The minibuses in Istanbul or “dolmus” are the most recognizable buses due to their blue, green or white colors. It is a type of public transport which is very frequentely used by locals but little by tourists. However, minibuses can be found in Istanbul in all neighborhoods, even the most remote. The minibus in Istanbul is really convenient, very user-friendly and inexpensive.
- The particularity of minibuses in Istanbul
- Minibuses in Istanbul are very often owned by a family. Each driver will use his imagination to decorate his minibus. For the athlete, we will find a scarf, stickers, baleen from his favorite team everywhere in the minibus. As for the passenger minibus, we will find levers from foreign countries. At the nationalist, we will find Turkish flags hanging in the minibus. Music in the minibus is often part of the trip, the style of music will immediately determine which community the driver belongs to: Gypsy, Kurdish, Black Sea, etc. The minibuses run 7/7 and 24/24 for some, Very practical, fun, and really cheap.
- How and where to take the minibus in Istanbul
You can stop the minibus at any time even in the middle of the street, you just have to wave your hand to stop it. The destinations are displayed on the front of the minibus. The difficulty is to be able to quickly read the destination so as not to be mistaken, AllToursTurkey advises you to ask anyway once on board the minibus if it is going to the destination you want.
- The minibus in Istanbul: how it works
Minibuses in Istanbul have a well-defined route, on which they run throughout the day (multiple destinations throughout the city). On this route, you can hop on and hop off as you see that you fit in.
Normally, minibuses can take about 15 people, but it is common for us to find ourselves sitting and standing 30 people tight, especially at office outings and on weekends.
This folklore side is to be discovered at least once during your trip to Istanbul.
- How much is a minibus ride in Istanbul
It depends on the distance, but in general it is around 3.75 TL or so, longer trips will obviously be more expensive.
When you board the minibus, you must pay the minibus driver directly the amount he will tell you depending on your destination, and where you picked it up.
All Tours to Turkey advises you to pay as soon as possible, because the more people there are, the more complicated it will be. Money will be passed from hand to hand (no fear, no one will ever steal your money, and the driver will give you change without worry) but you will have to explain where you are stepping out by shouting once you approach to the destination.
For more information on other public transportations, read our article on ferryboats in Istanbul!