The four official taxi tariffs

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) publishes the taxi tariff as section A of its public transport fare tariffs, which states that the rates apply from 20 July 2026. It sets one tariff per vehicle class, not per colour.

Rate C segment and below D segment, or 100% electric C+ Converted under UKOME 2022/12-19.B Luxury
Start (açılış) 71.94 TL 82.73 TL 93.52 TL 122.30 TL
Per km 47.92 TL 55.10 TL 62.29 TL 81.46 TL
Per minute (time rate) 9.98 TL 11.47 TL 12.97 TL 16.96 TL
Minimum per trip 230 TL 265 TL 300 TL 400 TL

The meter counts in steps of 100 metres (4.80 TL in a standard taxi) and in one-minute steps for time. All four classes share a conversion speed of 12.50 km/h: below that speed, in a jam or while waiting, the meter bills by the minute; above it, by distance.

What a ride should cost

These are distance-only figures for free-flowing traffic, worked out from the tariff above. Where the result is below the minimum, the minimum applies.

Distance Standard D segment / electric Converted Luxury
3 km 230 TL (minimum) 265 TL (minimum) 300 TL (minimum) 400 TL (minimum)
5 km 311.54 TL 358.23 TL 404.97 TL 529.60 TL
10 km 551.14 TL 633.73 TL 716.42 TL 936.90 TL
20 km 1,030.34 TL 1,184.73 TL 1,339.32 TL 1,751.50 TL
35 km 1,749.14 TL 2,011.23 TL 2,273.67 TL 2,973.40 TL

In a standard taxi the 230 TL minimum covers any ride up to about 3.3 km, so for very short hops within the old city it is often the price you pay, whatever the meter shows.

Traffic adds to these figures. Each minute below 12.5 km/h costs 9.98 TL in a standard taxi, so 20 minutes of stop-and-go adds close to 200 TL, minus the little distance covered in that time. On a congested evening, allowing a quarter more than the distance-only figure is a sensible cushion (our rule of thumb, not an official figure).

Istanbul, Türkiye

Istanbul Airport: taxi or airport coach?

Turkish Airlines puts Istanbul Airport about 35 km from the city centre, with an average taxi drive of 60 minutes depending on traffic, and says taxis run around the clock. The same İBB tariff lists the airport coaches: HVL-11 to Sultanahmet costs 420 TL a person, HVL-9 to Taksim 470 TL, and İETT's H-2 to Mecidiyeköy 92.40 TL. Buses leave from the airport's transportation floor, level -2.

Group HVL-11 to Sultanahmet Standard taxi, 35 km, no jams Better value
1 person 420 TL 1,749 TL Coach
2 people 840 TL 1,749 TL Coach
3 people 1,260 TL 1,749 TL Coach, unless your hotel is far from the stop
4 people 1,680 TL 1,749 TL Taxi: almost the same money, door to door

The airport coach fares are flat; the taxi figure is an estimate that rises with traffic and with the actual distance to your door. The HVL lines take only İstanbulkart, QR tickets and credit or debit cards (outside online sales), and discounted or transfer cards are not valid on them.

Checking the meter and spotting an overcharge

The tariff gives you three things to check against, all of which you can see from the back seat.

Keep the taxi's plate number and, if possible, a photo of the meter at the end of the ride. You will need both if you report a problem to İBB, whose complaint service pages we could not open when this guide was checked.

Istanbul, Türkiye

Booking through an app

BiTaksi, an Istanbul-based taxi app, says it shows an estimated fare before the ride once you enter your destination, lets you pay online with a stored card, and offers larger taxis for up to eight passengers. That is the company's description of its own service; the official tariff still governs what the meter may charge, so an app estimate far above the table is worth questioning.

For transit alternatives and the İstanbulkart, see our guide to Istanbul's two airports and the transit card. If you are heading to the Princes' Islands, island taxis use a separate tariff, covered in our Princes' Islands ferry and transport guide.