TTP

 Using/Recharging Akbil in Istanbul

 

Home
Search
Site Index
Turkey Maps
Photo Gallery

Where to Go
When to Go
Where to Stay
What It Costs
Transport
Travel Details

Tours & Routes
Special Interest
Consultations
TTP Forums
Funny Stuff
Shopping
Bright Sun

About Us
Contact Us
Disclaimer
©TIE 2004-2008

 
 

After you've bought your Akbil electronic transit pass in Istanbul, you need to know how to use it.

When you board a bus, tram, Tünel, Metro, sea bus, Füniküler or ferry in Istanbul, look for people touching their Akbil electronic transit passes to the Akbil fare-point, a little circular socket. (See the photo to the right—>.)

In buses it's at the front near the driver. For trams, the Tünel and ferries it's in the turnstiles.) When you touch it correctly, the fare-point emits a double beep tone (BEE-boop) to let you and the conductor know that you've paid the fare.

The fare is deducted electronically from your Akbil button. When you've used up most of its value, recharge it by paying cash to a teller at an Akbil Sales Point (Akbil Satis Noktasi), usually a small rectangular fiberglass kiosk with a guy in it. Give him your Akbil button and the amount of liras you want to recharge it with, and he'll do the deed and give you a receipt and any change.

Here are several Akbil Sales Points:

Sultanahmet: an Akbil Recharger Machine to the left of the Jeton Gisesi on the south (Blue Mosque) side of Divan Yolu at the Sultanahmet tram stop (see photo to the right, below).

Sirkeci: on Ankara Caddesi just to the left of the west entrance to the station next to the Jeton Gisesi. This is an Akbil kiosk with a teller who can make change.

Eminönü: next to the turnstiles in the Tramvay station (you have to go through the underground passage and up to the Tramvay as though you were going to board to go to Zeytimburnu, but the Akbil station is at the top of the stairs before you pass through the turnstiles)

Taksim: on the north side of the square where Cumhuriyet Caddesi begins.

In principle, you should also be able to recharge by using an Akbil Recharger Machine (see picture to right, below).

Akbil Recharger Machines are located at busy transit points. They are of several shales and sizes, but some are rectangular boxes of stainless steel about 5 feet/1.5 meters high, with an Akbil contact point, a slot to insert YTL notes/bills, and a TV screen with instructions (in Turkish only).

Here's what the instructions say:

1. Touch your Akbil button to the contact-point

2. Insert a newish, undamaged New Turkish Lira note of 5, 10 or 20 liras into the slot to the right

3. Your Akbil button will be recharged with the amount of the note/bill you've inserted.

These automated recharge points may reject bills/notes that are well-worn, and the machines are somtimes out of order.


All About Akbil, Istanbul's Electronic Transit Pass

Istanbul Transport

Maps of Istanbul & Region

Transportation in Turkey

Istanbul Sights

Istanbul Hotels

Istanbul Restaurants

Istanbul Homepage

Where to Go

Turkey Travel Planner Homepage

 

Akbil button & socket, Istanbul, Turkey

Above, press your Akbil button into the little circular socket: here's Tom trying to do it with his left hand while taking the photo with his right....

Below, the Akbil Recharger next to the Jeton Gisesi (tram token sales kiosk) in Sultanahmet Square. See the TV screen? The Akbil contact point is just below it, and the slot for inserting notes/bills is to the right. That's the Blue Mosque in the background.

Akbil Recharger, Istanbul, Turkey