The most popular vehicles for public transportation in Istanbul are metro, marmaray, tram and ferry. Thanks to these vehicles, it is possible to travel from one end of Istanbul to the other. However, as the public transport system in Istanbul is constantly expanding, the Istanbul Metro Map also needs to be constantly updated.
In this blog post, I will also share insider tips about getting around in Istanbul. Based on the explanations I made in the article, you can predict how you will reach the places you will visit in Istanbul.
There are the best neighborhoods of Istanbul within the stops of the metro and tram. However, we will focus on the most important places such as Beyoglu (Taksim) and Sultanahmet and their surroundings.
While giving tips on how to use public transportation in Istanbul, we will look at the city through the eyes of a tourist who wants to see historical places and shop.
Table of Contents
1. Istanbul Metro Map 2024
Lines on the Istanbul metro map provide a very effective transportation opportunity for tourists visiting the city. The easiest way to reach historical places and shopping centers without worrying about traffic in Istanbul is of course using the metro.
When you check the Istanbul public transport map, you will see that the subway is spread over a limited area. However, when supported by Tram, Funicular and Marmaray, it provides easy access to touristic places such as Sultanahmet, Taksim, Sisli, Uskudar and Kadikoy.
Metro Map of Istanbul as PDF File
You can download the metro map of Istanbul as a printable PDF file from this link. This map has been prepared by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and is free to download. The following lines have detailed descriptions of the lines you will see on this metro map.
M1a Yenikapı – Atatürk Airport Line
M1a Yenikapı – Atatürk Airport line was the most used metro line by tourists in the past. It provided a connection between the old airport and the tourist centers of Istanbul. Although it is not used as intensively as before, it is still an important line.
There are still many 5-star hotels in districts such as Yesilkoy, Bakirkoy and Atakoy. The M1a line, which provides access to these hotels and the shopping centers around them, starts from Yenikapi, the rail transport center on the European Side.
M1B Yenikapi-Kirazli Metro Line
M1B Yenikapi-Kirazli Metro Line provides transportation to the suburbs of Istanbul such as Esenler and Bağcılar. The only important aspect of this line for tourists is that it provides transportation to the Otogar, Istanbul’s intercity bus terminal.
If you are going to any city in Turkey by bus, your vehicle will most likely be leaving from here. Buses depart from here to holiday places such as Canakkale, Balikesir, Izmir and Mugla on the western coast of Turkey.
M2 Yenikapı – Hacıosman Metro Line
M2 Yenikapı – Hacıosman metro line is the most used metro line in Istanbul. This metro line starting from Yenikapi, the transport hub of the European Side, provides access to the city’s most important business centers such as Taksim, Levent and Maslak.
M2 metro line is the most used metro line by local or foreign tourists visiting the city. Because the best shopping malls in Istanbul such as Cevahir, Kanyon and IstinyePark are located on this line.
This line also connects hotels in the Historical Peninsula (Sultanahmet and its surroundings) to Gayrettepe, the first stop of the new airport metro (M11).
M3 Bakirkoy Sahil – Kayasehir Metro Line
M3 Bakirkoy Sahil – Kayasehir Metro Line connects the Bakirkoy district near the old airport (in the south of the city, on the Marmara Sea coast) to the new Istanbul Airport (IST). It should be noted that the section connecting this line to the airport has not been opened yet.
Bakirkoy district is located in the south of Istanbul and attracts attention with its marina, shopping centers and stylish hotels. This district was very popular among tourists when Ataturk Airport was in operation.
M4 Kadıköy – Sabiha Gokcen Airport Line
M4 Kadıköy – Sabiha Gokcen Airport Line connects the touristic districts to Sabiha Gokcen (Istanbul’s second airport), located in a remote corner of the Asian Side. Those on the European Side can first use Marmaray to reach Kadikoy.
Those who stay around Beyazit and Laleli can get on Marmaray from Yenikapi Station. On the other hand, those who stay in places such as Sultanahmet, Sirkeci and Eminonu can also go to the Asian Side by Marmaray from Sirkeci Marmaray Station.
Leaving the Old City, Marmaray comes to a station called “Ayrilik Cesmesi” on the Asian Side. You can transfer to M4 here. You can go to Sabiha Gokcen by M4 metro, as well as Akasya, Optimum, Palladium, Piazza and Neomarin, which are the most popular shopping malls on the Asian Side.
