROUND İSTANBUL
Public transport options are cheap, plentiful and efficient. This is fortunate, as traffic con-
gestion is a growing problem and driving here can be stressful and time-consuming.
Tram
An excellent
tramvay
(tramway) service runs from Bağcılar, in the city's west, to Zeytin-
burnu (where it connects with the metro from the airport) and on to Sultanahmet and
Eminönü. It then crosses the Galata Bridge to Karaköy (to connect with the Tünel) and
Kabataş (to connect with the funicular to Taksim Meydanı). In the future, it will be exten-
ded from Kabataş to the ferry dock at Beşiktaş. Services run every five minutes from 6am
to midnight. The fare is 2;
jetons
(ticket tokens) are available from machines on every
tram stop. Travel cards can be used.
Ferry
The most enjoyable way to get around town is by ferry. Crossing between the Asian and
European shores, up and down the Golden Horn and Bosphorus, and over to the Princes'
Islands, these vessels are as efficient as they are popular with locals.
İstanbul Şehir Hat-
can pick up a printed timetable at an
iskelesi
(ferry dock).
On the European side, the major ferry docks are at the mouth of the Golden Horn
(Eminönü and Karaköy), at Beşiktaş and next to the tram stop at Kabataş, 2km past the
Galata Bridge.
The ferries run to two annual timetables: winter (mid-September to May) and summer
(June to mid- September). Tickets are cheap (usually 2) and it's possible to use an İstan-
bulkart on most routes.
There are also
deniz otobüsü
(seabus) and
hızlı feribot
(fast ferry) services, but these ply
routes that are of less interest to the traveller and are also more expensive than the conven-
tional ferries. The most useful of these routes are Bostancı- Karaköy-Eminönü,
Yenikapı-Bandırma (for İzmir), Sarayburnu-Avşa, Sirkeci-Harem,
Kadıköy-Kabataş-Sariyer and Kabataş-Princes' Islands-Bostancı. For more information,
check
İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri
(İDO;
