İstanbul offers a huge network of public transportation including buses and railways such as metro, tram systems and Marmaray that stretch to both continents.
In order to use all public transportation in Istanbul (boats, subways, buses, tramways, funiculars), you will need the magnetic card (Istanbul Kart).
Boats/ferries – vapur in Turkish – are the most popular and the convenient way of transportation across the Bosphorus. By taking the ferry, you will realize the vastness of the city, it is also a good way to see the city from the water at a lower price. The main piers on the European side are Eminönü, Kabataş, Karaköy, and Besiktaş, and on the Asian side, Üsküdar and Kadıköy.