M5 Üsküdar – Samandira Metro Line
M5 Üsküdar – Samandira Metro Line, like the M3 we mentioned above, is a line mainly used by Istanbulites. There isn’t much to attract tourists on this line. Capitol, the oldest shopping mall in Istanbul, is at the Altunize station on this line.
In addition, there are many business hotels in Umraniye, which can be reached by the M5 metro line. Some of the meetings of domestic and foreign companies take place at the hotels on this line.
M6 Levent – Boğaziçi Hisarüstü Metro Line
M6 Levent – Boğaziçi Hisarüstü metro line functions as an extension of M2, the most important metro line in Istanbul. Those who come to Levent via M2 can transfer to M6 and reach Etiler district or Bogazici University.
Bogazici University is one of the most established universities in Istanbul. The university, which has a campus overlooking the unique view of the Bosphorus, was established as Robert College in the last period of the Ottoman Empire.
Etiler, which you can reach via the M6 metro line, is one of the most luxurious districts of Istanbul. Akmerkez (a luxury shopping mall) is also located in Etiler. In addition, Nusr-et and Paper Moon, which are among the best restaurants in Istanbul, are also located in this district.
If you are going to use this line, it would be good to check the transfer point on the Istanbul metro map. It can be confusing to those who visit Istanbul for the first time.
M7 Yildiz – Mahmutbey Metro Line
M7 Yildiz – Mahmutbey Metro Line starts from the vicinity of Yildiz Palace and passes through Fulya and Mecidiyekoy districts, where the city’s largest business centers, chain hotels and international hospitals are located.
As you continue on the metro route on this line, it will take you to Mahmutbey, at the western exit of the city. The last stops of the metro can take you to places such as ISTOC, which is a neighborhood of wholesale stores, and MASKO, where furniture shops can be found together.
M8 Bostanci – Dudullu Metro Line
M8 Bostanci – Dudullu Metro Line transports Istanbulites living in the interior of the Asian Side to Bostanci, a cozy district on the Marmara Sea coast.
Bostanci is also where Bagdat Street, the largest shopping and entertainment boulevard of the Asian Side, begins. Bagdat Street is 15 kilometers long and extends to Kadikoy.
M9 Atakoy – Olimpiyat Metro Line
M9 Atakoy – Olympic Metro Line connects the Atakoy district near the old airport (in the south of the city, on the Marmara Sea coast) to the new Istanbul Airport (IST). It should be noted that the section connecting this line to the airport has not been opened yet.
This metro line also provides access to the Olympic Stadium. You may need to use this subway line, as international football cup finals are sometimes played here. For example, the Champions League final between Liverpool and Milan (2005) was played here.
M11 Gayrettepe – Istanbul Airport Line
M11 Gayrettepe – Istanbul Airport metro line was completed in 2024. It is now possible to come from Istanbul’s new airport to the city center by metro. You can see that the M11, marked in purple on the metro map of Istanbul, extends towards the north of the city.
M11 is a very long metro line and is currently connected to M2 and M7. However, in the future, transfers to Istanbul Airport’s metro will also be possible from M3 and M9 lines.
2. Istanbul Tram Map 2024
There are five important lines on the Istanbul tram map. The T1 line stands out among the tram lines that connect Istanbul’s most important tourist attractions. Because, thanks to T1, it is possible to provide cheap transportation between Taksim and Sultanahmet, which are the most popular tourist spots in Istanbul.
On the map above, T5 seems to end in Cibali. However, as of 2024, T5 and T1 (the most important tram line of the tourist area) was connected to each other at the Eminonu stop.
Tram Map of Istanbul as PDF File
You can download the tram map of Istanbul as a printable PDF file from this link. This map has been prepared by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and is free to download. The following lines have detailed descriptions of the lines you will see on this tram map.
T1 Kabataş – Bağcılar Tram Line
T1 Kabataş – Bağcılar tram line starts from Bagcilar, one of the most crowded suburbs of the city. However, the most important stops for tourists are seen as the tram approaches Kabatas direction.
T1 is the most important tram line for tourists visiting Istanbul. You can review the stops of this vehicle, which covers the touristic places of Istanbul, by clicking this article.
T2 Taksim – Tünel Tram Line
T2 Taksim – Tünel tram line connects Taksim Square and Tunnel Square. The 1.5-kilometer road between the two squares is known as Istiklal Street.
