An Istanbul ferry ride can take you across the Bosphorus, along the Golden Horn or out to the Princes' Islands. This guide explains useful Şehir Hatları routes, where to find departure times and where to check fares before you board. DoInIstanbul publishes it; ferry services are operated by the relevant ferry companies.
Start with your destination, then check the operator, departure pier and direction of travel. A timetable alone cannot confirm today's sailing, so check official service alerts before you leave.
Choose a Şehir Hatları journey, find departure piers and compare stored ferry times. Enable JavaScript for the planner, or use the official timetables, pier directory and fare table. Check your direction and service alerts before travelling.
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For a ferry to Istanbul's Asian side, Kadıköy and Üsküdar are different destinations. Choose the one that fits your onward journey, then find the appropriate European-side departure. Use the local spellings below when comparing signs and official timetables.
| Your journey | Plan in this guide | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Eminönü or Karaköy → Kadıköy | Plan Eminönü → Kadıköy / Plan Karaköy → Kadıköy | Direction and stopping-pattern notes |
| Eminönü or Karaköy → Üsküdar | Plan Eminönü → Üsküdar / Plan Karaköy → Üsküdar | Whether your sailing calls at Karaköy |
| Beşiktaş → Kadıköy | Plan Beşiktaş → Kadıköy | Operator and departure pier |
| Kabataş → Kadıköy | Plan Kabataş → Kadıköy | Your exact departure |
| Eminönü → Ortaköy via Beşiktaş | Plan Eminönü → Ortaköy | Limited departures and marked-day conditions |
| Golden Horn destination | Choose your Golden Horn pier | Your chosen stop; Kadıköy (Yeni) pier note |
| Kabataş → Princes' Islands | Choose your island pier | Island stop, Eminönü calls and return direction |
Use Kadıköy–Karaköy–Eminönü for those central departure points. Beşiktaş–Kadıköy and Kabataş–Kadıköy have separate route sources. The nearest waterfront is useful only if the right service departs there on your travel day.
Open Üsküdar–Karaköy–Eminönü and read your departure direction. Do not assume every sailing uses the same intermediate stop.
Ortaköy–Beşiktaş–Eminönü is a passenger route, rather than a dedicated sightseeing ticket. For the Golden Horn, check the Kadıköy–Haliç stop list. The official pier directory (Turkish) helps identify piers; it does not establish that every listed pier serves every route. “Eminönü ferry” alone is not enough to identify a boarding gate.
An Istanbul ferry price depends on the operator, route and payment category. The examples below come from Şehir Hatları's official passenger fare table (Turkish), checked 3 October 2026. They are full İstanbulkart passenger fares in Turkish lira (TRY), not a single price for all Istanbul boats.
| Route or category | Observed full fare | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Karaköy–Kadıköy | TRY 65.21 | Listed passenger route |
| Kadıköy–Kabataş* | TRY 62.7 | Starred distance-fare conditions apply |
| Üsküdar–Eminönü | TRY 58.52 | Listed passenger route |
| Adalar, without Adakart | TRY 151.23 | Full islands category; not a resident-card discount |
These are dated examples, not a live fare quote. The source does not display an explicit effective date. Other operators, card categories and sightseeing tickets can have different terms.
The official fare notes (Turkish) attach refunds to qualifying starred routes, an exit refund device and a 120-minute limit. This is not an instruction to tap out after every ferry. The transfer discount is restricted to personalised cards and excludes night and islands services. On routes with a night tariff, 2× fares apply from 00:30 to 05:30. These conditions were checked 3 October 2026.
Buying an Istanbulkart is separate from paying for your crossing. The standard physical card costs TRY 165; add travel balance separately. Station Biletmatik machines offer card purchase and balance loading. Choose the correct transaction, follow the displayed payment options and check the resulting balance before boarding. Our Istanbulkart buying and loading guide explains the steps, and its fee and limit section lists the charges. Do not assume a bank card or phone wallet will work at every ferry entrance.
Before relying on a discount or refund, find your route's marking and check the card eligibility in the fare notes above. Carry enough balance for the applicable charge; a refund or transfer allowance depends on those conditions. Night-service availability and night-fare conditions are separate checks.
For your first ferry ride in Istanbul, choose the journey before joining a queue. A pier photograph can help you recognise the waterfront, but the operator and destination signs determine where you board.
The sequence above follows Şehir Hatları's passenger rules (Turkish). Ask about any assistance or large load before travel.
Use the Kabataş–Adalar official timetable (Turkish) to choose your island and sailing. Adalar means “islands”; read the individual stop names rather than treating the route as one destination.
Not every departure calls at Eminönü. Check the row for your sailing, the travel-day heading and the return direction. A service departing Kabataş is not necessarily available from Eminönü too. Island fares also have their own category.
