Istanbul E-pass Review | Is it worth buying?

In this article I’ll give you an in-depth look at the Istanbul E-pass. I’ll cover what’s included and what isn’t, followed by an assessment of its benefits.

Additionally, I’ll discuss some important things you should keep in mind, followed by a brief comparison of the E-pass with other city passes. Finally, I’ll wrap it up with my overall verdict and rating.

Overview of Istanbul

So you want to explore Istanbul, the city that sits on both the European and Asian continents? You are in for a treat because Istanbul is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited. For me it’s up there with Rio de Janeiro, New York City, Cape Town and Sydney.

Before we get to reviewing the Istanbul E-pass let’s start by taking a quick look at what Istanbul is all about.

Key Attractions

You might have already done some research on what to do, what to see and where to go in Istanbul. But, if you haven’t then take a look at my 5 days in Istanbul article for some inspiration.

Some key attractions that should be on everyone’s list of Istanbul places to visit are:

• Blue Mosque
• Hagia Sophia
• Topkapi Palace
• Sülemaniye Mosque
• Grand Bazaar
• Basilica Cistern
• Dolmabahce Palace

Apart from those key attractions a visit to the neighbourhoods of Beyoglu, Karaköy and Kadiköy are must-do’s. But don’t forget to dive into some of Istanbul’s cultural highlights.

Plan a visit to a Turkish Bath (hammam), see the whirling dervishes perform their dance ritual and indulge in the city’s food and rooftop bar scenes. There is so much to see and do in Istanbul that it’s unlikely that you run out of things to do.

What is the Istanbul E-pass?

The Istanbul E-pass is a sightseeing city pass that gives free admission to many of Istanbul’s top attractions. Furthermore, the E-pass gives you free guided tours, audio guides, and discounts on several other attractions in Turkey.

What’s included in the Istanbul E-pass?

Guided tours and free entrance to key attractions

So let’s take a closer look at some of the most important attractions that are included in the Istanbul E-pass:

• Topkapi Palace | Guided tour and free entrance (including Hagia Irene)
• Dolmabahce Palace with Harem | Guided tour and free entrance
• Basilica Cistern | Guided tour and free entrance
• Hagia Sophia | Guided tour of the exterior (entrance fee is not included)
• Whirling Dervishes | Authentic dance performance at Kizlaraga Medresesi
• Bosphorus Dinner Cruise | Including Turkish show and free pick-up
• Blue Mosque | Guided tour of this magnificent religious temple
• Maiden’s Tower | Free entrance to the island including ticket for the ferry
• Archaeological Museum | Free entrance and guided tour
• Day tour to Bursa | Free guided day tour from Istanbul to Bursa

Istanbul E-pass also offers guided tours to some free attractions, such as the Blue Mosque and the Spice Bazaar. A guided tour of the Grand Bazaar is also included. On that tour you also get a free tea and Turkish Delights tasting.

Free audio guides

On top of the guided tours, there a quite a few audio guides available through the E-pass app. The audio guides for the most interesting attractions available are for the Sülemaniye Mosque, the Blue Mosque, and the Balat & Fener district.

Attractions offered with a discount

You may have noticed that entrance fees to the Hagia Sophia are not included. An exterior guided tour is however. After this tour, the guide offers you the option to buy skip-the-line tickets on the spot at a discounted price of €25.

Other Istanbul attractions offered at a discount include:

• Galata Tower | Entrance fee discount of €2.50
• Turkish Bath | Get discounts of €13 to €35 at Sultan Suleyman Hammam
• Istanbul Hop on Hop off bus | Receive €13 discount for 24 hours usage
• Day tours | Go to Troy, Cappadocia or Pamukkale with a huge discount
• Multi-day tours | Several multi-day tours are also available with discounts of over €100.

Take a look at the E-pass website to see all included attractions.

Tip: You can use the discounts on day tours and multi-day tours before or after you’ve used the valid days of your Istanbul E-pass.

What Istanbul E-passes are available?

