Istanbulkart guide
Istanbulkart: Price, Where to Buy and How to Use It
The İstanbulkart is the single card for Istanbul's metro, Marmaray, buses, Metrobüs, trams and ferries. An anonymous card costs ₺165, the İstanbulkart Plus ₺140; one ride is ₺46.20 (student ₺22.55) and transfers within 120 minutes start at ₺34.40. No card? A contactless bank card works at the single-ticket price (₺65.00). Below: buying, topping up, balance, registering, the student card and Plus — from the official source.
Where to buy
From Biletmatik machines (every metro and Marmaray station, Metrobüs stops, ferry piers), İstanbulkart kiosks and corporate dealers, at the current card price. If you feed the machine more than the card price, the rest is loaded as credit. A personalised card is applied for in the İstanbulkart Mobil app or on istanbulkart.istanbul and arrives by courier.
| Card | Price |
|---|---|
| İstanbulkart (anonymous) | ₺165 |
| İstanbulkart Plus / personalised | ₺140 |
| Student İstanbulkart Plus | ₺140 |
| Discount / Mavi / Island resident card | ₺140 |
| Annual validation (discount cards) | ₺65.00 |
No deposit and no refund on the card itself. Groups entitled to a free card are listed below.
No card — how do I ride?
- Download the İstanbulkart Mobil app and pay by QR code (a digital İstanbulkart; if the balance is short, an 'emergency limit' covers up to ₺68.59 per ride).
- Buy a limited-use ticket from a Biletmatik: 1 ride ₺65.00, 3 rides ₺185, 5 rides ₺275, 10 rides ₺530 — no credit, just rides; not valid to the Islands.
- Tap a contactless bank or credit card on the gate: you pay the single-ticket fare (₺65.00) with no transfer discount.
- Text for an SMS QR ticket (charged to your phone plan, Turkish numbers).
Topping up and checking the balance
- İstanbulkart Mobil app: load credit and monthly passes, see balance and history, set auto top-up.
- bireysel.istanbulkart.istanbul: credit and passes online.
- Biletmatik machines: cash top-up and balance display (tap the card).
- İstanbulkart kiosks and corporate dealers: credit and passes.
- Partner banking apps: credit.
- The monthly top-up limit is published on İstanbulkart's 'Fees and Limits' page.
Register the card (personalisation)
Registering links the card to your name — in the İstanbulkart Mobil app or on bireysel.istanbulkart.istanbul. An unregistered card cannot be blocked if lost and its balance cannot be recovered. A registered card can be blocked via the app or ALO 153 with the balance kept, gets the free travel announced on special days, discounts, transfers and campaigns; the 50% discount when transferring onto a ferry applies only to registered cards.
Lost or stolen
Block a registered card as soon as possible in the app or via ALO 153. The credit on a lost or broken card is transferred to a new card at an İstanbulkart Application Centre (credit arrives 3 days after the transfer). Anonymous cards cannot be blocked.
Student card
- Apply in the İstanbulkart Mobil app or online; the card arrives by courier. One ride ₺22.55, first transfer ₺11.21, monthly student pass ₺653.
- Annual validation (vize) ₺65.00: in the app under My Cards → Validation, at a Biletmatik (tap and confirm within 10 seconds) or at a kiosk.
- Valid for 4 years from enrolment for associate degrees, 7 years for bachelor's. Students aged 30+ pay a separate fare (₺41.58).
What is İstanbulkart Plus?
- A transit card plus a prepaid bank card: same transit fares and transfers, plus shopping in stores and online and ATM withdrawals.
- Virtual İstanbulkart Plus is created automatically when you register in the app; the physical personalised card (₺140) is ordered in the app and delivered by courier.
- Anonymous Plus cards are sold at the Gayrettepe, Karaköy, Kadıköy and Kartal İstanbulkart Application Centres.
- It gives no extra transit discount — the tariff is the same as a standard İstanbulkart.
Is there a tourist pass?
No day or multi-day pass exists. Visitors do best with an anonymous İstanbulkart (₺165) topped up with credit — one card can be tapped for several people (each tap charges a full ride, ₺46.20). Transfers within 120 minutes are discounted from ₺34.40. Discounted and free cards are for residents and require registration.
Frequently asked
Where can I buy an Istanbulkart?
At the Biletmatik machines in every metro and Marmaray station and at the ferry piers, and at kiosks marked İstanbulkart — ₺165 for the card, then load credit. Both airports have machines at the metro station.
How much is the Istanbulkart?
The anonymous card is ₺165; each ride then costs ₺46.20 from the balance (first transfer ₺34.40). The personalised Plus card is ₺140.
Can I use my credit card instead?
Yes — contactless bank and credit cards work at the gates, but at the single-ticket price (₺65.00) with no transfer discount. An İstanbulkart pays for itself after two rides.
Can several people share one card?
Yes with an anonymous card: tap once per person; each tap charges a full ride. Discount and monthly cards are personal.
How do I check the balance?
In the İstanbulkart Mobil app (add the card by NFC), on any Biletmatik screen when you tap the card, or at bireysel.istanbulkart.istanbul.
Can I get a refund?
The card price is not refundable. Unused credit on a registered card can be refunded through an Application Centre; anonymous cards cannot.
Sources: İstanbulkart — Sık Sorulan Sorular; İstanbulkart — Ücretler ve Limitler. Figures from the official tariff in force since 20 July 2026; rules from the İstanbulkart FAQ (read 18 September 2026). Updated when card fees or rules change.