Before boarding, identify a suitable return from your chosen island and check alerts. Allow time for your plans ashore without depending on the last possible boat. An outbound timetable alone cannot tell you whether your preferred evening return runs.
Şehir Hatları describes measures for its piers and vessels in its accessibility policy (Turkish) and vessel information (Turkish). If you need step-free access, confirm both piers and your intended sailing with the operator. A general policy does not confirm the vessel allocated to your trip or every stage of boarding.
Its passenger rules (Turkish) say children under seven travel free; children aged seven or over pay a fare. Dedicated Bosphorus tours have separate child-ticket categories.
Those passenger rules also apply an additional charge to loads over 30 kg or 50 litres. Ask the operator about the amount and conditions before bringing a large load. Do not apply these rules automatically to another company or a sightseeing package.
Check the last ferry for your route, direction and day. The winter announcement identifies specific night services, including daily Bostancı–Adalar Ring sailings and Kadıköy–Karaköy–Beşiktaş sailings on Friday-to-Saturday and Saturday-to-Sunday nights. It does not promise overnight service on every route.
Read official service alerts (Turkish) shortly before travel. Notices have dates; an earlier notice cannot establish today's status. Check any alternative bus, metro or other operator's service separately if your ferry is disrupted. For a time-sensitive onward journey, plan an alternative before leaving.
A scheduled crossing suits a transport journey. A dedicated tour suits an itinerary chosen for sightseeing. Check what the ticket buys before comparing their prices: the route, commentary, stops and return arrangement may differ.
For a slower morning on this regular passenger route, plan simit and tea on the Rumeli Kavağı ferry; allow most of a half-day and check the return separately.
| Choice | Main purpose | Price and timetable source |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger ferry | Reach a scheduled destination | Operator's passenger route and fare category |
| Dedicated Bosphorus tour | Follow a sightseeing itinerary | Specific tour timetable and ticket conditions |
Şehir Hatları lists Bosphorus tours (Turkish) and tour fares (Turkish) separately. A passenger fare does not establish payment acceptance or inclusions for a tour. For a sunset or dinner cruise, check the particular seller's itinerary, boarding point and package conditions instead of using a city-ferry timetable.
The operator publishes two daytime sightseeing schedules, both marked every day, in page 35 of the timetable PDF. The times below also match its individual tour pages, checked 2 October 2026. All times are Istanbul local time (UTC+3). Find the Şehir Hatları tour departure using the route's official pier information and signs; a city-ferry queue or another company's boat may be nearby.
Choose the Uzun Boğaz Turu (Full / Nostalgic Bosphorus Tour) when you can allow most of the day. The official full-tour timetable (Turkish) lists the following calls in each direction. Use the outbound departure column to choose where to board.
| Pier | Outbound towards Anadolu Kavağı | Return towards Eminönü |
|---|---|---|
| Eminönü | 10:35 departure | 16:40 arrival |
| Beşiktaş | 10:50 departure | 16:25 departure |
| Üsküdar | 11:05 departure | 16:10 departure |
| Kanlıca | 11:35 departure | 15:40 departure |
| Sarıyer | 12:05 departure | 15:20 departure |
| Rumeli Kavağı | 12:15 departure | 15:10 departure |
| Anadolu Kavağı | 12:25 arrival | 15:00 departure |
The boat pauses at Anadolu Kavağı until 15:00. From the published times, arrival at 12:25 allows a scheduled 2 hours 35 minutes ashore. The complete Eminönü-to-Eminönü outing is 6 hours 5 minutes, including that break; these are timetable calculations, not guaranteed journey durations. If you board at Beşiktaş or Üsküdar, use that pier's own return time. Be back for boarding before the departure and check alerts before starting your trip.
The Kısa Boğaz Turu (Short Bosphorus Tour) offers an afternoon sightseeing option. Its official timetable (Turkish) lists three departure times:
| Departure pier | Published departure |
|---|---|
| Eminönü | 14:40 |
| Üsküdar | 14:55 |
| Ortaköy | 15:10 |
There is no sightseeing break at Ortaköy, according to the PDF. The 15:10 entry is labelled departure, rather than the end of the tour. The checked sources do not give a separate final return time or total duration; confirm both with Şehir Hatları before planning an onward appointment. Do not read 14:40–15:10 as a 30-minute complete tour.
