The Istanbul Tourist Pass is one of the four common city passes in Istanbul, together with Istanbul Welcome Card, Istanbul E-Pass and Istanbul Museum Pass. We tested them all and here we’ll give you information and advice about the Istanbul Tourist Pass, including would it worth it, what you’ll get, the advantages and disadvantages, the buying process, how you’ll use it and how much you’ll save when comparing with other tourist passes.
Our Istanbul Tourist Pass® Review
This year we decided to give the Istanbul Tourist Pass® a try. Here is our review of this famous Pass; what’s included, what’s not yet included, how to get the pass, how to use it, and of course whether it’s worth the investment. Let’s begin.
What is Istanbul Tourist Pass®?
Basically, it is a digital card that offers access to 100+ attractions in Istanbul. As we told Istanbul Tourist Pass® is the first tourist city card introduced in Istanbul and an experienced tourist agency created it. It is important because as you may agree, in tourism you want your providers to be experienced. So far, it is safe to say that Istanbul Tourist Pass is a reliable card.
Rather than paying for each item individually, the pass allows you to choose from 100+ things to do in Istanbul so you can pack as much into your stay as possible for a single set price. You’ll get valuable discounts of up to 80%.
After you purchase the pass, it will be delivered to mobile phone and will be ready to use at upon arrival.
There are four types of Istanbul Tourist Pass (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10-Day).
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Validity
Valid for 1 to 10 days depending the pass you buy, starting from your first activation.
What is included in the Istanbul Tourist Pass®?
Since there are 85+ attractions included it is hard for us to write them all but you can check them out on their websites. But it is fair to say that they gathered nearly everything you must see and do in Istanbul.
The best part of the pass is they have their own tour guides. The professional guides of the Pass offer guided tours to Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Basilica Cistern, and Grand Bazaar. This makes a huge difference because it is important to see these places with informative guides. So far we loved the tour guides we met, they answered all our questions by heart.
No Regrets Booking Advice
There are also great options for families with kids like free access to aquariums or other fun places. For our group though, the best thing was the discounted internet provider they gave us and airport transfers.
The company is also one of the very few providers of unlimited public transportation cards, and they deliver your card to your hotel! It is a great difference since we didn’t try to buy a transportation card, we just started to travel around the city! If you travel a lot, then you know how public transportation cards can be confusing. We were so thankful for that service!
Since there are 85+ attractions included in the Istanbul Tourist Pass® it may be so long to list them all there but you can check here all the attractions and services. Here we wanted to categorize them so you can understand the rich list of categories.
- Guided Tours – Istanbul Tourist Pass® has a great team of professional guides
- Entrance tickets to various attractions, shows, and museums – privileged, skip the line
- Sightseeing tours: Cruises, yacht tours, helicopter tours, and breakfast & dinner cruises
- Day Trips from Istanbul to nearby towns and cities
- Experiences for you to feel like a local
- Family & Kid attractions – they have something for every age
- Services and offers for making your life easier during your holiday
- Transportation options
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How to get an Istanbul Tourist Pass®?
It is very easy and convenient to buy this pass from its website. Here is a screen grab for you to see the options they have in 2023. You can just choose the day and buy it. Right away you get an email with all details to start using.
As soon as we placed our order, we received the digital pass via email. It was instantly valid for access to most inclusions of the pass; however, some experiences and services require advance reservation such as Airport Transfer and Whirling Dervishes Show.
The next step is to download the Istanbul Tourist Pass® app from the App Store or Google Play Store to view your pass. It is a very easy-to-use app to make reservations and see the locations of attractions.
While we ordered, we added unlimited public transportation cards to our order. So the transportation cards were waiting for us when we got to our hotel! We think it is a great service.
the Easiest and the Cheapest Way
We recommend you to buy the Istanbul Tourist Pass from its own website on istanbultouristpass.com
You can cancel all reservations for free with a FULL REFUND up to 24 hours in advance.
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How to Use Istanbul Tourist Pass®?
First, download the Istanbul Tourist Pass® App from Google Play Store or Apple Store Click and enter your Istanbul Tourist Pass ID in the My Pass section.
Then you can see all the attractions whether you need a reservation or not from the app. We made reservations easily and in our group, everyone found the app very easy to use.
They have a helpful team to answer all questions by the way. You can call them from their office 7 days a week and text them from their WhatsApp number. We received responses right away when we emailed them. We think it is really important to talk with a real person to help while you are in a foreign country! We felt safe for sure.
The unlimited public transportation cards were also great since they arrived at our hotel before us. Since it is prepaid we didn’t have to put on money or do anything more, we just started to use them.
Whatsapp Instant Guiding Service
As we mentioned before, Istanbul Tourist Pass offers a fast and helpful instant message service. When you travel in a foreign country it is really important to have someone you can ask questions to and get answers instantly. That’s why we really liked the instant guiding service Istanbul Tourist Pass® provides. It is not just a simple customer service that only answers your product-related questions but much more!
If you are stuck in traffic and have no idea how to go to, for example, Hagia Sophia, they are ready to help you! The professional personnel answering your questions will be clear and professional. Since you don’t have to ‘talk’ then don’t worry about your English, they can easily assist you to solve your problem. Feeling safe is important while traveling, we felt safe and grateful for this guiding service.
Happy Customers
If you are like us, you always check the previous comments and rates given by other customers before buying anything. If it is the case then it is fair to say that nearly all the comments we read about Istanbul Tourist Pass are super positive! People generally mentioned the money and time they saved and are thankful for the helpful customer service team.
Is the Istanbul Tourist Pass® worth it?
First things first, yes it is worth the price! On their website, you can compare the prices of tickets. But apart from the ticket prices, it is great to have a combination of selected attractions. So you can decide where to go and when to go.
Taking a simple addition and subtraction approach to compare the savings will help us understand it better. Here is a sample itinerary for a three-day trip. For an evenhanded comparison, keep in mind that activities such as Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Dolmabahçe Palace, and Basilica Cistern are not only entrance tickets but guided tours.
The best part for us was the guided tours. The informative guides were very friendly and informative. We didn’t have to pay more for tour guides and entrance.
Since the company behind the pass was an experienced one, they seemed to know our needs and they cared about our wishes. We got replies right away when we called or wrote them, it made us feel safe.
So, we comfortably recommend you to go for it and buy an Istanbul Tourist Pass® if you visit this amazing city. You will save time and money, and more importantly, you will feel safe and covered.
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Things to know before you buy
- Istanbul Tourist Pass is an online/digital pass.
- The voucher you get is your digital pass for admission to included attractions .
- All support is provided in English.
- Valid for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 consecutive days.
- Some attractions require reservations. Download the Istanbul Tourist Pass app to do so
- All attractions are single entry, except the Boat Tour which is valid for 1 day or 1 full loop
- All children will be asked to present their valid passport at the entrance of the museums in order to validate their age
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