In fact, instead of using this tram, you need to explore Istanbul’s most important walking and shopping street. The passengers actually use the tram not to cover this distance, but to experience a nostalgia dating back to the 1800s.
T3 Kadıköy – Moda Tram Line
T3 Kadıköy – Moda tram line promises a nostalgic tram experience just like the previous T2. However, it can be beneficial for those who do not want to walk the sloping streets leading from Kadikoy to Moda. After visiting Kadikoy Fish Market and its surroundings, you can take this tram and have a nice coffee break in Moda district.
T4 Topkapi – Mescid-i Selam Tram Line
T4 Topkapi – Mescid-i Selam Tram Line does not include any of the places frequently visited by tourists. However, if you are staying on this line, you can reach the Istanbul Airport metro via the M7 connection.
T5 Eminönü – Alibeykoy Tram Line
T5 Eminönü – Alibeykoy Tram Line is a practical means of transportation, especially from the Old City to districts such as Fener and Balat, Ayvansaray, Eyup, and starts from a tram station very close to Spice Bazaar.
You can go to Fener and Balat and see the colorful houses and stairs of Istanbul, go to Ayvansaray and see the Byzantine city walls, Chora Church and Tekfur Palace, and go to Eyup and see Pierre Loti Hill.
F1 Taksim – Kabatas Funicular Line
F1 Taksim – Kabatas funicular line is not actually in the tram category. However, there is an important reason for placing it under this title. The T1 Tram Line, departing from Sultanahmet and arriving at Kabatas, connects to Taksim Square through the F1 transfer.
The two most visited places for tourists visiting the city are Sultanahmet and Taksim Square. For this reason, we can say that the easiest way to go from Sultanahmet to Taksim is to reach Kabatas first with the T1 and then to Taksim Square with F1.
3. Istanbul Marmaray Map 2024
You can see Marmaray’s route from the yellow line on the Istanbul Marmaray Map. Starting from Gebze at the eastern end of Istanbul, the Marmaray line continues along the Marmara coast of the city and ends at Halkali, the western end.
Marmaray is a means of transportation blended with the old train lines of the city. For this reason, it has dozens of stops. Since we take the touristic centers as reference in the Istanbul metro map article, we will only talk about the stations of Marmaray between the Ayrilik Cesmesi (Kadikoy) and Yenikapi.
In the past, ferry was the most guaranteed way to travel between the Asian and European sides of Istanbul. Because when you used the bus, you could never be sure how long it would take to cross the bridge.
With Metrobus and Marmaray added to public transportation in Istanbul, it became easier to travel between two sides. For example, with Marmaray, you can go from Sirkeci (Old City) to Uskudar in just 4 minutes or to Kadikoy in 8 minutes.
Tourists who visit the city mainly stay in Taksim and Sultanahmet. For someone staying around Sultanahmet, the closest Marmaray stop is in Sirkeci. Those coming from Taksim can come to Yenikapi by M2 Metro and connect to Marmaray and then cross to the Asian Side.
You can download the Marmaray map of Istanbul as a printable PDF file from this link.
4. Istanbul Metrobus Map 2024
You can see the route of Metrobus from the light brown line on the Istanbul Metrobus Map. The Metrobus line, starting from Sogutlucesme on the Asian Side, crosses the bridge and continues to Beylikduzu, one of the farthest points of the European Side.
There is no historical place in Beylikduzu that tourists visiting the city can see. However, as Istanbul’s biggest exhibition centers are there, Metrobus may be useful for some tourists. Beylikduzu sometimes hosts international tourism, food and book fairs.
In addition, the most important feature of Metrobus will be that it provides fast access to the Asian Side from places such as Mecidiyekoy and Zincirlikuyu.
There are many hotels in districts of Istanbul such as Mecidiyekoy, Sisli, Levent and Maslak. Those who stay there normally need to reach Besiktas or Taksim first to get to Asian Side. However, Metrobus bypasses this old route and quickly takes passengers to Kadikoy.
The biggest problem with metrobus is the crowd at rush hours. It is quite difficult to use Metrobus between 8 and 10 in the morning and between 6 and 8 in the evening. However, it can be very beneficial to use Metrobus outside of these busy hours.
You can download the metrobus map of Istanbul as a printable PDF file from here.
5. Istanbul Ferry Map 2024
Istanbul Ferry Map contains the most attractive historical and touristic spots in the city. The ferry, which provides transportation between districts such as Eminonu, Karakoy, Besiktas, Uskudar and Kadikoy, promises a nostalgic journey to its passengers.