The official tour fare table (Turkish) has separate Yerli Yolcu (domestic passenger) and Yabancı Yolcu (foreign passenger) columns. International visitors should check the foreign category instead of budgeting from the lower domestic figures. The amounts below are listed ticket fares in Turkish lira (TRY), observed 3 October 2026; check your category, age and journey type with the operator before paying.
| Tour | Domestic passenger fares | Foreign passenger amount listed |
|---|---|---|
| Full Bosphorus tour | Standard: TRY 320 return; TRY 195 one way. Under 12: TRY 160 return; TRY 100 one way. | TRY 640, per foreign passenger for the full tour; confirm age and one-way/return terms. |
| Short Bosphorus tour | Standard: TRY 170. Under 12: TRY 85. | TRY 340, per foreign passenger for the short tour; confirm child terms. |
| Mehtap (moonlight) tour | TRY 365 return. | TRY 730. |
| Children aged 0–6, full/short/Mehtap tours | Free. | Free. |
The foreign-price cells span several domestic age or journey rows in the source. It does not separately itemise foreign one-way or under-12 prices; confirm those conditions rather than applying the domestic discounts. No explicit fare effective date is displayed. Recheck the official tariff before travelling.
A listed Mehtap fare does not establish a current departure. The checked winter booklet and tour index publish the full and short tours; confirm any moonlight sailing directly with the operator. Check the ticket purchase point and accepted payment method for your chosen tour; an İstanbulkart passenger fare does not settle its ticket conditions.
Give yourself time at your destination rather than treating the ferry as an immediate return trip. After arriving in Kadıköy, check your return options before setting off to explore. Choose a walk, a meal or a longer visit according to the time available. Keep the departure pier and last useful sailing in mind, especially if your evening plans run late.
Official sources checked 2 October 2026: Şehir Hatları timetables, winter timetable booklet (PDF), full-tour timetable, short-tour timetable, tour fares, passenger fares, travel rules, accessibility information, service alerts, İstanbulkart fees. The PDF has Turkish and English labels; the individual tour and fare pages are in Turkish. Check them again for your travel date.
Choose your destination, check the operator's timetable and find the pier for that route. Use a valid payment method for the service and follow the boarding staff's instructions. Check the return journey separately.
Use the official route page for your operator, direction and day of travel. Read the timetable footnotes and check service alerts before leaving. An older PDF or a third-party map may describe a different timetable period.
The fare depends on the operator, route and ticket or card category. Şehir Hatları publishes separate city and islands fares, with additional conditions for some journeys. Check the official fare table before travelling; buying an Istanbulkart is a separate cost.
Night services depend on the route and day. Şehir Hatları's winter timetable announcement identifies specific night-service routes and operating days. Check the timetable for your return journey rather than assuming every ferry runs overnight.
Do not assume that a passenger-ferry fare covers a dedicated sightseeing tour. Şehir Hatları publishes Bosphorus tours separately from its passenger routes. Check the ticket and payment conditions for the specific service you choose.
Şehir Hatları describes accessibility measures for its piers and vessels. If you need step-free boarding, confirm the departure pier, arrival pier and intended sailing with the operator. General accessibility information does not confirm every part of a specific journey.
Şehir Hatları's passenger travel rules say children under seven travel free and children aged seven or over are subject to a fare. Dedicated Bosphorus tours publish their own child-ticket categories. Check the rules for the service you intend to take.
No. The official Kabataş–Adalar timetable shows different stopping patterns, including sailings that skip Eminönü. Check the row for your sailing and the return direction before choosing a departure pier.
The daily timetable checked 2 October 2026 lists departures from Eminönü at 10:35, Beşiktaş at 10:50, Üsküdar at 11:05, Kanlıca at 11:35, Sarıyer at 12:05 and Rumeli Kavağı at 12:15, arriving at Anadolu Kavağı at 12:25. The return leaves Anadolu Kavağı at 15:00 and reaches Eminönü at 16:40. All times are local to Istanbul (UTC+3); check the official tour timetable and service alerts before travelling.
No sightseeing break is provided at Ortaköy in the checked timetable PDF. Daily departures are listed as Eminönü 14:40, Üsküdar 14:55 and Ortaköy 15:10, in Istanbul local time (UTC+3), checked 2 October 2026. Ortaköy's time is a departure, not the tour's final return. Confirm the return time and total duration with Şehir Hatları.
Check the official Yabancı Yolcu (foreign passenger) column. On 2 October 2026 it listed TRY 640 per foreign passenger for the full tour and TRY 340 per foreign passenger for the short tour. The foreign-price cells do not separately itemise one-way or under-12 fares; confirm those terms with the operator. Children aged 0–6 are listed as free for the full, short and Mehtap tours. These sightseeing ticket categories are separate from city-ferry İstanbulkart fares.
Station Biletmatik machines sell physical Istanbulkart cards and load travel balance. Choose card purchase for a new card or balance loading for your existing one, review the payment instructions and check the completed transaction. The standard card fee is TRY 165; it does not include the balance needed for your ferry fare. Allow time to get a card before joining the boarding queue.
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