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This spring I decided to give the Istanbul E-pass a try. I’ll review what’s included, what’s not included (yet), how to get the pass, how to use it, and of course whether it’s worth the investment.
What is the Istanbul E-pass?
As the name suggests, it’s an electronic pass in the form of a QR code on the Istanbul E-pass app. It provides access to over 45 attractions and services.
What is all included in the Istanbul E-pass?
I think it’s fair to categorize the contents as follows:
- skip the ticket line entrance to Istanbul attractions
- English-spoken guided tours to a selection of Istanbul sightseeing spots
- ferry rides and Bosphorus cruises (with dinner)
- discounted day trips from Istanbul to various cities
It goes without saying that entrance to the main attractions such Topkapi Palace and Harem (audio guide), Dolmabahçe Palace (guided), Hagia Sophia (guided), Blue Mosque (guided), Basilica and/or Serefiye Cistern (guided), Galata Tower, and Whirling Dervishes is included. Don’t forget often overlooked gems such as the Archaeology Museum and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts.
But there’s more, much more. There are the various Bosphorus cruises (regular, hop-on hop off, and one with dinner and entertainment), ferry rides to the Princes’ Islands, as well as place of interest for all ages, such as the aquariums, Madame Tussauds, and the rather impressive observation deck.
For a full and up-to-date list, please check the attractions overview on the Istanbul E-pass website.
How to Get the Istanbul E-pass?
The process is very easy. You go the Istanbul E-pass website, select Prices & Durations from the top menu, and select the pass of your choice based on the duration (2, 3, 5 or 7 days).
You enter the amount of adults and children under 13 (they have a discount) and click on checkout. On the next page you must provide your details and billing address.
Make sure to provide a working mobile phone number, I’ll explain why a bit later. After that you continue to payment and you’ll receive a confirmation email with your E-pass ID. Definitely keep this for further reference. In that mail you’ll also find a link to the pass management panel.
Remember the importance of a correct mobile number? Moments later, you’ll receive a WhatsApp message from the Istanbul E-pass customer support. They immediately share a few messages containing very helpful information on how to make the most out of your digital Istanbul pass (see screenshots below). Feel free to ask them any questions you may have, even if your trip hasn’t started yet.
How to Use the Istanbul E-pass?
Make sure to download the Istanbul E-pass app, preferably before your trip. The app is very intuitive to use and a great help while preparing for your city trip.
Upon opening the Istanbul E-pass app for the first time, you’re asked to fill in your E-pass ID. Once approved, you’ll be taken to your E-pass main screen with on top the QR code, followed by two buttons:
- View All Attractions
- Reservation Required Attractions
That’s right, for some activities, such as airport transfers, day trips and the dinner cruise, you need to make reservations ahead of time.
And the first button of course provides a nice overview of all the attractions and services included in the Istanbul E-pass.
Per activity, you have again two small buttons: one provides information on how to enter the activity as well as the departure time in case of a guided tour, and the other opens Google maps to show you directions to the entrance or meeting point. Very practical, I must say. Both for preparing your trip, and while spending time in Istanbul.
Last but not least, there is the QR code. That’s you golden ticket so to speak, it’s what you have to show to enter the attractions. In some rare cases you need to show it at the sales booth in exchange for a regular ticket, but most of the times you can just skip the ticket sales line. In other words, the Istanbul E-pass is super easy to use and can save you quite a bit of time.
Is the Istanbul E-pass worth it?
Let’s approach this mathematically. Let’s take their sample 3-day itinerary. Also, for an honest comparison, keep in mind that activities such as Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Dolmabahçe Palace and the cistern are guided tours.
The prices they mention if you were to buy a similar service elsewhere or at the sales booths, are correct. I checked them all. So, if you actually do all these activities (some with guides) in three days, you will indeed save about 50%.
Is this doable, sure. If you want to make the most out of your short stay in Istanbul, I even recommend it. You can also exchange a few activities based on your preference. I for instances opted to visit the Observation Deck instead of the Museum of Illusions, and I still made a decent profit.
Also notice that I haven’t mentioned the free Havaist shuttle service or discounted private airport transfer yet. I tried out the latter and it’s very straightforward. When you leave the airport building, you find the person with the sign CEO34, who takes you to the vehicle. I enjoyed a very comfortable and relaxed drive into the city center.
And the best news was that you can even use that outside the validity dates of your Istanbul E-pass.
Meet the Istanbul E-pass Customer Service
As I mentioned before, shortly after buying your Istanbul E-pass, you’ll get a WhatsApp message from their customer service. Sure, in the beginning they send a few obligatory, very helpful but albeit pretty impersonal messages.
But make no mistake, even two weeks before my actual arrival in Istanbul, I asked them for some extra info. And every time, I got a very detailed and informative answer. While in Istanbul, the exact same story. Every time I had a question, needed to ask ask if the guide could wait an extra minute because I was running late, make reservations … their response was lightning quick, to the point, and super polite. Even after midnight, believe me, I tried by accident. I can imagine that, certainly for first-time visitors, having an almost personal help desk in your pocket, is a great bonus.
Bottom Line
It’s all about maths, skip the line, and ease of mind really. If you’re the type of traveler that wants to cover as much of Istanbul’s attractions as possible during your stay, who doesn’t want to waste time in ticket sales lines, loves to have a guide explaining the ins and outs of some of the Istanbul’s top attractions, than you should buy the Istanbul E-pass. The discounted transfers and day trips, as well as the magnificent customer service just sweeten this deal even more.
If on the other hand, you prefer to wake up late, enjoy an elaborated breakfast, plan to do two activities a day and spend the rest of your time browsing the streets, do some shopping and sit on a terrace watch Istanbul pass by, then this is not for you.
