Mobile data in Istanbul: two airports, two shores, many ferries
Istanbul is split by the Bosphorus and served by airports on opposite shores, so the first question is which side you land on and the second is which ferry takes you across. Both answers live on the phone.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in Turkey?
- Yes. It connects to Vodafone (5G).
- Price
- From 4,49 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 6,49 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- No: Turkey is outside EU roaming, so even a plan from an EU country charges it as abroad.
- When does the plan start?
- When your phone first connects to a network in Turkey. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen
Istanbul Airport, on the European side, is linked to the city by the M11 metro, with a change to the M2 at Gayrettepe for Taksim, and by Havaist coaches to districts such as Taksim, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy and Yenikapı. Sabiha Gökçen, on the Asian side, has the M4 metro to Kadıköy and Havabus coaches to Taksim and Kadıköy. From Kadıköy you cross to the old town by ferry or on the Marmaray line, which runs under the Bosphorus.
Both journeys are long, so set up the route while you are still in the terminal. Install the eSIM at home over wifi and turn on its line and data roaming when you land: the plan counts from that first connection in Turkey.
eSIM for Turkey
Data on your phone the moment you land in Turkey. No account, no app, no shop.
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For one to two weeks of maps, messaging and the odd video.
Buy up to 180 days before you fly: the plan only starts when the eSIM connects at your destination.
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Will it work on my phone?
On iPhone: Settings → General → About, and scroll to EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Every iPhone from the XS (2018) onwards does.
On Android: Settings → About phone → Status, and look for EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Most Galaxy S20, Pixel 3 and later do.
It also has to be carrier-unlocked. If you bought it outright or your contract is over, it almost certainly is.
Not sure about your model? Ask us before you pay and we will tell you — a person answers within 24 hours.
How it works
- 1Choose and payCard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account.
- 2Install it at homeThe QR arrives by email. Scan it on wifi in a minute.
- 3Connect when you landTurn on data roaming for the eSIM and you are online.
Ferries, trams and taxi apps
The ferries between Eminönü, Karaköy, Kabataş, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy and Üsküdar are part of daily life, and the quickest way across often depends on which pier is nearest and when the next boat leaves. The T1 tram links Kabataş with Sultanahmet and the Grand Bazaar, and the Istanbulkart pays for metro, trams, buses and ferries with a tap.
For taxis, locals use BiTaksi and iTaksi, the app run by the city council, and Uber also operates in the city. Booking through an app shows the fare before the ride, which spares you a discussion about the meter. Sign up at home if you can, because the activation code goes by SMS to your usual number, not to the eSIM.
The Princes' Islands, the Bosphorus and Edirne
Ferries to the Princes' Islands leave from Kabataş, Kadıköy and Bostancı; from Kabataş the boat calls at Kınalıada, Burgazada and Heybeliada and reaches Büyükada in about 90 minutes. A ferry up the Bosphorus or a day on the Asian shore stays within the same pack.
Edirne, in the far north-west, is a long day trip and sits near the point where Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria meet. Close to the border a phone can latch onto a Greek or Bulgarian network, and the Turkish eSIM does not work on those. If you carry on into Europe, add the Bulgaria eSIM or the Greece eSIM for that leg.
Which pack for Istanbul
Four or five days in Istanbul, with ferries, trams, maps and messages, fit the 3 GB pack, which lasts 15 days. A week, or a heavy photo habit in the bazaars and on the water, is better on 5 GB, valid for 30 days. Working from cafés on a laptop or sharing with a partner's phone through the hotspot points to 10 GB, and 20 GB is for a month in the city.
If you misjudge it, top up the same eSIM without reinstalling. The data calculator gives a figure for your own days, and the Turkey eSIM page has the network and the packs.
Does the eSIM work at both Istanbul airports?
Yes. Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen are both in Turkey, so it connects at whichever one you land, as soon as you turn on data roaming for the eSIM line.
Can I use it on the Bosphorus ferries?
Yes, the ferries sail within the city and the eSIM connects to Vodafone as it does on land. Load the pier and the timetable before boarding in case a stretch drops.
Will it work on a day trip to Edirne?
In Edirne itself, yes. Right by the border the phone may pick up a Greek or Bulgarian network, where the Turkish pack does not work, so keep an offline map.
Can I book a BiTaksi or iTaksi with it?
Yes, booking runs on data. The sign-up code arrives by SMS on your usual number, so register before the trip or with that line switched on.
Get your eSIM before you fly: the QR arrives by email in minutes and the plan only starts when you connect at your destination.
See eSIMs for Turkey