Bosphorus Cruise 2027: Ferry, Lunch Cruise, Dinner and Yacht

A Bosphorus cruise in Istanbul costs from about €6 on the municipal ferry to $75 (approx. €67) for a cruise with lunch and hotel pick-up, and a private yacht for up to 12 people starts at $299 an hour. Everything you can book on the water is on our page of cruises and tours in Istanbul. Sailing today or tomorrow? Send your date and hotel on WhatsApp and we will tell you which boat still has room.

We have run private tours in Istanbul since 2010 (TÜRSAB A-group, licence no. 15751) and host Dutch and Flemish travellers every season. Below is every way onto the water, from the ferry with your Istanbulkart to the private yacht, with prices in dollars and in euros (ECB rate of 30.10.2026: $1 is approx. €0.895).

Bosphorus cruise Istanbul: which boat suits you?

Bosphorus lunch cruise with hotel pick-up, from $75

The ferry keeps to a timetable and has no guide. The lunch cruise adds transfers, a meal and a guide. The yacht is paid by the hour for the whole boat and leaves when you want. The dollar prices below come from our site on 31 October 2026, and the euro amounts are rounded.

Prices vary by season, date and what you add. Ask us for the price on your day. Our cruises and yachts can be cancelled free of charge up to 7 days before; not after that. If you want several days rather than one cruise, look at our Turkey tour packages.

Istanbul cruise by ferry: the long and the short tour

Guided Bosphorus cruises, from $75

Şehir Hatları is Istanbul's municipal ferry company. Both cruises start at the Eminönü pier, next to the Spice Bazaar and the T1 tram stop. You buy the ticket at the booth on the pier. Foreigners pay more than residents: on the 2026 winter timetable the short tour costs 340 lira for a foreign passenger.

The long tour takes your whole day. The boat sails almost to the Black Sea and waits over two hours at Anadolu Kavağı: time for fish on the harbour and a walk up to the ruins of Yoros Castle. In cold or rain that stop drags, so take the short tour in winter. Which boat still leaves today is on our page about Bosphorus cruise tickets for today.

Besides the ferries, sightseeing boats from Turyol and Dentur Avrasya leave from Eminönü and Kabataş, usually for about 90 minutes. We did not find a verified 2026 price; one booking site listed about $10, but the price is posted at the office. Before you pay, ask whether the boat goes as far as the second bridge, because some sellers on the quay turn back earlier.

Bosphorus boat trip on your own: city ferries with your Istanbulkart

Guided Bosphorus cruises, from $75

The cheapest way to see the Bosphorus is on the ordinary city ferries residents take to work. You pay with an Istanbulkart, which you top up with cash at the machines on the piers. The Bosphorus line from Eminönü to Sarıyer and Rumeli Kavağı calls at Beşiktaş, Ortaköy, Bebek and Emirgan, among others. On 1 October 2026 the whole ride cost 76.90 lira (approx. €1.40).

On the timetable of 1 October 2026 the first boat left Eminönü at 09:35 and the last return boat left Rumeli Kavağı at 18:30. You may get off anywhere. A short crossing works too: the Eminönü - Üsküdar ferry passes the Maiden's Tower and Beşiktaş - Kadıköy gives you Dolmabahçe and the Old City from the water. There is no commentary on board, so bring a guide or a map. All the lines are on our page about the Bosphorus by public ferry.

Istanbul cruise with lunch and hotel pick-up

Bosphorus lunch cruise with hotel pick-up, from $75

Our lunch cruise costs $75 per person (approx. €67). A vehicle collects you from your central hotel between 12:00 and 12:30, the boat sails at about 13:00 and a freshly prepared lunch is served on board. The cruise itself lasts about 3 hours; with the transfers there and back you are out for 4 to 4.5 hours.

The price covers the transfers, lunch, a licensed English-speaking guide, parking and local taxes. Drinks with lunch cost extra. You pass the Ortaköy Mosque and Rumeli Fortress, and the guide explains which palace belonged to which sultan. The guide on this boat speaks English; a Dutch-speaking guide we arrange on request on the yacht with guide, see below.

For families with children this is easier than the ferry: no pier to find, no queue at the booth. For a solo traveller with a free afternoon the ferry stays the better deal.

Bosphorus dinner cruise with a Turkish show

Bosphorus dinner cruise with Turkish night show, from $90

The dinner cruise with show costs $90 per person (approx. €81). The transfer collects you between 19:00 and 20:00, the boat sails at about 20:30 and the whole evening from hotel to hotel takes about 6 hours.

