Children 6 years and older must pay a fare; those younger than six years who do not occupy a seat may travel without a ticket. For discounted student fares, you must have a Turkish student identification document.
The way you pay the fare affects the fare you pay. If you travel between Atatürk Airport and Sultanahmet or Sirkeci by Metroand tram using tokens, your total fare will be TL10; using an Istanbulkart, TL5.30 (not counting the initial cost of the card.)
These are the fares for most short rides on most means of transport (Metro, bus, tram, funicular, ferryboat). Longer or special journeys may require higher fares.
İstanbulkart
A plastic RFID chip card that you purchase, load money onto it, then use it to pay transit fares, the Istanbulkart is the cheapest and most convenient way to travel on public transit in Istanbul. More...
Biletmatik Fare Cards (Elektronikkart)
Disposable paper electronic fare cards for a pre-determined number of trips:
| Name | Fares | Price | Cost per ride |
| BIRGeç | 1 | TL5 | TL5.00 |
| İKİGeç | 2 | TL8 | TL4.00 |
| ÜÇGeç | 3 | TL11 | TL3.67 |
| BEŞGeç | 5 | TL17 | TL3.40 |
| ONGeç | 10 | TL32 | TL3.20 |
You can buy disposable fare cards from Biletmatik machines:
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| A different sort of Jetonmatik token machine...out of order (Arızalıdır) |
Jeton (Token)
You buy single-fare tokens at Jetonmatik machines or snack/newspaper kiosks in or near busy Istanbul Metro stations, bus stops and ferry docks. Eminönü is a good place to look.
(If, like the one pictured on the right, the Jetonmatik has a sign reading Arızalıdır, or Hizmet dışı, it's out of order.)
Akbil Electronic Transit Pass
The Akbil is a stored-value electronic-button transit pass, being phased out in favor of the Istanbulkart, but still in use. More...
beşiBiryerde Card
This unwieldy name designates a disposable, paper 5-fare RFID transit card that costs five times the normal fare and saves you from the trouble of buying five tokens at a time. It is being phased out. More...
Where to Buy Them
Fare machines and Jetonmatik token machines located at major bus stops, Metro and tram stations, ferry docks, etc. allow you to buy jetons and fare cards, and to reload credit onto your Istanbulkart or Akbil with coins, Turkish lira notes, or credit card.
Instructions are in Turkish, English and German.
Remember, if the machine bears a sign saying Arızalıdır orHizmet dışı, it's out of order. if they're in working order. (The ones in Metro stations usually work, the ones outdoors sometimes don't work.)
—by Tom Brosnahan
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