Where to Ride: The 15 Best Istanbul Bus Tours

1.Istanbul Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus in Sultanahmet and Taksim

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,882 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $31Our pick

Start at Just Bar near the Blue Mosque from 9 to 10:30 pm with drinks and social games, then ride toward Taksim with tequila or raki shots. Hosts such as Maral, Sara, Eli, Lea, and Mariya lead the group through three clubs. Expect a social, late-night party with some drink costs beyond the booking price.

“Eli and the hosts were very welcoming and greeted us when we arrived, and took us to several very fun clubs and bars during the pub crawl. Me and my friends had a really great time. The only area for improvement was the party bus that took us between the first and the second location, which was not really a party bus but rather a big van were you did not really hear the music that clearly. Otherwise, a really great experience, and a fantastic way to experience the Istanbul night life.”

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2.Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,155 reviews · 6 hours · from $33

Meet hosts such as Mariya, Maria, Hilal, Lea, or Maral, play drinking games, take raki and cocktail shots, then ride a party bus to two bars and two rooftop clubs. The six-hour crawl ends in Taksim around 3 am, with fast entry, photos, and help arranging a taxi.

“Best pub crawl ever!! Hilal and Mariya were very helpful and energetic I had so much fun hanging out with the group. 5/5 would recommend”

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3.Pub Crawl Istanbul / Rooftop Clubs & Party Bus

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 872 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $30

Meet your English-speaking host at FredBar in Asmalı Mescit, play icebreaker games, then visit several Istanbul bars and clubs with welcome shots, a party bus, and possible rooftop or fire-show entertainment. Hosts such as Lea, Simina, Beyza, Maral, and Maria keep the group together until the final venue in Nevizade.

“the experience was unforgettable, from the pub to the bus to the clubs we partied non stop, the hosts Maral and Maria were so energetic they made us feel the same !”

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4.Istanbul Two Continents Tour By Bus And Bosphorus Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 525 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $108

Spend about 10 hours crossing Istanbul between Europe and Asia by air-conditioned bus and boat. Visit Camlica Hill, Camlica Mosque, Beylerbeyi Palace, Eyup Sultan Mosque, and Pierre Loti Hill, with lunch, a cable-car ride, and a two-hour Bosphorus cruise. English guides such as Gustavo, Israel, Burak, and Murat have led this outing.

“It is a fun tour, and many sites are visited, which could take a week if you are doing it on your own. The tour guide was excellent and the planning from one site to the other was well done. You will get the site's history and then some time to be on your own and do what you want.”

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5.Guided Bosphorus Cruise & Golden Horn Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 250 reviews · from $33

See Istanbul from three angles: by air-conditioned coach along the Golden Horn, from Pierre Loti Hill, and aboard a Bosphorus cruise. Visit Eyüp Sultan Mosque, ride the short cable car, and sample Turkish treats. English-speaking guides such as Baki or Sahin may lead the tour, with optional central-hotel pickup.

“Everything went great. Guinea was very care tsling of us.”

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6.Rooftop Pub Crawl with Party Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 248 reviews · from $28Best value

Meet at Fred Bar in Taksim for icebreaker games, then ride a party bus with raki shots to three rooftop clubs. Guides such as Beyza, Sarah, Soraya, Tuçe, and Lea lead the night in English or Turkish. Expect line-free entry, welcome shots, music, dancing, and professional photos.

“From far my best experience in Istanbul! Perfect if you’re on a solo trip and want to meet some fun people to have a fun night with! Beyza was hosting the pub crawl and she was amazing! She will make you feel safe and confortable but will also make sure you’re having the best time! Best night!!!”

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7.Istanbul Top Attractions sightseeing Hop-on Hop-Off Bus

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 197 reviews · 1 day (approx.) · from $69

See Istanbul from an open-top bus on a one-day route linking Sultanahmet, the bazaars, Galataport, Dolmabahçe, Taksim, and Beylerbeyi Palace. You can board at Sultanahmet, listen to an English audio guide, and cross the Bosphorus to the Asian side. Buses depart hourly from 10am to 5pm, but heavy traffic can stretch the full loop well beyond two hours.

“We enjoyed seeing the main sites around Istanbul. We stopped and explored Beylerbeyi Palace on the Asia side if the Bosphorous Strait and then continued the rest of the bus trip.”

