The manager was most frank in the disadvantages of each way of reaching the hotel- the metro
for three costs hardly less than a taxi; the taxi drivers are
notorious for not turning on their meters, and the private car is
vastly more expensive than these other two. The hired car was still a fine value. But we travel to travel- we want to experience things. Just not aggravating things, like arguing with
taxi drivers. We opted for the metro- a little texture, plus you
are at no one's mercy.
As it turns out, Istanbul's transportation makes good on cliched travel quotations about the journey being the true destination:
“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.”
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
Practicalities:
Philosophy aside, sometimes you actually want to get somewhere, like your to hotel to take a shower. Nothing's easier. On your way out of the airport, right before passport and visa control, there is a small information desk- they have metro maps- ask for a couple- they are not available all over the place. Across from this there are stands with city maps from sponsors- stores, etc. These are handy also. Go though passport control and follow signs to the metro. A long underground corridor will lead you to the only entrance.
There are two ways to pay for public transportation in Istanbul- the “Jeton”- 4 TL each from vending machines, and the card, purchased from the lady in the kiosk at the entrance to the metro at the Attaturk airport Metro station- you can't miss it- the small kiosk is on the left before you go in.
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| Jeton automat- If for some reason you can't get a card, you will need a Jeton for each leg of the journey. To Sultanahmet, for instance, that means 2- one for the metro, and one for the tram you're switching to. |
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| Metro card- no need to remove it from its case- just scan it at the turnstile |
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| Machine for topping up your transportation card. Takes bills, but does not necessarily give change |
We had read
and heard that buying a metro card ends up being much less expensive
over the course of your stay, and this was true- most rides seemed to
dock mere 2,15 TL from the card, as opposed to 4. The cards themselves
are 10 TL, with 4 TL of that is credit for riding. They can easily be refilled at
machines at the entrance to every metro or tram station. We filled
our card with extra to start- 30 TL total for the card and the extra
fares.
Istanbul public transportation is not
charged by time, like in Athens, nor in distance, like in San
Francisco, but simply per use- one swipe, 2,15 TL usually, per mode. That
means one swipe on the metro, and another at Zeytinburnu when we
transfer to the tram. You can keep swiping the card for each travelling companion, but we think the fare is less for the first swipe than the subsequent swipes, and the sound is different.
The Airport stop is the last one- so you cannot get on a train in the wrong direction. If you miss it, don't worry- you'll barely have time to admire the station before another one comes:
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| These detailed graphics are likely for tourists- We found Istanbuiltes unfailingly gracious |
Pleasures:
Although just a couple of stops from our hotel (the Kybele), we took a tram to EMİNÖNÜ for the classic street snack (a mackerel sandwich). It goes slowly; the street- crammed with beautiful shops (those mosaic lamps) and charming restaurants- is a narrow one after Sultanamet- you see a lot.
Impromtu "Cruise"
EMİNÖNÜ is at the Galata bridge. We knew there would be boats for the fish restaurants- three or four of them, but there were a lot of other boats- a lot. On the east side of the bridge's entrance there were several large passenger ferries, to the west of the bridge the fish sandwich boats, the (unbelievable) fried hot honey puff stands and the crazy good sour turnip juice, festive like a street fair-
Right beyond this, more boats- a little smaller, a little older, and charming. We saw people swiping their cards, so we did, too- another 2,15 TL? I didn't check- it wasn't much. The boat was cozy, spotless, warm, and furnished with long tables and plush benches in a sweet '60's/'70's vibe. A man came through with tea in delicate glasses with a saucer and sugar cubes and salepi doused with cinnamon (1,5 TL and 2 TL, respectively), and toasted sandwiches. No paper cups. We sipped our drinks and gazed out at the shores of the Bosporus by night, Mosques splendidly aglow high on hillsides above the busy coastline.
We were hoping the boat would come back, and it did. I think this is the schedule, although we did not have it at the time. We saw the Bosporus by night, with an element of mystery, and elegant catering.
You feel the hill- it is a sharp grade even walking out of the station. Pera is charming!
On leaving the station, just to your right, you will see a single set of tracks in the middle of the street. Find the stop a little way up and wait- 20 minutes at the very most- for a single car mint condition vintage tram-
It's a gorgeous interior, with polished wood paneling and leather seats, and a very, very slow ride up the bustling Istiklal Caddesi pedestrian zone, all the way up to Taksim square. It goes so slowly that no one is afraid of it- the street is jammed with pedestrians who just move to the side as the tram ambles past. In the middle of the route, there is an extra length of track for the tram going up and the tram going down to cross. Take it up and wander back down on foot of you like- the Istiklal Caddesi is full of life. The historic tram is priced like all the public transportation, but feels like a gentle carnival ride. Practical, historic, and charming. All about the journey.
Here are some snapshots of our next day's ride to the end of tram line 1- Kabataş- just 10 or 15 minutes from EMİNÖNÜ
Istanbul is such a gracious and civilized city! Here are five impressions of things that so delighted and touched us.
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