Special options and tools for tourists are planned to be added to the Istanbul City Card – a ticket for public transport in the Turkish cultural capital. The launch of the new program took place on September 1. In particular, tourists are promised a “guide kit”, an additional museum pass, and even the ability to use the card as an electronic wallet.
The maps will come with a “guide kit” and popular routes around Istanbul, Istanbul Municipality told local media. Tourists will be offered two types of cards with different options. In addition, tourists will be offered a daily unlimited travel pass for a period of one to 15 days, this will apply to both public transport and “hop-on, hop-off” excursion buses.
In addition, as promised by the municipality, additional options will soon be added to the Istanbul City Card, including admission to the city’s museums, as well as travel on ferry lines between the two sides of the Bosphorus, as well as sightseeing boats on the Bosphorus. An “electronic wallet” option is also being considered, thanks to which it will be possible to pay in certain supermarkets.
“Using Istanbulkart is the best way to avoid getting around in a city notorious for traffic jams and overpriced taxis. The map includes most public transport routes, including trams operating around Sultanahmet Square, one of the most visited tourist spots in the city,” the municipality said.
Tourists were told that these cards will be on sale in more than 30 places. For the most part, points of sale are planned to be placed in places where tourists often visit. Cards will be sold through electronic vending machines.