Another cool little ferry terminal on the Istanbul system. This one again is a gorgeous old…read morebuilding that's well-maintained, prime waterfront real estate duh. Search three main lines that are well marked and as always they have several Istanbul Kart station, which are essential if you want to use a public transportation system here.

Led by our intrepid tour guide, Gayle and I spent several stretches Day 2 in Instanbul on Public…read moreTransit. All we needed to do was scan our credit card at the entrance turnstyles and for 88 cents US, we were on our way. We found Istanbul public transit to be a safe, clean, and efficient experience, of which people watching the locals was fun and interesting. Our adventure included lots of light rail choices, plus 2 funiculars, of which the Taksim Karaköy Tünel was the most interesting. This historical line, which opened on 17 January 1875, covers the 573-metre route (uphill for us) between Karaköy and Beyoğlu in approximately 102 seconds. And before I could pull my camera out and frame a shot, our ride was over!

a great and economical way to see the bosphorousread more

I used this metro station last time I was in Istanbul since my hotel was just 2 blocks away…read more Osmanbey is an underground rapid transit station on the M2 line of the Istanbul Metro. It is located in south-central Şişli under Halaskargazi Avenue. Osmanbey was opened on 16 September 2000 and is one of the six original stations on the M2 line. As you get out of the station you will find a very commercial part of Istanbul, north of the famous Taksim Square area. Lots of hotels, restaurants, shops and residences as well.

Handy Metro station with multiple entrances - make sure you follow the signs to find the most…read moreconvenient exit to your destination!! One stop away from Taksim Square in one direction and just a few stops to Levant in the other for easy access to the Kanyon mall. Fast, request, clean and inexpensive public transportation. The only issue is that the trains are almost always packed and finding a seat is rare.