Istanbul PRIME Pass

A digital city pass for Istanbul

Istanbul PRIME Pass is a digital sightseeing pass for Istanbul, Turkey, sold as a single QR ticket that covers entry to attractions run by others, plus discounted add-ons. The footer says it is "operated by Cityberry Tourism (TURSAB 11745)", names its office as Cityberry Tourism in Istanbul, and claims "over 500,000 travelers since 1995". Its pages cover central Istanbul and, in the FAQ's words, "select day-trip locations". The pass is sold in euros, and the website, app and audio guides come in 25+ languages. The site stresses that it is not the "PRIME" tier of the Istanbul Tourist Pass, which it describes as a separate product; its own add-on pages link to istanbul.com for anyone who wants to book a single experience without the pass.

What the pass includes

The homepage headline promises "Skip the queues at 74 attractions", with an included list that names Hagia Sophia (a guided tour with skip-the-ticket-line entry), the Topkapı Palace Museum guided tour, the Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahçe Palace, the Blue Mosque and Galata Tower. A panoramic Bosphorus cruise, described as "A 90-minute scenic cruise between two continents", is included with every pass, and the homepage also mentions a panoramic open-top bus. Other included entries shown include a Turkish meze tasting at Popina Restaurant under Galata Bridge, a whirling dervishes show at Abud Efendi Mansion, a shared airport shuttle, Marina Aquapark and Lion Park Zoo. The site warns that "The roster shifts a little as venues close for seasonal restoration, so the live list is what you book."

On top of that come 20 premium add-ons at member prices, including hammams at Hurrem Sultan and Cemberlitas, a dinner cruise with live shows, dance shows, an unlimited public transportation card and private tours.

Two add-ons in detail

The Private Guide in Istanbul costs about €219 at the gate and €200 for pass holders. It covers a licensed professional guide for a tour of about 7 to 8 hours, starting around 9 to 10 am because most museums close at 5.30 pm, with a private driver in a Mercedes Vito and hotel pickup as options. Entrance tickets, lunch, drinks and other transport are not included, and the page notes that security checks are mandatory at every landmark.

The Private Yacht Swimming Tour to the Princes Islands is listed at about €762 at the gate and €700 with the pass. It is a full-day, roughly 8-hour trip on a yacht reserved for one group, leaving at 9 AM or 10 AM every day from a marina near Karaköy Pier, where guests should arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. Transport to the marina is not included, guests may bring their own food, drinks and music, and swimming stops depend on weather and sea conditions. The page says children are welcome if supervised by adults at all times.

Prices and how the pass works

The booking panel lists the 7 durations, each shown as a crossed-out price and a current one: 1 or 2 days at €249 (from €269), 3 days at €289 (from €309), 4 days at €319, 5 days at €349, 6 days at €369 and 7 days at €399. The site calls the 3-day pass its best-seller at about €96 a day and puts the 7-day pass at €57 a day. Children aged 6 to 17 have their own price, and the FAQ says a child pass costs €10 less than an adult one. Children under 6 enter free at most venues and need no pass, and families of 4 or more get 10% off with the code PRIMEFAMILY.

Payment is by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Klarna, and the QR pass arrives by email when payment clears. The app is recommended but not required, since the pass can also be managed in a browser. A pass can be activated any time within 12 months of purchase; the first scan starts the clock, and the days then run consecutively. Staff scan the QR at each gate, and time slots for popular sights can be reserved in the app. Audio guides cover major sites in 25 languages, while "On-site staff and guided tours are conducted in English." Each traveler needs a personal pass, and operators may ask for ID matching the order.

Cancellation, support and ratings

The homepage says passes can be cancelled "up to 24h before activation" with a refund to the original payment method, but the fine print adds that "a 10% restocking fee applies to refunds", and the FAQ states that after the first scan the pass is non-refundable. Support is described as "24/7 multilingual support" from a team "on the ground in Beyoğlu", reached through the app, while the footer gives office hours of Mon to Fri, 09:00 to 18:00. The homepage shows 4.7 on Trustpilot, and the comparison page cites 4.78/5 across 275k+ reviews of included experiences.

What stays open, and who it suits

The full list of 74 attractions sits on a separate page, so buyers have to check it for a particular museum, and the site does not say which entries need a reserved time slot. Group sizes for the included guided tours are not given, nor is accessibility information for the attractions. The site does not print a departure schedule for the included cruise.

The pass suits first-time visitors spending 3 to 5 days who want the main museums, a Bosphorus cruise and audio guides on one ticket, and families, given the free entry for under-6s and the family code. The comparison page itself says a pass only pays off from about the third paid attraction and that single tickets are cheaper for one or two sights, a candid line worth taking at face value. The same page lists other cases where it says no pass is worth buying: a trip under 36 hours with little sightseeing, or a plan built mainly around mosques such as the Blue Mosque and Süleymaniye, which it notes cost nothing to enter. It also sets the pass against the government Museum Pass, which it describes as covering roughly a dozen state-run museums for 5 days without a cruise or audio guides, and suggests that one for travelers who only want state museums.