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Overview
Istanbul is one of the world’s great cities. Beautiful, huge, chaotic, it is the ultimate example of east-meets-west. With a history dating back thousands of years, Istanbul sits comfortably next to such cities as Rome, London, and Paris. It offers good transport, high-end dining, luxury hotels, or hostels, street food, and excellent opportunities for walking. Visiting Istanbul can be cheap, or it can be expensive. No matter what, however, a visit to Istanbul will be an adventure.
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In between ancient ruins, grand mosques, and the mighty Bosporus live millions of Turks carrying out their day-to-day business. Istanbul isn’t exactly the wild west: millions of tourists join the locals every year to see the sights and experience the oriental vibes of the city. This means that infrastructure, while rough around the edges, is generally very good.
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Istanbul is an easy city to visit if you follow some basic rules and do your research before coming. However, it can be a challenging destination if you don’t plan ahead and know what to expect. As a huge city the size of New York or Paris, petty crime is always present: Istanbul is famous for scammers and pickpockets.
Further, it is at risk for earthquakes and terrorist attacks. None of this is unique, however, and if you know what to expect, you’ll be well prepared for a great visit to Istanbul. Keep reading to learn some helpful survival tips for one of the greatest cities in the world.
Getting Around
Istanbul is a huge city, so a major focus of your planning should be how to get around. As a general rule of thumb, take a taxi or public transport into a neighborhood, then explore the area nearby on foot. There are plenty of means of transport around Istanbul, so you’ll always find some way to get where you need to go.
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Public transport in Istanbul includes metro, tram, commuter rail, buses, ferries, and more. The span of options can seem daunting, but fortunately, Istanbul uses an integrated smart card, ‘Istanbulkart’, for all methods of public transport.
Istanbulkart is the main way to pay for transport; you can’t pay on board trams or ferries or metro lines. Purchase cards from machines located at major transit stops or airports. Prepay for a card and recharge from these machines when you need to top up. Wave your card over the reader when entering transit; a small screen will show the fare and how much is left on the card.
Keep in mind that you can only reload Istanbulkart with cash. Place the card to the machine, and then insert cash. The machine will let you know when it’s complete. Never buy a used one from strangers, this is a common scam.
In addition to public transport, taxis are ubiquitous in Istanbul. These are notoriously dishonest, however, so visitors should be cautious.
Taxi Advice
Be very cautious when using taxis. Drivers are known to be dishonest around the world, but Istanbul might be the world capital of taxi scams. Uber does operate in Istanbul, although I can personally confirm that there might be some difficulty ordering one. I had several drivers cancel on me before I was able to successfully connect.
Avoid hiring taxis off the street, and make sure they use the meter. Some visitors report trouble with Uber, but there is at least some accountability with the worldwide company. In addition, you can pay with a credit card, although some drivers may refuse and ask that you pay in cash instead or request a large ‘tip’ on top of fare. Just be aware of this.
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A better option is to call ahead with a reputable company or ask a hotel/restaurant to do so. Regardless of what you choose, have cash on hand to pay since some taxis don’t allow for paying with credit cards.
There are several different types of taxis. Yellow taxis are the standard, most common variety. Turquoise and black taxis offer more luxury services.
If you pay with cash, be sure to have exact change, or at least close, since most drivers don’t have change. If you are the victim of a scam, have the tourist police number handy and be ready to call to resolve the situation.
Generally speaking, most taxi drivers in Istanbul are honest. Despite the city’s infamous traffic, taxis can be a fast and affordable way to get across town, without packing into the often-crowded public transport.
Scams
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Istanbul is a city of history, mosques, bazaars, traffic, waterways-and scams. While generally safe, there are tons of scammers about, especially in major tourist areas. Fortunately, there isn’t much new here; travelers to Paris/Rome/NYC will likely be familiar with many of these. Some common scams include:
- Dishonest touts-if anyone approaches you on the street or outside tourist attractions offering any service, or even just starts up a conversation, ignore them. Everything has a price, and nothing is cheap or free. Watch out for shoe shiners, market vendors, people standing outside shops/restaurants, and fake tour guides.
- Taxi scam-as mentioned above, some drivers will shortchange passengers, so pay as close to exact fare as possible. Watch the route on your phone so drivers don’t go the long way around. Make sure they don’t charge you for more than the meter says, and make sure the meter is working.
- Missing change-common in shops, restaurants, and taxis, especially near tourist areas. Don’t pay with large bills, since many places may honestly not have change available. Dishonest vendors will claim to have no change available.
- Extra charges on the bill-check to make sure nothing is added to the bill you didn’t pay for. Don’t eat or drink anything you aren’t willing to pay for.
Pickpockets operate throughout Istanbul; keep your phone/wallet in a front pocket or hidden away. You’re most likely to encounter thieves in Sultanahmet and Taksim, where many tourists gather.
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Generally speaking, just look out for people milling about waiting to “help” tourists. They might help, but probably not for free. Don’t be paranoid, since Turks are very friendly and happy to help honestly, but be on guard nonetheless. Read reviews on shops and restaurants beforehand, pay attention to your surroundings, and you’ll be safe and free to enjoy your visit.
Crime and Safety
While Istanbul is largely safe, and the vast majority of visitors have no issues, there are a few safety concerns to be aware of.
First, scams and dishonest vendors represent the vast majority of crimes that visitors encounter. See the above section for tips on this.
In addition, there are some neighborhoods that are best avoided entirely. These are Dolapdere and Tarlabashi (worth noting because both are very close to Taksim), Gazaiosmanpasa, and apparently, Kumpaki. However, I stayed on a major street in Kumpaki, and had no issues. One thing to be aware of in Kumpaki is that most of the fish restaurants are very dishonest, and you will be overcharged.
