Istanbul's public ferries run three types of service, all payable by Istanbulkart at the same fare as other city transit:

• Bosphorus tours for sightseeing (Short, Long, and Moonlight)
• Domestic trips for cross-continental commuting
• Princes' Islands lines to the Adalar

Domestic trips are crowded and skip the scenic stops. Bosphorus tours come in a 2-hour Short Circle and a 6-hour Long Circle, with an evening Moonlight option in warmer months.

Ferry type comparison

Bosphorus tours

Bosphorus tours depart from Eminönü or Kabataş and run along the strait past Ottoman palaces, waterside mansions (yalılar), and shoreline villages. Three options operate:

1. Long Bosphorus tour

⏱️ Duration: 6 hours
💰 Fare: ₺480
💳 Payable by Istanbulkart

The Long Bosphorus Tour runs year-round from Eminönü to Anadolu Kavağı near the Black Sea, stopping at Beşiktaş, Kanlıca, Sarıyer, and Rumeli Kavağı. Total runtime is roughly 6 hours including the stopover at the final pier.

Sights along the route:

• Dolmabahçe Palace: Ottoman palace on the European shore.
• Bosphorus Bridge (15 July Martyrs Bridge): connects Europe and Asia.
• Rumeli Fortress: Ottoman-era fortress above the European shore.
• Arnavutköy: neighborhood of wooden Ottoman mansions.
• Bebek: waterfront area with restaurants and cafés.
• Anadolu Hisarı: smaller fortress on the Asian shore.
• Kanlıca: known for its yogurt.
• Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge: second bridge linking the two continents.
• Küçüksu Pavilion: small Ottoman hunting lodge.
• Anadolu Kavağı: final stop, a fishing village with seafood restaurants and a hilltop fortress.

2. Short Bosphorus tour

⏱️ Duration: 2 hours
💰 Fare: ₺260
💳 Payable by Istanbulkart

The Short Bosphorus Tour runs only in summer and loops between Eminönü, Üsküdar, and Ortaköy. Istanbulkart is accepted.

Key sights:

• Dolmabahçe Palace
• Çırağan Palace: former Ottoman palace, now a luxury hotel.
• Ortaköy Mosque: a mosque on the waterfront.
• Bosphorus Bridge (15 July Martyrs Bridge)
• Bebek Bay
• Rumeli Fortress

3. Moonlight Bosphorus tour

⏱️ Duration: 2 to 3 hours
💰 Fare: ₺560
💳 Payable by Istanbulkart

The Moonlight tour runs in the evening and shows Istanbul's shoreline lit up after dark, including both bridges and the major palaces.

Highlights:

• Nighttime views of Dolmabahçe Palace and Çırağan Palace, both lit up.
• Bosphorus Bridges: 15 July Martyrs Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, lit with changing colors.
• Ortaköy Mosque, illuminated on the waterfront.
• The city skyline across the water.
• Ottoman-era wooden yalı mansions along the shore, lit at night.

The Moonlight tour is the most atmospheric of the three; the city looks very different after dark.

Domestic trips

Domestic ferries connect the European and Asian sides across the Bosphorus, with views of the Galata Tower and the Maiden's Tower in passing. Crossings run every 15–20 minutes during the day and take 10–25 minutes depending on the route. They're also far cheaper and often faster than a taxi across the bridges, which pays a toll on top of the meter.

While there are dozens of ferry routes in Istanbul, the busiest commuter crossings — all payable by Istanbulkart — are:

For a quieter, scenic mini-crossing on the Asian shore, the Aşiyan - Anadolu Hisarı - Küçüksu Ring loops past the waterside mansions between Aşiyan, Anadolu Hisarı, and Küçüksu.

Kadıköy, one hub for these crossings, is also the final stop of the M4 metro from Sabiha Gökçen Airport — a handy way to continue to the European side after landing at SAW. See getting from Sabiha Gökçen to the city.

Local tip: The cross-Bosphorus commuter ferries are the best-value sightseeing in Istanbul — you glide past the same palaces, bridges, and waterside mansions as the paid tours, for the price of a single Istanbulkart ride. The Üsküdar–Eminönü and Beşiktaş–Kadıköy runs at sunset are the prettiest.

Princes' Islands ferries

⏱️ Duration: from European side: 1 hour; from Asian side: 30 minutes
💰 Fare: ₺65.47 / ₺39.26
💳 Payable by Istanbulkart

The Princes' Islands line (Adalar in Turkish, meaning "Islands") runs to the four inhabited islands south of the city. Büyükada is the largest and most visited. From Kabataş on the European side the trip takes about an hour; from Bostancı or Kadıköy on the Asian side it takes about 30 minutes.

Istanbulkart is accepted on all island ferries. The fare is distance-based, so boarding from the Asian-side piers (Bostancı, Kadıköy, Maltepe) is cheaper than from Kabataş on the European side. As with other distance-based lines, you tap on at the turnstile and tap out at the refund machine on the way off to claim back the unused portion.

Plan your return: On summer weekends the last ferries back from Büyükada fill up fast. Head to the pier early or aim for an earlier sailing so you're not stuck in a long queue after sunset.

Maps and downloads

A complete ferry-line map and timetable for Istanbul is available to download below.

Ferry operators in Istanbul

Istanbul has three main ferry operators. Şehir Hatları runs the municipal routes (including the Bosphorus tours); Turyol and IDO run private commuter crossings and some longer-distance services.

• Şehir Hatları (government-run)
• Turyol (private)
• IDO (private)

Frequently asked questions