This is one of the most common type of public transport. Traveling around Istanbul by bus may be a challenge at first, especially if you are not that familiar with where you are going and you don’t have a map at hand.
Buses in Istanbul are color-coded. Well, sort of. The blue-green buses are private buses while all the rest are run by the state through the IETT. The green IETT ones are ecological buses, there are also red double deckers and red-blue buses. The blue-green buses usually head for the suburbs.
Now, this is where the confusion sets in. If you buy a ticket from the kiosks near the bus stops, you should remember that the ticket is valid\d only for IETT buses. You will have to pay for cash for a ride on the private buses. The best solution would be to buy the akbil, which can be used for all. Sometimes, though, if you don’t have the akbil, the bus driver may charge you a certain rate and have you use his Akbil.
To avoid missing your drop-off point, remember the following:
- When getting into the bus, remember to check the front windshield, as this states the final destination the bus will have. The rest of the stops in the route is written at the side of the bus and is visible upon entry.
- Don’t hesitate to ask for help. When you ride the bus, ask your seatmate or a local who sits nearby, to tell you when to alight.
- Use the map to check the best route for your planned destination.
- When riding the bus, confirm with the driver and tell him your planned destination. However, you should not assume that bus drivers can speak English, so it’s best to have your destination in writing.
- Remember that most buses run only up to 11:30 in the evening to as late as 12:00 midnight. After that, you will have to take the taxi.
- When you’re about to get off the bus, you should shout “Een-eh-Jehk var” in such a way that the driver can hear, so that he can put the bus to a stop.
The bus routes are coded and, most probably, you’ll be making more use of the no. 14 bus, which plies the routes between Sultanahmet and Taksim. There are a lot of routes, so it is best to do some research via the IETT website (www.iett.gov.tr/en) for you to know the best route.
Although buses are ubiquitous, as well as cheap modes of transport, be warned that they are not the fastest, nor are they the most relaxing. You will have to contend with the crowd, as well as the horrendously slow traffic.