TÜRSAB A-Group · Verified Direct Rates · 2026
Bosphorus Cruise Prices in Istanbul (2026): The Complete Price Index
From the €6 public ferry to a €500+ private yacht — every format, priced.
The short answer
The bosphorus cruise ticket price in Istanbul ranges from about €6 for the public Şehir Hatları Bosphorus tour ferry (₺340–₺640 for foreign passengers, checked September 24, 2026) to €500+ for a private yacht charter — the format you pick decides the price. A shared sunset cruise is €34 per person (€30 Mon–Thu; €40 with wine) for a guided two-hour golden-hour route. A shared dinner cruise runs €30 to €35 per person across two packages, with the Turkish-night show included. A private yacht is priced per boat, not per person: from €220 for a boutique yacht (up to 12 guests) and rising by tier and capacity, with 10% off from 3 hours (Event Yacht 90: from 5 hours). Shared sunset and dinner cruises are sold per person; yacht charter and hourly rental are sold per boat. All figures below are MerrySails direct booking rates — no OTA markup, no booking fee.
Payment and cancellation: Pay in cash on board. If you would prefer another method, such as bank transfer or SWIFT, message us. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure. Pick your evening: the Bosphorus sunset cruise boards at Karaköy, the Bosphorus dinner cruise at Kabataş, and the Bosphorus cruise hub compares all formats. MerrySails fares .
The Price Index — Shared Cruises (Per Person)
Shared departures sell a seat on a scheduled boat. These are the lowest-commitment ways onto the Bosphorus, and the cheapest line is the public ferry — transit only, no guide or refreshments.
| Option | Price | Pricing basis | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bosphorus Sunset Cruise | €34 / person (€40 with wine) | Per person · shared | 2 hours |
| Bosphorus Dinner Cruise | €30 – €35 / person (2 packages) | Per person · shared | 2 hours 45 minutes |
| Public Bosphorus Ferry | ₺340–₺640 (≈ €6–12) (Şehir Hatları official tariff, checked September 24, 2026) | Per person · public transit | 1.5 – 2 hours |
Ferry vs Cruise Price — Bosphorus Tickets Side by Side
Foreign-passenger fares for the public Şehir Hatları Bosphorus tours next to our shared cruises, per person.
| Option | Duration | Price per person | What's included | Guide / commentary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Şehir Hatları Short Bosphorus Tour | See the operator's timetable | ₺340 foreign passengers (≈€6 at TCMB rate 55.0898 on 7 Oct 2026)Turkish residents pay ₺170 | Public ferry ride | None listed on the tariff |
| Şehir Hatları Long Bosphorus Tour (round trip) | Most of the day, with a village stop (seasonal timetable) | ₺640 foreign passengers (≈€12 at TCMB rate 55.0898 on 7 Oct 2026)Turkish residents pay ₺320 | Public ferry ride | None listed on the tariff |
| Şehir Hatları Moonlight tour (round trip) | See the operator's timetable | ₺730 foreign passengers (≈€13 at TCMB rate 55.0898 on 7 Oct 2026)Turkish residents pay ₺365 | Public ferry ride | None listed on the tariff |
| MerrySails Bosphorus Sunset Cruise (shared, Karaköy) | 2 hours | €34 per person (€40 with wine)€30 Mon–Thu | Tea, Turkish coffee, cold drinks and water; wine on the wine option | Live English-speaking guide |
| MerrySails Bosphorus Dinner Cruise (shared) | 2 hours 45 minutes | €30–€35 per person (2 packages)Package sets the drinks and table tier | Dinner, drinks by package, Turkish-night show and DJ, hotel pickup from central European-side areas | Show and DJ programme; no guide listed |
The public ferry is the budget option for a boat ride on the strait. A cruise costs more because it adds a live guide, drinks or dinner, and a sailing timed for sunset or the evening.
Ferry fares: Şehir Hatları official tariff, read 7 October 2026. Euro amounts are rounded from the TCMB EUR rate; the tariff and the exchange rate can change.
The Price Index — Private Yacht Charter (Per Boat)
Private charter is priced per vessel, captain and crew included. Each yacht has an entry rate and an hourly step-up. Every yacht with a published price takes 10% off from 3 hours. The event yachts are priced by quote, with 10% off from 5 hours on the Event Yacht 90 (4-hour minimum) and from 3 hours on the Mega Event Yacht 150. See the full breakdown on the yacht charter Istanbul page.
| Yacht tier | Price (per boat) | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Boutique Yacht | €220 / 2h · €297 / 3h | Up to 12 guests |
| Premium Yacht | €320 / 2h · €432 / 3h | Up to 15 guests |
| Group Yacht | €380 up to 15 · €500 for 16–40 / 2h | