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| City Guide - Istanbul - Getting Around | ||
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Getting Around Public Transport There are numerous private and state-owned city buses in Istanbul, however, because of perpetual traffic jams, these are slow, uncomfortable and usually over-crowded, with service coming to a virtual halt at midnight. A new underground (metro) system from Taksim to Levent, the city's busiest business district, has recently opened. There are two tramways on the European side. One runs from Eminönü through Sultanahmet and onto outlying suburbs. It divides at Aksaray, where visitors should change trains to get to Esenler Otagar, the bus station. The other is mainly for tourists and runs the length of Istiklal Caddesi from Beyoðlu to Taksim Square using 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 hill between Karaköy and the Istiklal Caddesi. Metro and tramway information is available (tel: (212) 568 9970). Bus and tram tickets, about US$0.50 each, are usually available near the main stops, either from a kiosk or a private seller, who adds about 25% to the price. An akbil (electronic token) can also be purchased in advance, for a number of journeys, at a slightly better rate, and is good for buses, ferries, the Tünel, and the metro. Passenger ferries, however, are by far the most pleasant way to travel in Istanbul. These zip back and forth across the waterways and service many useful destinations. Tokens are easily available from the dockside kiosks. The primary routes run roughly every twenty 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 Besiktaþ, and car ferries to the Prince's Islands. Services from Karaköy run to Haydarpaþa Station and the residential suburb of Kadiköy. There is also a private boat service between Üsküdar and Beþiktaþ, which runs every ten minutes during the day and whenever it fills up after midnight. Taxis Yellow taxis line up in ranks in front of ferry terminals and can be hailed almost anywhere in the street. However, it is safest to order them from a hotel, which minimises the chance of being cheated. The meters should begin at about US$0.75 between 0600 and 2400, going up 50% after midnight, but visitors should watch for drivers trying to put the night meter on during the day. 'Gündüz' means day and 'gece' night, digitally displayed on the meter; alternatively one light indicates day meter and two lights night meter. Also it pays to have some understanding of Turkish currency before handing over a large note and expecting change, because the TRL100,000 note looks much like the TRL10,000,000 note in the dark. 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 dolmu? (shared taxi) is either a large, modern yellow mini-van, which runs a prescribed, short, circular route, such as Taksim-Be?ikta? and Taksim-Ni?anta??, or a smaller, rackety blue minibus, which does longer journeys within the city. The latter can be hailed almost anywhere and will cram as many standing passengers in as will possibly fit. Payment is in cash when boarding and costs about the same price as a bus ticket. There is also a Marine Taxi service available from Bebek, an upmarket Bosphorus village above Arnavütköy (tel: (212) 287 1121). Limousines The Conrad International Hotel in Be?ikta? (tel: (212) 227 3000, ext 4061) offers limousine services in the city with multilingual drivers. Prices start at US$39 for one hour, up to US$200 for eight hours. Driving in the City Istanbul is home to bad traffic jams and extreme examples of bad driving, while Turkey as a whole has 14 times the number of accidents in the UK - driving is not recommended. Indicators are rarely used, drivers rarely stop at pedestrian crossings and tailgating is standard. Racing along the coastal strip of Ba?dat Caddesi on the Asian side has led to some widely publicised deaths and, despite a government campaign urging 'Don't be a Traffic Monster!', the lack of enforcement of basic road rules means danger. Car Hire Hiring a car for a visit to Istanbul is not advised due to the enormous traffic congestion within the city, which is worsening yearly. For the adventurous, car hire is provided by Avis (tel: (212) 663 0646), Budget (tel: (212) 296 3196 or 253 9200), Europcar (tel: (212) 663 0858 or 254 7799) and Hertz (tel: (212) 234 4304). Rates start at about US$75 a day or US$300 a week. Drivers must be over 21 years, have held a licence for at least one year and have a credit card or substantial sum of money to leave as a deposit. Basic insurance is covered in the cost, but visitors should make sure that Collision Damage Waiver is included as it may well be needed. Bicycle/Scooter Hire This is best left for resort destinations. |
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