Türkiye’s big cities have dense public transport networks. In a single day in Istanbul you might take the metro, a tram, a ferry (vapur) across the Bosphorus, a bus and a shared minibus (dolmuş). Ankara, İzmir, Bursa and Antalya all have their own mix of metro, tram, bus and ferry or minibus lines.
Each mode has its own payment habits and unwritten rules, and the phrases are short and repetitive, which makes transport a great place to practice Turkish. This guide covers transit cards, dolmuş etiquette, a taxi dialogue and the vocabulary you need. If you plan to drive instead, see our guide to driving in Türkiye and converting a foreign licence.
1. City transit cards
Most metropolitan municipalities run a contactless transit card: İstanbulkart in Istanbul, AnkaraKart in Ankara, İzmirim Kart in İzmir and AntalyaKart in Antalya. The basics are the same everywhere:
- Buying and topping up: you can buy an anonymous card and top it up (bakiye yüklemek) at ticket machines in stations and piers, at kiosks, and usually through the city’s app. Personalised and discounted cards (for students, for example) require an application.
- Tapping in: tap the card on the reader at the turnstile (turnike) or on the bus. The screen shows the fare and your remaining balance (kalan bakiye).
- Transfers (aktarma): in many cities, changing to another line or bus within a set time gives you a reduced fare. The time window and discounts are set by each municipality.
- Distance-based lines: on some lines the fare depends on how far you travel (Istanbul’s Marmaray commuter rail, for example). Look for signs and refund machines (iade makinesi) near the exits.
Fares change regularly, so check the current prices on the municipality’s website or app rather than relying on figures in travel blogs.
2. Dolmuş and minibüs etiquette
A dolmuş (literally “filled”) is a shared minibus or van that runs along a fixed route and stops wherever passengers ask. Most dolmuş routes take cash, although some cities and newer routes accept the city card. Carry small notes and coins.
Passing the fare forward
If you get on at the back and can’t reach the driver:
- Hand your money to the passenger in front of you and say where you’re going: Bir kişi Kadıköy, uzatır mısınız? — One to Kadıköy, could you pass this forward?
- The money travels hand to hand to the driver.
- Your change (para üstü) comes back the same way.
It’s normal and polite to pass other people’s fares too. A quick Buyurun (here you are) when you hand it on is enough.
Getting off
- İnecek var! — Someone’s getting off!
- Müsait bir yerde inebilir miyim? — Could I get off somewhere convenient?
- Işıklarda inebilir miyim? — Could I get off at the traffic lights?
These polite questions use -ebilir miyim (“may I / can I”), one of the most useful patterns for everyday requests.
3. Asking for directions on buses and trains
| Turkish | English |
|---|---|
| Bu otobüs Taksim’e gidiyor mu? | Does this bus go to Taksim? |
| Kadıköy’e nasıl gidebilirim? | How can I get to Kadıköy? |
| Hangi durakta inmem gerekiyor? | Which stop do I need to get off at? |
| Bir sonraki durak neresi? | What’s the next stop? |
| Taksim’e gelince söyler misiniz? | Could you tell me when we reach Taksim? |
| Vapur kaçta kalkıyor? | What time does the ferry leave? |
Destinations take the dative case (Taksim’e, Kadıköy’e, to Taksim, to Kadıköy), and nasıl, nerede and kaçta are among the question words you’ll use most.
4. Dialogue: in a taxi
Here is a typical, polite exchange between a passenger (David) and a taxi driver (Şoför).
David: İyi akşamlar, kolay gelsin. Beşiktaş Meydanı'na gidebilir miyiz?
(Good evening. Can we go to Beşiktaş Square?)
Şoför: İyi akşamlar. Tabii, buyurun.
(Good evening. Of course, get in.)
David: Teşekkürler. Taksimetreyi açar mısınız, lütfen?
(Thanks. Could you start the meter, please?)
Şoför: Açtım. Sahil yolundan mı gidelim, çevre yolundan mı?
(It's on. Shall we take the coast road or the ring road?)
David: Navigasyonda sahil yolu daha açık görünüyor. Sahilden gidelim lütfen.
(The coast road looks clearer on the map. Let's take the coast, please.)
[Near the destination]
David: Şurada, sağda durabilirsiniz.
(You can stop there, on the right.)
Şoför: Tamamdır. Buyurun, taksimetrede yazıyor.
