Can international Visa or Mastercard cards be used with Apple Pay for contactless payments in Istanbul?
Based on 2 discussions with 6 participants · Last activity: 24 days ago
TL;DR
Travelers report being able to add a card obtained through Plati po Miru to Apple Pay and pay by phone. However, some foreign Mastercard cards can be declined at certain shops, so carry the physical card and some Turkish lira as a backup.
What the community said
For payments at small shops, travelers looked for cards that support both Apple Pay and Google Pay. Before applying, confirm support for your specific wallet and the card’s issuing country.
26 days ago Apple Pay / Google Pay
One report said a Hong Kong Mastercard was declined through Apple Pay at some shops. Contactless acceptance can depend on the individual merchant’s terminal and settings, not just the phone.
29 days ago Hong Kong Mastercard
Travelers specifically checked whether an international Visa obtained through Plati po Miru could be linked to Apple Pay. Test it with a small purchase immediately after adding the card.
49 days ago Plati po Miru Visa
A traveler reported successfully obtaining a Plati po Miru card and adding it to Apple Pay. It can be a practical phone-payment option, but test the physical card before traveling as well.
53 days ago Plati po Miru
For an RSHB card, NFC and Apple Pay compatibility was uncertain. Do not rely solely on contactless payments: keep the physical chip card and a backup payment method available.
53 days ago RSHB card