As I mentioned above, the most used public transport between the two sides of Istanbul had been the ferry. Ferries run year-round and will not disappoint unless there is excessive fog.
You never knew how long it would take you to get to the Asian Side by bus over the bridge. However, you knew that by ferry, you would reach Kadikoy or Uskudar in 20-25 minutes at the latest.
Over time, the fast travel provided by Marmaray and Metrobus caused the ferry to be forgotten. Today, as Istanbulites, we use the ferry only for the Bosphorus cruise.
However, for tourists, ferry is still the best way to go from Europe to Asia by taking photos in Istanbul. This nostalgic journey, accompanied by seagulls over ferries, is among the top things to do in Istanbul.
Ferry Piers in Istanbul’s Historical Districts
Istanbul’s Ferry Piers are generally located in historical districts. Eminonu, Karakoy, Besiktas, Uskudar and Kadikoy districts are also places where you can find the best street food in Istanbul.
The ferry piers on the map are 1) Turyol Bosphorus Cruise, 2) Sehir Hatlari Bosphorus Cruise, 3) Eminonu-Kadikoy (and Uskudar), 4) Karakoy-Kadikoy, 5) Dentur Bosphorus Cruise, 6) Besiktas-Kadikoy (and Uskudar), 7) Uskudar-Eminonu, 8) Kadikoy-Eminonu.
It should also be noted that there are ferries departing from Eminonu and Besiktas piers to both Kadikoy and Uskudar (districts on the Asian Side). Since they are side by side, I did not see the need to number them separately.
You can download the ferry map of Istanbul as a printable PDF format from this link.
Conclusion
I hope this article, in which I present metro, tram and ferry map of Istanbul, will be useful to you. However useful these maps are, they do not make a comparison between the districts of Istanbul. All neighborhoods, interesting or not, are marked as a small dot.
If you want to get a better understanding of the tourist attractions in the city, you can also review my article titled Istanbul Tourist Attraction Maps. The information there will allow you to make a plan about best places to visit in Istanbul.
Written by Serhat Engul
Yousef says
SERHAT
You are a real mensch. This article is very helpful, detailed, and informative. Hat off to you, sir.
Serhat Engül says
Dear Yousef, thank you for the great feedback. I am happy to see that it’s been useful to you. Cheers!
MUHAMMAD ZAKIR says
MUHAMMAD ZAKIR Excellent article 👌
I have been to Istanbul last year for 10 days. Fou your information very useful. Keep it up. Stay blessed, take care!
Love from Karachi, Pakistan.
Serhat Engül says
Hello Muhammad, Thank you for your kind words. Feedbacks are really useful for keep it going. Love from Turkey.
Anisa says
This is brilliant thank you so much
Serhat Engül says
Hi Anisa, thank you for your kind review.
Jan says
Very useful. Thank you (-:
Serhat Engül says
Hi Jan, thank you for the feedback. 🙂
Muhammad Asif says
Hi Serhat, Your site is very useful. I heard the Metro to IST is going to be open soon. Can you please update on the progress of the Metro lines to IST and Sabiha Gokcen?
Serhat Engül says
Hello Muhammad I will update the article when the metro lines to New Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen become operational. News about subway constructions can be misleading. Delays are common in projects like this.
Moon says
Serhat, thank you very much for this amazing article, it is specially very beneficial for solo female travelers like me. I am going to visit Turkey in May, I am more interested in religious sites and want to ask a query, if you please reply I would be really grateful, I want to visit Abu Ayup tomb and Chora church(which i believe is now a mosque), are these two places open for female travelers to visit?
Moreover, could you please suggest some religious sites that I should visit? I have already visited all the usual places like Aya Sofia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi, Sulemaniya Mosque, etc.
Serhat Engül says
Hi Moon, first of all thank you for your kind feedback on the blog. Eyup Sultan Mosque and its tomb are open to women. However, Kariye Mosque (former Chora Church) is unfortunately closed to visitors due to restoration.
Chora was originally a museum for many years under the name of Kariye Museum. It was turned back into a mosque in 2020. However, it is not known how it will continue as a mosque, as its walls are covered with Byzantine mosaics.
There are many mosques in Istanbul that are of great spiritual importance. For example, in the best mosques of Istanbul article, I shared brief information about the history and architecture of 25 mosques.
