Guides · Türkiye
Getting around Istanbul
How to move around Istanbul on a 3-day walking trip: metro, tickets and the notes that matter.
Checked September 2026 against official sources
Istanbul
Transit and walking
Follow the official link before you buy. Full walking days: Istanbul itinerary.
Getting around
- Contactless bank cards and phones work on buses, the metro, trams and ferries, including the Bosphorus crossing on day three. The alternative is an Istanbulkart from the BELBİM machines in stations, topped up in Turkish lira; unused balance is not refunded.Source: Visit Istanbul · checked Sep 2026
Questions
Quick answers
How much walking is this itinerary?
Between sights it adds up to roughly 2 to 3.5 km a day in a straight line, with a ferry and a short taxi or bus ride on day three. Istanbul is hilly, so allow more time than the distances suggest.
The days these rules belong to
3 days in Istanbul
Istanbul's great sights sit on both sides of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, so each day stays on one shore. Day one is Sultanahmet, from Hagia Sophia to Topkapı Palace; day two runs through the Grand Bazaar and Süleymaniye to Galata and İstiklal; day three follows the Bosphorus by palace, mosque and ferry to the Asian side. Check the closing days before you fix the order.
