Ride cost display in Istanbul: Yandex officially provides fare details for journeys ranging from subway to ferry rides.
In a bid to make public transport more accessible and affordable in Istanbul, Yandex Turkey has partnered with various transport authorities and operators, including IDO and Istanbulkart. This partnership has led to the introduction of a real-time public transport fare feature in Yandex Maps and Navigation apps for iOS and Android users.
The new feature allows users to see the total cost of their planned journey, including the fare for each segment of the trip such as metro, bus, ferry, and commuter rail. This fare information is dynamically displayed during route planning and is based on official data from Istanbul’s public transport authorities and operators, including IETT, Istanbulkart, Marmaray, and Sehir Hatlari.
To encourage the use of Yandex as the default search engine, users who set Yandex as their default search engine will receive a credit of ₺100 ($2.46) for ferry tickets from Istanbul Sea Buses (IDO). This limited-time campaign aims to make public transport more affordable in the city.
The credit is automatically loaded into users' digital Istanbulkart Mobile accounts. Istanbulkart, a contactless payment system, can be used for payments at over 100,000 points across the city, including supermarkets, clothing stores, restaurants, cafes, and coffee chains, as well as in taxi services and food delivery apps.
Yandex Turkey's market share in Turkey has seen a significant boost, with the company holding a 44.21% market share in July 2025, according to web analytics service StatCounter. This boost was attributed to the launch of Yandex's AI-powered search engine Yazeka, developed specifically for Turkish users.
Founded in 2010, Yandex is a Russia-based technology company specializing in internet-related products. In February, Yandex CEO Alexander Popovskiy announced plans to invest $400 million over the next three years to localize services in Turkey and further expand its market share.
This move by Yandex is expected to make route planning more predictable for commuters in Istanbul, making it easier for them to budget their travel expenses accurately before starting their journey. The coverage of this feature is currently focused on Istanbul’s public transport network and does not explicitly mention inclusion of other Turkish cities or transport authorities beyond Istanbul’s operators.
- Yandex Turkey has partnered with Turkish transport authorities, including IDO and Istanbulkart, to make public transport in Istanbul more affordable.
- The partnership has resulted in a real-time public transport fare feature in Yandex Maps and Navigation apps for iOS and Android users.
- Users who set Yandex as their default search engine will receive a credit of ₺100 ($2.46) for ferry tickets from Istanbul Sea Buses (IDO).
- Istanbulkart, a contactless payment system, can be used for payments at over 100,000 points in Istanbul, including businesses like supermarkets, restaurants, and coffee chains, as well as in taxi services and food delivery apps.
- Yandex Turkey, a Russian technology company, plans to invest $400 million over the next three years to localize services in Turkey and expand its market share.
