How to use Istanbul Card (İstanbulkart): where to buy, top up, and what types exist?

From messages by 3 participants in 1 source · Last activity: 10 days ago

TL;DR

İstanbulkart is sold at dedicated vending machines (not Ptt or CityCard machines). There are different card types: the blue one is unlimited, the red one is standard pay-per-ride.

What the community said

İstanbulkart can be topped up with foreign bank cards. Card details may appear in the app only after the card has been verified.

83 days ago

When looking for an İstanbulkart vending machine, make sure it actually says İstanbulkart. Machines labeled Ptt or CityCard do not sell or top up the İstanbulkart.

İstanbulkart machines (not Ptt, not CityCard) ↗ link in original

The blue İstanbulkart is an unlimited-ride version, not the standard card. If you accidentally bought the blue one instead of the red, note that it may not work on all metro lines — check which transport types it covers before use.

Blue card = unlimited; red card = standard

Topping up an İstanbulkart via a foreign bank's online app using the barcode on the card is uncertain — no confirmed successful cases have been reported. It's safer to top up at local vending machines or kiosks.