Şehir Hatları Ferryboats, Istanbul

The big traditional ferries are my favorites for Bosphorus cruises. You can find the long and short Bosphorus tour routes and fares here.  

A Golden Horn cruise, great for photographing the city, takes just 40 minutes from Karaköy to Eyüpsultan. You can even go to the Anatolian side as a first or last stop from Usküdar pier.  

Şehir Hatları ferries depart from Kabataş, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy, Bostancı, and Maltepe for the Princess Islands (Kınalıada, Burgazada, Heybeliada, and Büyükada (map)) at least eight times daily year-round, with additional voyages in summer. You can check the current timetables here.  

Ferries depart each dock every 20 minutes from early in the morning until about midnight every day on the 35-minute voyage. You can find the timetables here.

Ferries depart each dock every 20 minutes from about 06:30 a.m. until about 22:30 (10:30 p.m.) every day on the 25-minute voyage.

Ferries depart each dock every 20 minutes from about 06:30 a.m. until midnight 01:00 (1:00 a.m.) on the 20-minute voyage.

Historic Haydarpaşa Station is not currently in use as a train station, so there is no regular service to the beautiful antique dock in front of the station. You need to take a ferry to nearby Kadıköy.

On workdays, four voyages depart Bostancı in the morning and one in the evening; two depart Karaköy in the morning and three in the evening stopping by in Kabataş each time. You can have a look at the timetables here.

Departures every 30 minutes at 15 minutes past the hour and before the hour, from 07:15 am until at least 23.15 on the 40-minute voyage. First voyages are earlier on weekdays.

Only on working days, in the mornings and evenings, one ferry is available between Küçüksu, Beşiktaş, and Kabataş.

Every day, eight voyages operate in each direction between Üsküdar and Beykoz on the Bosphorus, stopping at the Asian-shore villages Beylerbeyi, Çengelköy, Anadolu Hisarı, Kanlıca, Çubuklu and Paşabahçe. Three of these voyages—morning, early afternoon, and late afternoon—continue beyond Beykoz to Anadolu Kavağı. The voyage all the way takes 100 minutes—just over 1-1/2 hours), and can be used as a Bosphorus cruise: depart Üsküdar at 11:45 am, arrive Anadolu Kavağı at 13:20 (1:20 pm); depart Anadolu Kavağı at 14:30 or 16:00 (2:30 pm or 4:00 pm) and arrive back in Üsküdar at 16:05 or 19:00 (4:05 pm or 7:00 pm). (See also the Eminönü-Sarıyer-Rumeli Kavağı voyages below.) 

Anadolu Kavağı is a very peaceful place full of fish restaurants that remind you of a small Aegean town, where you won't believe you are in Istanbul.

Every day, 12 voyages operate between Eminönü and Sarıyer on the European shore of the Bosphorus. Seven voyages in each direction serve Rumeli Kavağı as well. All stops (except for Eminönü) are on the European shore: Beşiktaş, Arnavutköy, Bebek, Emirgan, İstinye, Büyükdere, Sarıyer and Rumeli Kavağı. These voyages can be used as Bosphorus cruises, and they do not stop at Anadolu Kavağı, so you'd have to make other arrangements if you want to see the Yoros Kalesi fortress. Board the 11:10 am boat at Eminönü and you reach Sarıyer at 13.00 pm. Have a quick bite and a look around, board the southbound ferry at 14:25 (2:25 pm), and you'll be back at Eminönü by 15:55 (3:55 pm).

These "ring voyages" depart Sarıyer 15 times daily for Anadolu Kavağı, with six voyages stopping at Rumeli Kavağı on the way, on the 10-minute voyage. Most voyages are in the morning and evening, with midday voyages from Sarıyer only at 10:35, 13:30 (1:30 p.m.), 15:20 (3:20 p.m.), and 15:40 (3:40 p.m.).

The Şirket-i Hayriye ("Beneficial Company") was founded (1851) in Ottoman Istanbul to facilitate transport in this city of three parts land and three parts water.

Since Istanbul is a very large and crowded city, public transportation means are also very diverse. However, the ferry is still the favorite public transportation vehicle of both locals and tourists. In addition to the incredible Bosporus view, you should definitely try these ferries, which make it easier to cross from one continent to another without getting stuck in traffic.

—by Tom Brosnahan, updated by Melike Kocaer