How to buy and top up an Istanbulkart (Istanbul transport card)?

Havaist airport shuttle buses do not accept cash — fare must be paid with an Istanbulkart or a contactless international bank card.

It is more convenient to buy an Istanbulkart at the airport: in the Laleli–Sultanahmet area, it can be difficult to find a place that sells a new card, especially for cash. Top-up points, however, are usually available at public transport stops.

At the Havaist stop in Aksaray, there is a staff member with a terminal where you can top up your Istanbulkart with cash.

The correct vending machine for buying an Istanbulkart is labelled 'Biletmatik' or 'Istanbul' with a heart symbol — but without the word 'City'. This helps identify the right machine.

An RSHB (Rosselkhozbank) card works for purchasing an Istanbulkart, but it cannot be used for cash payments at Sultanahmet — use cash there instead.

When you buy an Istanbulkart, it does not come with a preloaded balance — the card must be purchased first and then topped up separately.

Purchasing an Istanbulkart online requires a Turkish phone number and a bank card that works in Turkey — without these, online purchase is not available.

The vending machine may not accept your bank card on the first attempt when buying an Istanbulkart — try inserting it multiple times, sometimes up to 4 attempts are needed.

The Istanbulkart vending machine is located to the left of the M4 metro line entrance. The card costs 165 TRY; you can top it up immediately — both bank cards and cash are accepted.

When topping up with cash, the full amount is credited to the card balance. It's advisable to break larger bills into smaller denominations at a currency exchange beforehand to avoid issues.