Moon says
Thank you for your reply, Serhat!
I read the article that you mentioned, it is yet another amazing piece of writing. Have left a comment there. Please reply 🙂
Serhat Engül says
You are welcome!
Alexandru says
Hello! Thanks for your blog! It is really useful.. I will go with my wife to Istanbul this month and I need to know some things. I will write some issues and if it is wrong please correct me.
– It is enough to buy only one Istanbul card for both of us
– the price for a card is 50 tl (25 the plastic and 25 for travel )
– I can charge the card with another amount than those 25 tl when I buy the card
– I can make only 5 transfers in 2 hours (for one traveler or for both?)
– the fist trip is about 7 tl for one of us or for both?
– when I touch the machine with the card in the first station for two times it means that I make a first trip and a transfer or two first trips? (I mean how much amount takes the machine in this case?)
– which are the prices for the rest of transfers in those two hours?
– how many groups of two hours I can use this card. There is a limit or I can use it till the amount is off?
– the card is valid for Marmaray train, too?
Thank you again!
Alexandru
Serhat Engül says
Hi Alexandru, frankly I was stressed when I saw the length of the question list. But fortunately, this blog already has all the information a first time tourist in Istanbul would need.
I think you better read this article about Istanbulkart. You can find the answers to most of these questions there.
PS: If you can’t find the answers to some of your questions in the articles, it means I don’t know about that subject.
Kind regards,
Serhat
Orhan Abdullahu says
Merhaba Serhat bey,
Gerçekten çok başarılı anlatım ben çok beğendim. Duydum ki, Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı metrosu açılmış.
Kosova’dan selamlar…
Serhat Engül says
Merhaba Orhan Bey,
Öncelikle nazik yorumunuz için çok teşekkür ederim. Evet M4 metrosu artık Kadıköy’den Sabiha Gökçen’e kadar uzanıyor. Bu konuda gerekli güncellemeyi yakında yapacağım.
Selamlar ve Saygılar,
Serhat
Mobin Cassim says
Thank you for your highly informative website. I will be visiting Istanbul in the first week of Febraury 2023, what is the status of the ticket queues at Topkapi Museum?
Also I would like to know if I could reach Eyup Sultan by ferry from Eminonu (public ferry)? Also is there a ferry port to the Ortakoy Cami area and also to the Rumeli Hisari Fortress. (Direct public ferries or nearest ferry docks to these areas).
Also other attractions in the city for Muslim a tourist (burial sites,historical mosques etc) Looking forward to your response. Thanking you once again. Salaams.
Serhat Engül says
Hi Mobin, thanks for your feedback about the site. The answers to most of these questions can be found in the articles on the site.
If you search for words such as Topkapi Palace, Mosques in Istanbul and Ortakoy Mosque from the search box on the right, you can find related articles.
I do not know the details of the ferry services from Eminonu. You can visit the Sehir Hatlari site from here. This site has charts about public ferries.
Pedro says
Hello, I really like the work you have done and thanks so much. I was wondering if you could add to the maps for the trams and metro, which stops are wheelchair accessible and have accessible restroom. Thanks for all you do!
Serhat Engül says
Hi Pedro, as far as I know, all metro stations have modern and spacious elevators for wheelchair users. I don’t think there will be a problem in this regard in Metro and Marmaray.
However, I cannot say that all stops on the T1 tram line and Metrobus line (ie on public transportation vehicles serving above ground) are wheelchair friendly.
I don’t have a map on this subject. However, you can check whether such information is available on the official website of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
Silviya Atanasova says
Hi Serhat,
You are our salvation in Istanbul.
Serhat Engül says
Hi Silviya, thank you for your feedback. It’s a great feeling that what I write is useful to people. I wish you a nice trip in Istanbul.
Serkan Zihli says
Hello. You should update the map. There are four more new lines recently opened. Thanks 🙏
Serhat Engül says
Hello, thank you for the feedback. I will update the maps in a few days.
EDIT: I added the latest version of the Istanbul Metro Map as of March 28, 2024, as promised. Thanks again for the heads up.
Forst Hussin says
Hi,
Do you by chance know if T6 (U3) Yenikapi Station is at the same site as Marmaray Yenikapi Station.
Appreciate your good work.
Serhat Engül says
Dear Forst Hussin, thank you for your kind words about my work. Yes, Yenikapi Station is the terminal station where metro, tram and Marmaray lines meet.