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Istanbul's
Akbil electronic transit
pass is
being phased out in favor of the
Istanbulkart RFID card,
but Akbils are still in use.
(Here's
more on the various ways
of paying
transit fares in Istanbul.)
The Akbil is a small stainless
steel "button" (actually
a Maxim
Integrated Products iButton)
on a plastic holder. Inside is a computer
chip.
Passengers using
Akbil are allowed reduced-fare
transfers among
transit lines and means. Pay for the
initial stage of your journey with
an Akbil, and you
can transfer to other transport within
120 minutes at reduced charge.
So you could take the tram from Sultanahmet to Karaköy,
board a ferry to Haydarpaşa,
then board a
suburban
train, and your Akbil will record
about two fares. (If you use tokens (jeton)
or tickets (bilet) instead
of Akbil, you'd pay
three full fares for this journey.)
When
you use your Akbil to transfer, the
turnstile will make a different sound.
Two or more people can use
the same Akbil. There is
no need for a traveling party to
purchase more than one Akbil. Just
use the one Akbil for each person
as they pass through the turnstile. However,
you may not receive the reduced fares
for transfers if you use an Akbli for
more than one passenger.
Akbil is accepted
on Istanbul's buses
(both municipal and private), trams,
Tünel, Metro,
Füniküler, suburban
trains, "sea
bus" fast catamaran ferries,
and traditional
ferries.
(For shorter
trips, four people can take a taxi for
the same as, or just slightly more
than, four transit fares.)
The Akbil is
supposedly being phased
out (TTP users have reported
difficulty in buying them), now
that the long-heralded Istanbulkart is
finally available (March 2011). The
other fare machine now being most
promoted is the old-fashioned throwback Jetonmatik token
machine.
An Akbil should cost TL6, which should
be refunded to you if you wish to return
your Akbil to a kiosk.
Here are tips on how to use and recharge your Akbil.
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Above, the Akbil
Transit Pass is no
bigger than a key—put
it on your keyring!
Below, look for a kiosk
advertising Akbil Dolum (Akbil
recharging)—you may be able to buy
an Akbil there, but an Istanbulkart—on
sale at the same place—is probably
a better choice.
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