Istanbulkart
The Istanbulkart is a form of electronic ticketing used instead of cash on the public transport system in the Istanbul Greater Municipality. It can be used on buses, the metro, funiculars, trams, and ferries.
Visit the website of the İETT
Standard Fare Transit Cards
The Anonim Kart: These cards can be purchased with from any of the counters around the city. The price is 10 TL (subject to change). They can be used on all modes of transportation. They can be loaded at authorized İETT loading points, and at authorized private loading points.
The Discount Student Istanbulkart
A discount card is available to students, including international students, Erasmus+,
Exchange and Mevlana program students.
To qualify for the discount Istanbul card, you must prove that you are a full-time
student registered at a university. This can only be done by submitting a Student
Certificate along with other documents to the İETT main office.
The Student Certificate is available after the online course registration completed
for the semester.
Application for the Discount Student Istanbulkart
In-Person
1. You will need to request your student Certificate from the Registrar's Office. YÖKSIS number will be stated in the document. You can request your YÖKSİS number one week after receiving your residence permit card.
(What is a YÖKSIS number? YÖK, the Council of Higher Education, the branch of the central government is responsible for universities. YÖK assigns each student a unique number, called a YÖKSIS number.)
2. Collect the following: Student Certificate, Original passport, One photograph, 15TL
3. Go to the İETT Main Office in Karaköy or the Kartal Office. You may read on other websites that students may apply to other places in the city, but we recommend Karaköy because it is the main office and the Kartal Office because it’s close to the campus. You can also check out the other locations on the webpage: https://www.istanbulkart.istanbul/
4. The İETT official will look up your YÖKSİS number on the IETT system, and accept the other documents and payment.
5. Your discount card will be issued.
Online
Because the online application site is entirely in Turkish and the system itself has some serious quirks, we do not recommend this, nor can we help you with this. You can try it if you like: İETT Online Application for the Istanbulkart.
Covid-19 Pandemic Note
Due to pandemic precautions it is obligatory to match Istanbulkarts to personal HES code using the form on this page. Check here to know more about HES code.