BIGBUS HOP-ON HOP-OFF BUS TOURS (24 HOUR VALIDITY)
Regular Price:
1325 Reviews
#141 in Istanbul
What's There?
With so many must-see attractions and landmarks in Istanbul, Big Bus tours are a great way to make the most of your time in the city. Big Bus has two tour routes around different parts of Istanbul so you won't miss a thing!
ISTANBUL CITY TOUR - RED ROUTE
Highlights of the Red Route include the Old City, spotting fishermen on Galata Bridge, hopping off to see Dolmabahçe Palace, taking selfies at Taksim Square and exploring the Spice Bazaar. Even experience the novelty of crossing continents as the bus drives across the Bosphorus Bridge to Beylerbeyi Palace on the Asian side.
GOLDEN HORN TOUR - BLUE ROUTE
The Blue Route circles the Goldern Horn area of Istanbul stopping at places such as the Orthodox Patriarchate, Rahmi Koc Museum and the Spice Bazaar. Hop off and ride the Eyüp Cable Car, visit the Istanbul Dolphinarium and admire the 135 miniature models of architectural wonders at the Miniaturk Museum. There are so many options when you take the Big Bus! Enjoy seeing Istanbul your way.
BIGBUS HOP-ON HOP-OFF BUS TOURS (24 HOUR VALIDITY) is free with Istanbul Tourist Pass
Regular Price € 45
Avoid paying the €45 admission fee at the Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour and skip the ticket queues with Istanbul Tourist Pass.
Hours & Schedule
Big Bus tours operate everyday.
The Red Route operates between 9.15 am - 5.45 pm and a loop takes around 2 hours. Buses run even 30 minutes.
The Blue Route operates between 10.00 am - 4.00 pm and a loop takes around 1 hour 15 minutes. Buses run every 60 minutes.
With Istanbul Tourist Pass you get access to Big Bus tours for 24 consecutive hours. This means that as soon as you get on your first Big Bus at Sultanahmet Square, the 24 hour time period starts counting down.
How To Get There?
Getting there
Please note that you must board the Big Bus for the first time at Sultanahmet Square for both the red and blue tour routes.
To get to Sultanahmet Square, take the T1 Bağılar - Kabataş tram and get off at Sultanahmet station. Walk towards Hagia Sophia and keep an eye out for the Big Bus stop.
Remember
- Free Wi-Fi access is available on all Big Buses.
- Free audio guides in 8 languages are provided.
- The first time you use the Big Bus, you will need to board at Sultanahmet Square where you'll receive a voucher. Once you have your voucher, you can hop-on and off at any stop during your 24 hour period.
- Cable car ''Pierre Loti'' ticket is not included
Istanbul's one & only sightseeing pass with free Access to 35+ attractions & services.
Buy now & save over €250!
Picture Gallery
Learn More
RED ROUTE AND OLD CITY
As we mentioned Red Route takes you around Old City which is Sultanahmet region. If you want a detailed tour inside the buildings you will see on your tour from the bus, you can always spare some time to explore them even deeper. Let’s start with Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia was the largest church building ever built by the Roman Empire and has been reconstructed three times on the same location. The Emperor who completed the third construction called upon all the states for their best architectural pieces because he wanted this church to be magnificent and beyond compare. If you wish to take a look at the marvellous art work, the best stones, columns and gems coming from all around the empire, you can attend a Hagia Sophia Museum Guided Tour. Next, the Blue Mosque which is so close to Hagia Sophia and where your Big Bus journey begins. Blue Mosque is considered a revolution in Turkish Islamic architecture with is unique qualities and aesthetic stance. It is the first and the only mosque with six minarets. The thing you should not be missing is the decorations inside and all over the dome which gives the name “blue” to the mosque. If you are interested, and we know you are, discover what’s inside with Blue Mosque Guided Tour. Topkapi Palace has been the home of sultans and their families between 15th and 19th century. Today it serves as a museum and exhibits royalty clothing, Turkish engraved jewels, European and Indian imported gems, medallions, golden candlesticks, Topkapi dagger and more. If you want to experience the life at the palace from a closer look you should take Topkapi Museum Guided Tour as well. Unfortunately, Hop-On-Hop-Off Tour does not include a visit to Basilica Cistern since it is an underground attraction. So, if you want to add Basilica Cistern to your visit plan you should definitely do so. You can have a detailed tour with guide to one the most mystique and alluring sites of Istanbul, take a look at Basilica Cistern Guided Tour. If you enjoy and want some more of what you see, you can take a look at Serefiye Cistern as well.BLUE ROUTE, GOLDEN HORN AND MORE
Blue Route begins from Sultanahmet just like Red Route does. Then, it continues towards Golden Horn area which is one of the most famous landmarks of Istanbul. Around Golden Horn as you will see with your tour with Big Bus, you can climb Pierre Loti Hill with cable car, visit Rahmi Koc Museum, Miniaturk Museum and more. Rahmi Koc Museum is a significant museum of transportation. You will witness the evolution of vehicles throughout the history with the collections of cars, railway vehicles, maritime vehicles, airway vehicles as well as machines, models and toys. Miniaturk on the other hand will give you a tour around Turkey, but in a much smaller version of it. There are tiny models of the landmarks of Turkey from Denizli to Diyarbakir. You will also see a mini version of what you have seen on your Big Bus tour! On Blue Route Big Bus also passes by Istanbul Dolphinarium Aquarium where visitors watch sea mammals’ show or swim with dolphins. If you are into sea life and want to get to know sea animals closely, you can go to Sea Life Aquarium Istanbul. You can go to Sea Life Aquarium by taking M1A or M1B metro lines and taking off at Kocatepe Station.