Istanbul E-pass is pretty straight forward to use and offers 4 different passes that vary in duration. You can get an Istanbul E-pass for 2, 3, 5 or 7 days.

The price varies per the duration of the pass, starting at €145 for the 2-day pass, going up to €225 for the 7-day pass (2024 prices). Check out how much the price is for the duration of your preference with GetYourGuide below.

How does the Istanbul E-pass work?

You can buy the Istanbul E-pass on their own website, or on GetYourGuide or Viator. Once you purchased the E-pass you will receive an activation code. Enter the code in the E-pass app and you’re good to go.

You still need to enter the start date, so you can do that once you’re in Istanbul. For some of the services you can already make reservations, such as for the Havaist bus, or for the Bosphorus Dinner Cruise.

After your purchase E-pass will also contact you via Whatsapp so you can start planning your Istanbul trip right away. And if you have any questions you can ask them right away.

Tip: Keep in mind that the Istanbul E-pass is valid for a consecutive number of days. And that the moment you activate it is the first day. So if you start using at 4pm, it already counts as the first day.

Is the Istanbul E-pass also worth it with children?

I don’t have kids, but there are quite a few attractions included that are interesting for kids. Think of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Miniaturk Park, Sapphire Observation Deck, various boat trips on the Bosphorus and even a pottery making experience.

Benefits of the Istanbul E-pass

Now that you know what the main attractions included in the E-pass are, let’s take a look at the benefits of the Istanbul E-pass.

Convenience of using the Istanbul E-pass

• Skip-the-line | Yes, no waiting in long lines to gain entrance, because you have skip-the-line access to all key attractions when joining the guided tours. This can really save you a lot of time, because lines at Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace can become horrendous.
• No need to buy separate tickets | Because entrance fees are included, you also don’t need to line up to buy tickets. So you don’t just save time with skip-the-line access, but also by not having to line up to get a ticket in the first place.
• What about buying entrance tickets online? Forget it. Most of Istanbul’s key attractions are state owned and they don’t sell tickets online. So either you get the E-pass, join a tour, or you need to line up to get tickets.
• Visit more attractions | Because you save time on buying tickets and on skip-the-line access, you can visit more attractions. That way it’s easier to get your money’s worth on the Istanbul E-pass.

Is it cost saving to buy the Istanbul E-pass?

The ultimate question on whether to buy the E-pass or not is of course whether you can save money. Hello!!

My take is that by getting the E-pass you can definitely save a lot of money. But do make a list of things that you want to see and do. And then take a look at what’s included to see if getting the E-pass is worth it for your Istanbul plans.

Savings Guarantee | Istanbul E-pass is so confident that you will get your money’s worth, that they offer a savings guarantee. They will refund you the difference between the price of the pass and attractions that you did actually visit, in case you were not able to visit enough attractions.

Other perks of the Istanbul E-pass

So you can save time and money with the E-pass, but there are a few other interesting perks worth mentioning.

• Istanbul E-pass app | The app that comes with the E-pass is super convenient. It contains a lot of information about all the attractions included. You also use it to check the time table of the guided tours. Or to generate tickets and make reservations, for example for the Bosphorus Dinner Cruise or a Maiden’s Tower visit.
• Guided tours | You don’t have to book any tour guides, because you can join the enthusiastic E-pass tour guides. Simply check the time table on their website or in the app and join. After the tour you can continue visiting the attraction independently if you want.
• Whatsapp | You can use Whatsapp to communicate with the E-pass team. You can ask them any questions about how the E-pass works, but also about Istanbul in general. Occasionally they send you tips during your visit as well. Such a personalised service!

To consider before buying the Istanbul E-pass

You might think there’s only benefits of getting an Istanbul E-pass, but that wouldn’t be the full story. There are a few things you should consider.

Limitations and restrictions

The most important thing to consider is that you cannot just show up to all of the included attractions. To gain entrance to attractions such as Topkapi Palace and Dolmabahce Palace you have to meet a tour guide at specific times.

