ISTANBUL CENTER
AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
©2024 New Generation Hostel
BOOK NOW!
TRAIN STATION
MARMARAY RAILWAY LINE
To get to the Asian side take the Marmaray railway line that crosses the Bosphorus via an underwater tunnel connecting the European and Asian parts of Istanbul. Marmaray is certainly the fastest way to reach Asia. You can take it from Sirkeci or Yenikapi (European side) to reach Uskudar (Asian side) in a matter of minutes. It's okay to use Marmaray, but at least once, don't deprive yourself of the magical experience of crossing the Bosphorus by boat. It takes a little longer (20 minutes) but it's absolutely worth it!
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
SUBWAY STATION
it is located near the New Generation Hostel.
M2 Taksim Station 0.3 KM
FUNICULAR
it is located near the New Generation Hostel.
FUNICULAR Taksim Station 0.3 KM
NOSTALJIK TRAMVAY
It is one of the icons of Istanbul and is located 0.1 km from New Generation Hostel.
There are two lines:
Uno is located in the heart of Pera and offers shuttles between Taksim Square and the Tünel (7:00 - 21:00), covering a journey of approximately 1.8 km along Istiklal Caddesi.
The other nostalgic tram line makes a loop in Kadıköy, Asia (7am - 9pm), connecting the ferry pier and the upscale fashion district.
PUBLIC TRAMVAY
It runs very frequently (every 5 minutes from 6.00 to midnight), is fast, easy to use, insensitive to traffic and stops at many of the main monuments. For these reasons it is certainly the most useful way for tourists.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
works until midnight every day.
TICKETS
To use public transport, you must always buy tickets before boarding and they can be purchased from the automatic machines in the stations (be careful because in some tram stops there are no automatic machines).
The Istanbul Metro has 6 lines and 89 stations.
54 are on the European side, while 35 are on the Asian side.
The surface metro (line M1) connects Atatürk Airport to Aksaray. The same line leads to Otogar, the huge intercity and international bus station.
The M2 line crosses the European part of Istanbul from north to south. The terminus is Haciosman to the north and Yenikapi to the south on the Sultanahmet peninsula. Yenikapi hosts the port terminal for several destinations on the southern shore of the Marmara Sea, including Bursa and a Marmaray project station. You can take the M2 line to reach the modern shopping centers of Şişli, Levent and 4 Levent or Yenikapi.
PUBLIC TRAMVAY
The terminus is in Kabataş, in the modern part, a short distance from the Dolmabahçe Palace. From here the line continues south and crossing the Galata Bridge you reach the old city. The table inside the tram indicates the names of the monuments near each stop. The most important stops are: Eminönü for the Spice Bazaar, the New Mosque and the embarkations for Asia; Gülhane for the Archaeological Museum; Sultanahmet for Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace; Beyazit for the Grand Bazaar.
TAXI
If possible, ask the staff of the hostel or restaurant you are in, call a taxi.
Use only official taxis: they are yellow, have the inscription Taksi and have a digital meter.
Make sure the taxi driver turns on the meter - if he refuses, we recommend that you look for another taxi.
Indicate the destination on the map: many taxi drivers do not speak English.
PARKING
Public transport is usually a much better option for getting around Istanbul. This city is congested with traffic and there is hardly any street parking available in Istanbul. Most commonly you could drive to an OTOPARK (which will look full) - get out of the car and hand the keys to the nearest guy.