Either way, I wish you a nice time in Istanbul.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission to keep the site ad free. I only recommend products and companies I use or have used.
Diny Slamet says
Hi Erlend,
Thanks for this informative article. Our trip is a while off but my question is similar to Steve’s. I will have an Australian phone number which I don’t intend to use in Turkiye. So should I buy the e-pass once I’ve landed at my hotel and have a Turkish SIM in my phone? I don’t have to buy the e-pass while I’m overseas, do I? Also, we have almost two weeks in Istanbul so is it better to buy three days at a time to fit in a bunch of sightseeing, then have a couple of days to be more relaxed before buying another three days?
Erlend says
Hi,
I would suggest to purchase it in advance, so you can read up on all the activities, get used to the app, get to know the customer service and more importantly, make reservations for activities where this is required. The E-pass gets activated only on actual first use, so no need to worry about that either.
Since most communication happens via WhatsApp, I do suggest to get a local SIM card. Istanbul E-pass recently added discounted SIM cards (and a discounted WiFi device) to their package. You don’t even have to change your number on WhatsApp, you can still use your Australian number while using the Turkish SIM. And if you do want to change your number while in Istanbul, just let the customer service know.
Don’t buy two packages, just start with one that best fits your needs, like the 3-day one, and if you need extra days, before the pass expires, ask to extend it to a 5 or 7 day pass. That way you only pay the difference, and not for a full new pass.
I hope this helps.
Diny Slamet says
Thank you so much for your advice.
Anna says
This is bullshit with those sim cards. Currently, 22GB of data costs 300TL at each GSM point with a SIM card. If you have a SIM card, the 50GB package costs 149TL.
Erlend says
I think it’s fair to assume that tourists don’t have local sim cards, so let’s focus on that for a minute. I just checked the Tourist Sim Cards sold at SAW and Trump Tower, and for 20GB (+ 200 min calling) it’s respectively 490 TL (31 Eur) and 750 TL (45 Eur). So yes, prices fluctuate depending location and competition probably, but what E-pass offers for tourist SIMs is certainly not bad.
Winnie Chanlee says
I have read the reviews posted on Trip Advisor about the Istanbul Tourist Pass. There were a few issues with
*the guides rushing off to another tour and the tourists did not get a full hour or 30 minutes.
*the # of people were large and it was difficult to hear the guide. There were no head phones or no personal audio equipment.
*the guide was not competent in giving guided tours for that particular site.
*Hagia Sophia where there is no “skip the line” accommodation, the wait time cut into the 60 minute tour time. The tour fell way short of the 60 minutes.
* Many of the sites, mosques and public places are free entries. If the guided services did not measure up, then we would be disadvantaged and would have missed the opportunites to learn about the palaces or museum or moques.
Did you experience issues with the guided tours? How would you rate the various guides? Are they average, excellent or sub standard in terms of knowlege, and presentation?
Regards
winnie
Erlend says
Hi Winnie,
First of all, you are mentioning comments on the Istanbul Tourist Pass but you’re writing this in the Istanbul ePass section. These two passes are not the same. They have similarities, but also differences. When I last used and reviewed the Istanbul Tourist Pass (already 4 years ago) they didn’t rush the tours and the group was never more than 15 people. And I was very lucky with my guides. Truth be told, the situation has changed quite a bit since then. The Hagia Sophia became a mosque, which means free entrance but closed before and during prayer. The top section is also closed. Also is there now a security perimeter around the square. The same with Topkapi Palace, they moved the security check to the first gate, before the ticket booths. Guided tours can skip the ticketing line, but of course not the security line. And last but not least, I don’t know when these comments were written, but there also have been 2 COVID years, where rules were a bit different.
I tried and reviewed the Istanbul ePass only a few months ago, and was very happy with their service as youi can read here. They do have a few less guided tours compared to the Istanbul Tourist Pass if I’m not mistaken, but their customer service is great. I hope this helps.
Judy says
For a couple visiting Istanbul December 20 – 25, 2022, and, again, December 30 – January 3, 2023, which pass is most appropriate; Istanbul Welcome Card, Istanbul, Tourist Pass, Istanbul E-Pass? We are interested in the main museums, transportation, and a Bosphorus dinner cruise.
Erlend says
Hi,
Since you’ll be there for almost 8 days, I wouldn’t consider the Welcome Card since it doesn’t include many activities and the transportation card for 10 rides won’t be enough to cover your whole trip. Moreover, most sightseeing spots they offer are included in the two passes. So this leaves either of the two passes, where I tend to lean towards the Istanbul E-pass these days, not the least because of their excellent customer support/helpdesk during your visit.
S says
Thank you for a very detailed explanation we want to explore at a pace as against rushing up hence wondering will it expire say if i start at afternoon on monday will it expire on tuesday afternoon
Erlend says
Istanbul E-pass counts calendar days, not 24 hours for one day. For example; if you have a 3 days pass and activate it on Tuesday, it will be expired on Thursday at 23:59. The pass can be used only in consecutive days.
Steve says
Very interesting . Thank you . We are visiting Istanbul in October from the UK. I’m a little concerned that my mobile number will cost a lot in data whilst there.
Is it fine for me to order an Istanbul r pass on my UK phone or should I buy a Turkiye SIM card on arrival and then purchase the e pass?
Erlend says
I would buy a Turkish SIM with the focus on data. Just don’t buy at the airport, but instead, use the free wifi there. Buy it once you’re in the city center, it’s cheaper.
Momtchil says
Which pass you will recomend better for family and a kid -the Istanbul Touris Pass or the E-pass
Erlend says
At the moment I would go for the Istanbul E-pass.