On the Istanbul E-pass website and inside the app you can find a time table. In this timetable you can find when specific guided tours start and what the meeting location is. You then gain entrance to the attractions as part of the guided tour.

Is this a major inconvenience though? If you like full freedom, then it might be. But there are multiple start times everyday for each of the key attractions. So, using the Istanbul E-pass does require some advance planning.

Potential over-purchasing

The number one worry I always have with these kind of tourist passes is that I experience a certain level of stress. I mean I do want to get my money’s worth! I potentially forget to enjoy the moment and get into this ‘ticking the box’ mode.

Another worry is that these tourist passes cover so much more than what you can realistically visit. I had a similar feeling with the Istanbul E-pass, but with some advance planning we easily got our money’s worth. And stress-free as well!

Tip: Make a list of what you really want to see. Write down the entrance fees and calculate the total. Is the total more than the cost of an Istanbul E-pass? Perfect! You can save money by buying the Istanbul E-pass.

I do have to say that if you don’t plan to visit key attractions with high entrance fees such as Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace and Basilica Cistern you might not need the Istanbul E-pass. These 3 attractions alone cost about €110 already, so if you don’t visit them you might not be saving any money.

Savings Guarantee | Istanbul E-pass does offer a savings guarantee to take your worry of potential over-purchasing away. If you paid more for your Istanbul E-pass than the admission fees of attractions you did actually visit, then you get a refund for the difference.

Somewhat clunky app

The app is sometimes a little clunky to use. And by that I mean that the design could be improved somewhat. Another caveat is that sometimes it seems like the app is stuck. But then you can swipe across the screen to get to the previous screen and it works fine again.

Sometimes you also have to login again, which can be annoying. The app does remember your activation code though. Finally, I also think the app is a little slow. And I think that this really needs to be improved. All in all though, I think these are minor complaints for an overall excellent time and money-saving product.

Comparison to other city passes

Before going to Istanbul I made a list of all the things I wanted to see and do. And I think you should do the same before buying any form of tourist pass. For me the pass that contained most of what I wanted to visit was the Istanbul E-pass. It’s the only product I could find that besides the key attractions also included whirling dervishes and a good discount to a Turkish hammam.

That being said, besides the Istanbul E-pass there are a few other products you can consider. But like I said, see if they match your planned Istanbul itinerary.

• Istanbul Tourist Pass | Very similar (in price) to the Istanbul E-pass, with the main difference being that the Istanbul Tourist Pass includes the entrance fee to Hagia Sophia. On the other hand it only offers a small discount to the Hodjapasha Whirling Dervishes show. A Whirling Dervishes performance is included for free with the E-pass.
• Istanbul Museum Pass | This pass includes entrance fees to 12 museums selected by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The number of attractions is rather limited, but Topkapi Palace, Hagia Irene, Galata Tower and the Archaeological Museums are included. The pass is valid for 5 days.
• Individual Tickets | Of course you could also buy separate tickets upon arrival. But you have to line up and lose a lot of time. Alternatively, you could book skip-the-line guided tours for some key attractions you’re interested in, such as for Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace.

Tips for using the Istanbul E-pass

Check out these handy tips for getting the most out of using the Istanbul E-pass:

• Istanbul E-pass app | Download the app before your arrival in Istanbul
• Time table | Use the guided tour time table to help plan out your days
• Topkapi Palace | Visit first thing in the morning to beat the on-site afternoon crowds
• Havaist airport bus | Use the Havaist bus for free before or after your valid days
• Whatsapp | In doubt about anything? Use Whatsapp to contact Istanbul E-pass and get a quick answer on anything Istanbul related
• Bosphorus Dinner Cruise | Make a reservation in advance so you don’t miss out

Top tip: Besides making a plan of what to see and do, also consider grouping certain attractions together. This way you might not need an E-pass for your entire stay, but just for a few of those days.

Istanbul E-pass Final Verdict

I highly recommend getting the Istanbul E-pass for your visit to this amazing city. But do the math to find out if the key attractions included in the Istanbul E-pass align with what you want to see and do.

You can purchase the Istanbul E-pass right here.