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8.Open-Top Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour in Istanbul

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 195 reviews · 1 day (approx.) · from $68

Spend about a day touring Istanbul by open-top hop-on hop-off bus. Use the multilingual audio guide to follow a route from Sultanahmet and the Egyptian Bazaar through Karaköy, Dolmabahçe, Taksim, and Beylerbeyi on the Asian side. The tour offers a useful city overview, but heavy traffic, unclear stop locations, and long waits can affect your plans.

“Well organised, helpful staff. Good audio, clear and well narrated. Kept to schedule, all in all a great couple of hours.”

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9.Troy Guided Bus Tour with Ferry Tickets & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 119 reviews · 16 hours · from $148

Travel from Istanbul to Troy with hotel pickup, ferry tickets, lunch, and an English-speaking guide. See the replica Trojan Horse, Odeon, Temple of Athena, Bouleuterion, excavation areas, and Troy’s many archaeological layers. Guides such as Levant, Sandy, Ibrahim, and Duygu have been praised for bringing Homer’s world to life.

“Excellent way to see the ruins, groups are small sized and the guide is very approachable. The route is also quite scenic. Pick up was delayed a bit (likely Istanbul traffic is to blame), but the organisers kept me up to date.”

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10.Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus with Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 110 reviews · 1 day · from $70

See Istanbul from an open-top double-decker bus with a 24-hour pass, 12 stops, route map, Wi-Fi, and audio commentary in eight languages. You can hop off near major sights, then rejoin the route at your own pace. An English-speaking host or greeter is available, but hotel pickup and lunch are not included.

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11.Istanbul Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Red Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 109 reviews · 1 day (approx.) · from $70

See Istanbul from an open-top sightseeing bus with 12 stops linking Sultanahmet, the bazaars, Galata, Taksim, Beşiktaş, and the Asian shore. Use the multilingual audio guide and onboard Wi-Fi, then hop off to explore. The route offers a useful first look at both sides of the Bosphorus, but heavy traffic can stretch a short ride into several hours.

“Driver was incredible (maneuvered the van like an Indy driver). Sights were unbelievable. Do this when you first arrive!”

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12.Istanbul Hop On Hop Off Bus24 Hours Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 90 reviews · 1 day · from $68

Use a 24-hour open-top bus ticket to see Istanbul from both the European and Asian sides. Hop off at Sultanahmet, Galataport, Dolmabahçe Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Taksim Square, the Spice Bazaar, and more. An English host and audio commentary in eight languages help you follow the route.

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13.Afternoon Bosphorus Cruise Tour, Golden Horn Coach Tour and Pierre Loti Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 84 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $48

See Istanbul from the water, road, and Pierre Loti Hill on this 3.5-hour guided outing. You’ll cruise between Europe and Asia, pass Rumeli Fortress and Ottoman palaces, tour Balat and the Golden Horn by coach, then ride the cable car for sweeping city views. Hotel pickup, transport, guide, and cable car fare are included.

“The human factor chosen in Istanbul was the great difference between good and superb. Emel Davutoglu, our guide to be, was in touch with us since the day before to the trip and from first hour in the morning of the excursion she was adapting teh shcedule of coleection from the hotels to the needs of her clients. Afterwards, she was well informed and answered our questions on a great deal of topics, with happiness and knowledge. A great professional for agreat experience. The trip, in three different tyes of vehicles (funicular, boat and minivan) is well planned and shows you very difffernt perspectives on very diverse attractions of a…”

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14.Bosphorus Cruise, Bus Tour, Cable Car Ride with Live Guide & Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 64 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $37

See Istanbul from several angles in one afternoon: ride along the Golden Horn, visit Pierre Loti Hill, descend by cable car, enter Eyüp Sultan Mosque, and cruise the Bosphorus past palaces, mosques, towers, and both continents. A small group, air-conditioned transport, and hotel pickup may make this easier than arranging each part alone.

“It was a beautiful experience. They were very friendly and very professional. I definitely recommend it to”

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15.Europe and Asia Tour By Bus And Bosphorus Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 53 reviews · 12 hours · from $118

Spend a full day crossing Istanbul by air-conditioned bus and boat. Visit Çamlıca Mosque, Beylerbeyi Palace, Eyüp, Pierre Loti Hill, and Balat, with lunch, palace entry, cable car fare, hotel transfers, and a two-hour Bosphorus cruise included. English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, and French guides are available.

“It was great experience, good amount of tour time at each site and good food. Perfect arrangement for tourists like us.”

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