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General Info
İstanbul with Numbers |
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 Estimated population: 15 millions
Area: 1830.92 km2
Time Zone: UTC+2, Summer UTC+3
22 universities, approx. 250.000 undergraduate students |
Important Locations
Google Maps |
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| Some of the important locations are Taksim Square, İstiklal Avenue, Bosporus, Golden Horn, Beşiktaş, Kabataş, Karaköy, Sirkeci, Sultanahmet, Üsküdar, Kadıköy, Bosporus Bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Galata Bridge, Istanbul Atatürk Airport, Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Sirkeci Train Station, Esenler Bus Station, Princes' Islands. |
| Public Transportation |
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 Akbil: The most important thing about public transportation is Akbil (Akıllı Bilet: Smart Ticket). Using an akbil you can get on every kind of public transportation vehicle such as trams, buses, and boats. When you use connected public transportation using akbil is the cheapest way. Because for the first vehicle you pay 1,30 YTL by your Akbil. If you get to another vehicle in 90 minutes you have %50 discount for the second one.
Detailed info:
http://www.iett.gov.tr/en/section.php?sid=23
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 Akbil Kiosk: To use your Akbil you must load credit to it at an Akbil Kiosk. Also you can buy the Akbil from same kiosks. There is an Akbil Kiosk mostly near all the main bus stations. For your information you must know that around Taksim and Sultanahmet it is more difficult to find Akbils at the Kiosks because most of the tourists buy their Akbils from those areas.
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 Elbil: (Elektronik Bilet: Electronic Ticket) Electronic tickets are another payment method for public buses. You can not use them on trams and boats, they are just for buses. Elbil costs 7,00 YTL and you can use it for 5 bus rides. For Elbils there is no discount for connected rides.
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Buses:
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Istanbul’s public transportation is mainly based on buses. You can search the lines and the times from the website: http://www.iett.gov.tr/en/index.php
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Tram – Metro - Funicular:
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 İstanbul metro, tram and funicular lines map
<< Click the map to view bigger size.
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 Light metro working between Atatürk Airport and Aksaray. This metro has a connection with the tram line at the Zeytinburnu stop.
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 Tram working between Zeytinburnu and Kabataş. To go to Sultanahmet from the Atatürk Airport, first you must take the light metro from the airport and then you have to get to the tram line at the Zeytinburnu stop. Then you will get out at the Sultanahmet stop.
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 Funicular system working between Kabataş and Taksim. To go to Taksim from the Atatürk Airport, you must take light metro, then get to the tram line at Zeytinburnu stop, then with tram you will get out at the last stop which is the Kabataş stop. At Kabataş you must get to the Finukuler system and in two minutes you will get to Taksim.
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 Metro working between Taksim and 4. Levent
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 Nostalgia Tram working on the İstiklal Avenue. İstiklal Avenue is approx. 2 km, that tram is a shuttle from the beginning to the end of İstiklal Avenue. You can take a lovely trip which will take approx. 15 min on the İstiklal Avenue.
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Boats:
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If you would like to pass through Bosporus, boat is the most suitable vehicle. Also if you would like to go to Princes’ Islands the only way is using the boats.
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Taxi:
 Taxis in İstanbul are yellow colored, especially around Taksim during the night you can see hundreds of Taxis. You won’t have any problems to find Taxis around central places. The day time (06:00 – 24:00) start fee is 2 YTL and every kilometer will cost 1.3 YTL extra, night time (00:00 – 06:00) start fee is 3 YTL and every kilometer will cost 1.95 YTL extra.
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Car Rental:
Approx. for 80 – 120 YTL you can rent an average car for one day.
Some car rental companies in İstanbul:
http://www.avis.com.tr/english/index.html
http://www.decar.com.tr/Default.aspx?pageID=31
http://www.trbudget.com/budgetonline/tr-gb/budget.nsf?open&~Default
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| Warnings |
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Some warnings for safe İstanbul Travel:
- For emergency ambulance call 112
- For police help call 155.
- Don’t drink tap water, the tap water in İstanbul is drinkable but it is better not to drink.
- Be careful about too spicy and peppery Turkish meals, some people, who are not used to spicy food, can have stomach problems.
- Do not buy food from the street vendors mostly the food is not hygienic.
- Watch your pockets and bags especially in the crowded areas.
- Especially at Aksaray and Beyazıt some clubs should over charge you with the prices. The clubs, which are at İstiklal Avenue, are the most suitable ones for the travelers.
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