Dinner starts with a welcome drink and cold meze, followed by a main course of your choice (fish, chicken or meat), salad and dessert or fruit, with soft drinks included. The programme has Turkish folk dances, a belly dance performance and then a DJ with a dance floor. The alcohol package costs extra, and imported drinks and tips are not included.

This is an evening of entertainment, not a quiet trip: loud, crowded, tables in rows. If you want calm and a view of the bridges, a private yacht with dinner on board suits you better. We compare the two on our page about the Bosphorus dinner cruise.

Bosphorus boat trip on a private yacht: price per hour

Private yacht on the Bosphorus for up to 12 guests, from $299 an hour

On a yacht you pay for the whole boat, not per person. Our private yacht for up to 12 guests costs from $299 an hour with a 2-hour minimum, so from $598 (approx. €535) per trip. With 12 people on board that is about $50 each (approx. €45), less than the dinner show.

You choose the departure time. The price includes captain, crew, fuel, marina fees, soft drinks, tea and water. A transfer by Mercedes Vito from your hotel or Galataport costs $100 (approx. €90), lunch or dinner on board $65 per person (approx. €58) and the alcohol package $55 per person (approx. €49).

The 2-hour yacht with guide is for anyone who wants to know what they are looking at: the guide talks about palaces, wooden mansions and fortresses, and you pay $600 for the whole group (approx. €537). All boats, piers and hourly rates are on our page about renting a yacht on the Bosphorus.

What do you see on the cruise and which side is best to sit on?

Guided Bosphorus cruises, from $75

Heading north from Eminönü, the shores pass in this order. On the European side: Dolmabahçe Palace, Çırağan Palace, the Ortaköy Mosque at the first bridge, Bebek and Rumeli Fortress, which Mehmed II built in 1452. On the Asian side: the Maiden's Tower, Beylerbeyi Palace, Küçüksu Pavilion and Anadolu Fortress, which faces Rumeli Fortress at the narrowest point of the strait.

There are three bridges. The 15 July Martyrs Bridge stands at Ortaköy, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge at Rumeli Fortress and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge near the Black Sea; you see that one on the long tour.

Going north, the European shore is on your left, with most of the palaces and, late in the day, the setting sun. So sit on the left on the way up and on the right on the way back. On the ferry the open upper deck fills first, especially at weekends; be at the pier 20 to 30 minutes early.

Bosphorus cruise at sunset: times by month, also in winter

Guided Bosphorus cruises, from $75

Turkey stays on UTC+3 all year and does not change its clocks. Compared with the Netherlands and Belgium, Turkey is therefore 1 hour ahead in summer and 2 hours ahead in winter. To see the sunset and then the lit bridges, start a two-hour trip about 75 minutes before sunset.

In summer the evenings on deck are warm and the sunset yacht slots go first. In winter, from November to March, the deck is cold and windy, and the short ferry tour at 14:40 leaves well before sunset: only on a yacht with an enclosed saloon do you choose the time yourself. In the May holiday and the summer holiday evening yachts book up faster, so write to us as soon as you have your tickets.

For travellers from the Netherlands and Flanders: travel document, flight and guide

Guided Bosphorus cruises, from $75

Dutch citizens do not need a visa for tourism for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days (Rijksoverheid and nederlandwereldwijd.nl, checked in October 2026). A passport or identity card is enough, but according to nederlandwereldwijd.nl the document must still be valid for at least 150 days on arrival; the ANWB says six months. Go by the strictest rule. Belgians should check the current rules on diplomatie.belgium.be; our own information says an eID or passport is enough.

The flight from Schiphol or Brussels to Istanbul takes about 3 hours 20 minutes. On the Amsterdam - Istanbul route comparison sites list Turkish Airlines, KLM and Pegasus; from Eindhoven they name Pegasus and Transavia. Schedules change, so check the airlines' own sites. Pegasus often lands at Sabiha Gökçen, on the Asian side and further from Eminönü.

Debit and credit cards work in most places in Istanbul; you need cash lira for the Şehir Hatları booths and the Istanbulkart machines. A cruise fits well into half a day between two sights, for example on a private tour of Istanbul.

Want to hear everything in Dutch? On our page about a Dutch-speaking guide in Istanbul we explain how we confirm that per date, in writing, before you pay. If you combine Istanbul with Cappadocia, the route is on our page about the round trip Cappadocia and Istanbul, and multi-day programmes are under round trips through Turkey. Book on the site or message us on WhatsApp with your date, number of guests and hotel, and we reply with availability and the price for your day.

Frequently Asked Questions