(All right. Here you are, it's on the meter.)
David: Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?
(Can I pay by card?)
Şoför: Tabii, temassız okutabilirsiniz.
(Sure, you can tap contactless.)
David: Teşekkürler, hayırlı işler. İyi akşamlar!
(Thanks, all the best. Good evening!)
Şoför: Sağ olun, iyi akşamlar!
(Thank you, good evening!)Notice the opener kolay gelsin, which you can say to any driver; our guide to what “kolay gelsin” means explains why it’s so common. Directions use the polite imperative: sağa dönün (turn right), durun (stop).
5. Transport vocabulary
| Turkish | Pronunciation hint | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| toplu taşıma | top-LOO tah-shuh-MAH | public transport | Şehirde toplu taşıma çok kolay. (Public transport in the city is very easy.) |
| bakiye yüklemek | bah-kee-YEH yewk-leh-MEK | to top up (a card) | Makineden karta bakiye yükledim. (I topped up the card at the machine.) |
| bakiye yetersiz | bah-kee-YEH yeh-ter-SEEZ | insufficient balance | Turnikede “bakiye yetersiz” yazıyor. (The turnstile says “insufficient balance”.) |
| turnike | toor-nee-KEH | turnstile, gate | Kartınızı turnikeye okutun. (Tap your card at the turnstile.) |
| aktarma | ahk-tar-MAH | transfer | Yenikapı’da metroya aktarma yapın. (Change to the metro at Yenikapı.) |
| durak | doo-RAHK | stop (bus, tram) | Durak çok kalabalıktı. (The stop was very crowded.) |
| son durak | son doo-RAHK | last stop, terminus | Son durakta iniyorum. (I’m getting off at the last stop.) |
| iskele | ees-keh-LEH | ferry pier | Kadıköy iskelesinden vapura bindik. (We took the ferry from Kadıköy pier.) |
| vapur | vah-POOR | (city) ferry | Vapurda çay içtik. (We drank tea on the ferry.) |
| dolmuş | dol-MUSH | shared minibus | Dolmuşa nakit ödedim. (I paid cash on the dolmuş.) |
| para üstü | pah-RAH ews-TEW | change (money) | Para üstünüzü unutmayın. (Don’t forget your change.) |
| inecek var | ee-neh-JEK var | someone’s getting off | İnecek var, arka kapıyı açar mısınız? (Someone’s getting off, could you open the back door?) |
| usta / kaptan | oos-TAH / kap-TAHN | ways to address a driver | Usta, Kadıköy’den geçiyor mu? (Driver, does it go through Kadıköy?) |
| taksimetre | tahk-see-MET-reh | taxi meter | Taksimetreyi açar mısınız? (Could you start the meter?) |
| indi-bindi | een-DEE been-DEE | minimum taxi fare | Kısa yol için indi-bindi ücreti ödedim. (I paid the minimum fare for the short ride.) |
| gecikme | geh-jeek-MEH | delay | Hatta gecikme var. (There’s a delay on the line.) |
| sağa / sola dönün | sah-AH / so-LAH dur-NEWN | turn right / left | Işıklardan sağa dönün. (Turn right at the lights.) |
| düz gidin | dewz gee-DEEN | go straight on | Köprüye kadar düz gidin. (Go straight on as far as the bridge.) |
| köprü / tünel | kurp-REW / tew-NEL | bridge / tunnel | Köprü ücreti hesaba eklenir. (The bridge toll is added to the fare.) |
| fiş | feesh | receipt | Fiş alabilir miyim? (Can I have a receipt?) |
6. Practical tips
- Make sure the meter is on. Licensed taxis are expected to use the meter. If the driver suggests a fixed price instead, you can politely insist: Taksimetreyle gidelim lütfen (Let’s go by the meter, please).
- Tolls are extra. If your route crosses a toll bridge or tunnel, the toll is normally added to the meter fare. Toll roads use the electronic HGS system.
- Use official apps. Many cities have municipal or licensed taxi apps that show the route and let you pay by card.
- Have small change. Even with a transit card, cash is useful for dolmuş rides and for paying the exact fare in taxis.
Practice this
Read the direction questions aloud and swap in places you actually go. To practice prices and stop numbers, try the Turkish number converter, and for more ready-to-use phrases, see our survival phrases for travellers.
