If you are staying in Kadikoy, Istanbul, then you will will get to know the Kadikoy Ferry very, very well. It is the main, and I believe the best way to get to the European side of Istanbul. If you are staying ON the European side, and wish to visit Kadikoy, then the Kadikoy Ferry is the best way to do it!
There is a lot more to riding the Kadikoy Ferry though, than just a mode of transportation. Having stayed in Kadikoy for over a week on my last visit, I can honestly say that no two rides were the same. It was the best way to start the day, and at times the highlight of my entire day on the return trip. And I am NOT joking.
Read on to find out why.
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Table of Contents
- Where is Kadikoy?
- About the Kadikoy Ferry
- Why I love the Kadikoy Ferry
- Where to catch the Kadikoy Ferry
- What is IstanbulKart?
- Kadikoy Ferry Timetables
- Summary
Where is Kadikoy?
Kadikoy is located on the Asian side of Istanbul. It is the Southernmost neighborhood, and enjoys the longest coastline with the sea of Marmara.
Kadikoy is directly opposite the Historic City Center of Fatih, on the European side, making it a good spot to base yourself if you want to be visiting the many attractions there. To the North, Kadikoy’s closest neighbor is the suburb of Uskudar.
About the Kadikoy Ferry
The Kadikoy Ferry basically connects Europe to Asia. We all know that Istanbul is divided in half by the Bosphorus, and that each side lies on a different continent. Well, why spend all of your time in Europe, when you can just as easily be in Asia? All for the cheap price of a ferry ticket!
The Kadikoy Ferry can be caught from Eminonu, from two different terminals, Karakoy, or Besiktas. The most common places to catch it are Karakoy and Eminonu though, as they run on a regular, almost continual basis.
From the Kadikoy side, there are two terminals. One that runs to Karakoy/Eminonu, and the other to Besiktas.
As with most ferries on most routes up, down and across the Bosphorus, the ferries come in all shapes and sizes. My favorite is the largest ferry that runs from the main terminal at Eminonu. You will know it because it is so large that you have to board amidships, or from the side. It has 3 decks, a great coffee shop on board, and is just a pleasure to ride.
When you take the ferry from the terminal in Kadikoy, you will have the choice of two ferries to Karakoy/Eminonu. If you take the “red” one, then it will be the larger ferry. The “yellow” one is slightly smaller and not quite as modern.
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Why I love the Kadikoy Ferry
When I was first searching for somewhere to base myself in Istanbul, I wanted to stay away from the big tourist districts. It is the way I travel, and I like to be around the normal, local way of life as much as possible. So Kadikoy was right on my radar from the start, along with Uskudar, just to the north.
The other reason that both these neighborhoods were so high on my list was because of the ferries. When I stayed in Bangkok, I loved starting my day by jumping on the ferry, and with ferries such a large part of the Istanbul Culture, I wanted to savor the experience here too. I can safely tell you that I have fallen in love with the Kadikoy ferries, and would not want to start and finish my days any other way.
Why?
From the walk along the docks in the mornings, buying fresh breads from the vendors, and a cup of coffee as soon as you get on board. To the walk back along the same docks in the early evening, watching the fishermen hauling in their last catch, and buying a fresh Kebab to chow down on on the walk home. From the flocks of seagulls following the ferry as locals feed bread to them, and watching them dip and dive as they snatch it out of the air with practiced ease. To the violin playing busker wandering around on board, and the incredible sunsets that can only be experienced in a particular way from a ferry across the Bosphorus.
A ride on the Kadikoy ferry, in my opinion, is a must do experience for anyone visiting Istanbul.
Where to catch the Kadikoy Ferry
If you are on the Kadikoy side, then it is easy to find the Kadikoy Ferry. Head to the docks at THIS location, and you will find the ferry terminal. The main terminal houses the ferries that go to Karakoy/Eminonu, and off to the left there is another, smaller terminal that serves up ferries to Besiktas. These are the main ferry routes that you will use as a visitor to Istanbul.
