Istanbul City Guide - Getting Around

There are numerous private and state-owned city buses (tel: 0800 211 6068; website: www.iett.gov.tr/en) in Istanbul. Perpetual traffic jams mean that they can be slow, uncomfortable and crowded, with services coming to a virtual halt at midnight. A slick, underground (metro) system (website: www.istanbul-ulasim.com.tr) runs between Taksim and Levent, the city's busiest business district, and Aksaray to Esenler Otogar (main bus station) and Atatürk airport. The ‘funicular' metro takes the brief uphill run from Kabatas to Taksim.

There are two tramways on the European side. A quick, modern commuter tram runs from Kabatas, then over the Galata bridge through Eminönü, Sultanahmet, Beyazit (for the Grand Bazaar) and onto outlying suburbs. It divides at Aksaray, where travellers 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 between Beyoglu and Taksim Square in turn-of-the-century trams. It is connected to Karaköy by the Tünel underground, built in 1877 and touted as the shortest in the world, which runs up and down the steep hill between Karaköy and Istiklal Caddesi.

The light railway opened in 2002 and stops include Atatürk airport, the main bus station and Aksaray. Information on this, plus Metro and tramway, is available (tel: (0212) 568 9970; website: www.istanbul-ulasim.com.tr).

Passenger ferries (tel: (0212) 251 5000; website: www.tdi.com.tr) are by far the most pleasant way to travel in Istanbul. These zip back and forth across the waterways and serve many useful destinations. Tokens are bought from dockside kiosks. The primary routes run roughly every 20 minutes, between about 0700 and 2300, although the Eminönü-Kadiköy service stops at 2000. There are numerous docks along Eminönü quay, including ferries to Üsküdar, Kadiköy and Besiktas, and car ferries to the Prince's Islands. Services from Karaköy run to Haydarpasa Station and the residential suburb of Kadiköy. The Deniz Otobusu (sea bus) (tel: (0212) 444 4436; website www.ido.com.tr) offers a quicker and more expensive service.

A collection of small, private operators run the boat service between Üsküdar and Besiktas, which departs every 10 minutes during the day and whenever it fills up after midnight. Prices are the same as for the state ferries, although these accept cash only.

Bus, metro, ferry and tram tickets are cheap and 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) is available for purchase in advance, with a small returnable deposit. This is valid for a number of journeys, slightly cheaper and more convenient for buses, ferries, the Tünel, and the metro.

Yellow taxis can be hailed almost anywhere in the street. Tourists can minimise their chances of being ripped off by stopping taxis on the street rather than waiting for the lazy ones stationary outside hotels. Insist on the meter always being used, and do not accept the ‘meter not working' excuse. The night rate (2400-0600) is 50% more than the day rate, so visitors should check the correct rate is on the meter - ‘Gündüz' means day and ‘Gece' night, which should be digitally displayed. Alternatively, one light indicates the day meter and two lights the night meter. 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 is a large, yellow minibus, 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. Passengers can hail the latter almost anywhere and it will cram as many standing passengers in as can possibly fit. Payment is in cash, upon boarding, costing a little more than the bus, especially for longer journeys.

Istanbul is home to bad traffic jams and worse driving; Turkey has 14 times more accidents than the UK - driving is thus not recommended to tourists. With a little improvement since larger fines and better enforcement of road rules, indicators are still rarely used, drivers almost never stop at pedestrian crossings and tailgating is standard, with racing along the coastal strip on the Asian side leading to deaths despite a government campaign. It is not advisable for foreigners to drive in Istanbul unless strictly necessary.

Hiring a car here is not advised, due to traffic congestion and bad driving (see above). For the adventurous, car hire is provided by Avis (tel: (0212) 297 9610 or 663 0646; website: www.avis.com.tr), Europcar (tel: (0212) 465 3695; website: www.europcar.com) and Hertz (tel: (0212) 465 5999; website: www.hertz.com). Drivers must be over 21 years, have held a licence for at least one year and have a credit card to leave as a deposit. Basic insurance is covered in the cost, although visitors should make sure that Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is included. Check the small print, especially regarding theft and fire damage.

Cycling in the city is not recommended and this is best left for resort destinations.