Most safety advice in Istanbul is standard for all major cities. Don’t flash valuables or large amounts of cash. Taking photos is fine, just be aware of your surroundings. Avoid dark alleys, stay on brightly lit, busy streets at night. There is a small risk of assault/robberies in darker, more run down parts of the city, but the risk-as I said-is very small. Istanbul has cleaned itself up a lot lately, so you needn’t worry much about crime.
Stray dogs
The street dogs of Istanbul are almost as famous as the city itself. You’ll see them all over, including popular tourist areas. Probably the last thing to be concerned about in terms of safety, stray dogs in Turkey run the gamut from loveable mutt to snarling mongrel. While they may seem imposing, however, if you leave them alone they’ll leave you alone.
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Really, the biggest danger you’ll face is the temptation to pet them. But please, don’t.
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Istanbul’s street dogs are quite remarkable, and sometimes very smart. They hang around certain areas where locals feed them. Some can even ride public transport like ferries, trams, and the metro!
I never saw any aggressive stray dogs during my time in Istanbul. The city catches them, fixes them, and vaccinates them against rabies and other nasty diseases, then releases them back onto the streets. Since Turkey has difficulty finding funds for humane shelter spaces, many consider giving dogs free range and allowing the community to look after them a more humane solution.
However, if you do encounter an aggressive dog, don’t look it directly in the eye. Stand your ground, or back away slowly. Do not run, as this may trigger a prey instinct. Avoid dark alleys at night, and don’t get too close to any dogs you see after dark. There can be bad dogs just like there can be bad people, after all. But don’t worry too much.
Earthquakes
Turkey-including Istanbul-is at risk of earthquakes. This was seen recently in the horrific earthquake in February 2023, which killed tens of thousands in the east of the country and in neighboring Syria. I personally experienced a 5.9 magnitude quake in November 2022; the building I was in shook quite heavily but was not damaged.
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If you’re in a well-constructed building during an earthquake, seek shelter under a table or desk. Out in the open, run into an open space and steer clear of falling debris. Whether inside or out, drop to the ground to avoid being knocked over. Cover your head and neck with your hands.
Most earthquakes in Istanbul are minor, and you’re not likely to experience one at all. They can happen, however, and knowing what to do can be the difference between life and death. Be prepared with these simple precautions and you’ll have nothing to worry about on your visit.
Terrorism
It’s time to address the elephant in the room: Istanbul has been the target of numerous terrorist attacks in the past and remains a potential target today. Airports, metros, and major tourist attractions like Istiklal Street and the Hippodrome have been attacked by terrorists in the past. Attacks are rare and declining, fortunately, and you are unlikely to experience anything during your visit.
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Regardless of likelihood, it is very important to know the risks and how to respond in the event of an incident. The most important bit of advice is to be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially in crowded spaces. Many of the attacks were bombings, which can happen without warning. Other incidents involved one or more shooters. In addition to the earthquake I experienced, I myself visited just days after an attack in November 2022.
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Terrorism is unlikely to affect your visit. In the days after an attack, when I visited, there were well-armed police everywhere. I felt very safe, and you should too. Still, listen to authorities on the ground, and listen to alerts from the US State Department or similar.
Istanbul is much safer than it was in 2015-2016, when there was a major spate of horrific attacks all over the city. This coincided with the height of the Islamic State, and attacks are nowadays very rare. Elections mean elevated risk for attacks, so consider postponing your visit if your trip coincides with upcoming Turkish elections.
Thanks to decades of negative media coverage, many Americans are nervous about traveling to the Middle East. While unrest can pop up from time to time, Istanbul feels a world away from all the trouble. Look past the stereotypes and you’ll be surprised at the safety and comfort on offer.
Navigation
As such a massive city, Istanbul can be daunting to navigate. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources to help you get around easily.
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Google Maps is great for navigating public transport. You can put in your destination to find the best way to get there via metro, tram, bus, or commuter rail. I wasn’t able to see if the ferry routes show up on Google Maps, but once you’re on the other side of the Bosphorus you can use Google Maps to get where you’re going from the ferry stop.
There aren’t a ton of maps/lists of stops around Istanbul, but you can usually find one in major transit hubs. The metro is relatively easy to navigate, although it skirts around the biggest tourist areas. Marmaray, the commuter rail system, crosses deep under the Bosporus between Europe and Asia; this is the fastest and easiest, though not most scenic, way to get between continents.
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Ferries also link the European side, the Golden Horn, and the Asian side. Hop aboard to get where you need to go, with an iconic view no matter which direction you choose. There are resources online to help with navigating the ferry system, but if you aren’t in a hurry, why not just hop aboard and see where it takes you?
Finally, trams are handy for getting around Sultanahmet, and between the Grand Bazaar and the Hagia Sophia. In addition, the vintage T2 tram up Istiklal Street is a fun throwback and saves your feet from a long walk.
Istanbul is one of the world’s largest cities, so getting a bit turned around is almost guaranteed. Arm yourself with Google Maps, a sense of patience, and a good pair of shoes and you’ll be fully prepared to navigate the city.
Final Thoughts
While Istanbul can be a lot to manage, it is a worthwhile and rewarding destination. Located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and easily accessible from all three, it makes for an easy first foray into the Middle East.
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Istanbul is no higher risk to visitors than, say, New York City, London, or Paris. I think of it as the “New York of the Middle East”: Big, flashy, historic, chaotic, and a whole lot of fun. Follow a few common sense safety measures and you’ll have very little to worry about. Millions of visitors arrive every year and have no trouble except gaining weight from delicious baklava.