From the European side, you can likewise catch ferries easily from the Jetties at Karakoy, Eminonu and Besiktas. Simply click on the links I have provide on the names above for Google Maps locations.
What is IstanbulKart?
IstanbulKart is what you will need to ride the ferries, or any public transport in Istanbul. Well, technically you don’t actually NEED it. You CAN buy tickets individually, but you will save a lot of money if you use IstanbulKart.
Basically, you could say it is a “swipe on Swipe off” card such as you would get in other cities around the world. It will get you onto all ferries, buses, trains, trams and funiculars around Istanbul, making it extremely easy to get around and explore nearly every inch of the city.
Where to buy IstanbulKart
You can pick up an IstanbulKart nearly anywhere.
Firstly, try the ticket machines at or near any ferry, bus or train terminal. They are mostly a yellow machine, but sometimes you will find larger blue machines. You can buy the IstanbulKart from these machines, if you are willing to work out how to use them. They are not hard, but it took me a few attempts to figure out how to change the language to English.
Tip – use the buttons on the sides of the screen, and they work in reverse. Up is down and down is up!
You can also, and it may be easier, buy them from most stores in and around the terminals. On the Kadikoy side, even the little stands that sell newspapers and refreshments sell the IstanbulKart. Further along the docks, there is even an IstanbulKart Office, just down past the bus stops. I actually got mine from across the road at a local convenience store. This is the same for anywhere you are located. Just walk into a store and ask. If they don’t sell it, they will point you to someone that does.
The IstanbulKart will cost you 50 TL.
How to use IstanbulKart
Now that you have the card, what do you do with it?
First, you need to top it up. Head to one of the yellow or blue machines to do this, and it is pretty easy. You don’t even need the machine to speak or show English.
Just pop the card onto the reader on the right hand side, and the screen will tell you how much credit you have. There will be a count down timer of about 30 seconds, in which you can feed Lira notes into the banknotes slot. Each time you do it, the card will top up.
A couple of tips:
- Leave your card on the reader throughout the transaction. If you remove it, it will error.
- If your notes are rejected, as they often are, try smoothing out the note, spinning it around and putting it back in. Most times it will accept it after a try or two.
- Once you top up, you may have to start again to put another note in. So use your largest notes and not all small notes if you want to add a bit of credit all at once.
- To change language on blue machines, just click English. For yellow machines, use the clunky buttons on the left of the screen to scroll up and down.
Once you are topped up, you can use the card. Simply tap on at the turnstiles to get through. You can use the card for up to 5 people. I used mine for two of us, and simply tapped once for the first person to go through, and then again for myself. Easy!
If you keep riding public transport over a short period of time, the prices will go down. For example, your first ride might be around 8TL. (Prices change so I will only use estimates). Then, if you ride again, on any mode of public transport, within 2 hours, you will have a discount, to around 6 TL. Then another for third and so on. I’m not sure how low it goes though.
For ease of convenience you can pick up an Istanbul Travel Card from the booking website KLOOK. This will allow you to get around the city hassle free. Check it out HERE.
Kadikoy Ferry Timetables
The ferry runs very regularly. I don’t think I ever looked at a timetable after the first day, as every time I turned up there was a ferry waiting. On the Kadikoy side, there was often two! The longest wait I have had has been about 7 minutes.
If you are catching the ferry from Kadikoy to Karakoy/Eminonu or vice versa, you can almost be guaranteed that you don’t need a timetable. Just turn up and be confident there won’t be much wait. For the Besiktas line though, you may have to wait a bit longer. These ferries don’t run anywhere near as often. Even then, I have only had to wait about 15 minutes for a ferry from there.
Summary
I love the Kadikoy Ferry. It is one of the reasons that I choose to stay in the Kadikoy area when I am in Istanbul, and find it’s the perfect way for me to start and finish my day. I would highly recommend anyone visiting Istanbul to catch one across the Bosphorus, and experience not just the Asian side of Istanbul, but also the ferry itself. It’s a cheap way to cruise the Bosphorus, without paying the inflated “tour” price!
My tip – get on a ferry for sunset – on a clear day it’s amazing!
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