Getting around

Public transport
There are numerous private and state-owned city buses in Istanbul, however, because of perpetual traffic jams, these are slow, uncomfortable and usually over-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. Hours of operation are 0600-0200.

There are two tramways on the European side. A quick, modern commuter tram runs from Eminonu through Sultanahmet and onto outlying suburbs. It divides at Aksaray, where visitors 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 from Beyoglu to Taksim Square and back in turn-of-the-century trams. It is connected to Karakoy by the Tunel underground, built in 1877 and touted as the shortest in the world, which runs up and down the steep hill between Karakoy and the Istiklal Caddesi.

Metro and tramway information is available (tel: (212) 568 9970). Bus, metro, ferry and tram tickets, about US$0.45-0.55 each, are 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) can also be purchased in advance, for a number of journeys, at a slightly better rate, and is good for buses, ferries, the Tunel, and the metro.

Passenger ferries (tel: (212) 244 4233), however, are by far the most pleasant way to travel in Istanbul. These zip back and forth across the waterways and service many useful destinations. Tokens are bought from dockside kiosks. The primary routes run roughly every twenty minutes between about 0700 and 2300, although the Eminonu–Kadikoy service stops at 2000. There are numerous docks along Eminonu quay, including ferries to Uskudar, Kadikoy and Besiktas, and car ferries to the Prince’s Islands. Services from Karakoy run to Haydarpasa Station and the residential suburb of Kadikoy.

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

Taxis
Yellow taxis line up in ranks in front of ferry terminals and can be hailed almost anywhere in the street. However, it is safest to order them from a hotel, which minimizes the chance of being cheated. The meters should begin at about US$0.75 between 0600 and 2400, going up 50% after midnight but visitors should watch for drivers trying to put the night meter on during the day. ‘Gunduz’ means day and ‘gece’ night, digitally displayed on the meter; 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, as the TRL100,000 note looks much like the TRL10,000,000 note in the dark. 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 either 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. The latter can be hailed almost anywhere and will cram as many standing passengers in as will possibly fit. Payment is in cash when boarding and costs about the same price as a bus ticket.

There is also a Marine Taxi service (tel: (212) 287 1121) available from Bebek, an upmarket Bosphorus village above Arnavutkoy.

Driving in the cty
Istanbul is home to bad traffic jams and extreme examples of bad driving, while Turkey as a whole has 14 times the number of accidents in the UK – driving is thus not recommended. Although a dramatic increase in fines and enforcement have improved matters somewhat, indicators are still rarely used, drivers almost never stop at pedestrian crossings and tailgating is standard. Racing along the coastal strip of Bagdat Caddesi on the Asian side has led to some widely publicized deaths and, despite a government campaign urging ‘Don’t be a Traffic Monster!’, it is not a good idea for foreigners to take the risks or endure the hassle of driving in Istanbul unless strictly necessary.

Bicycle/scooter hire
This is best left for resort destinations.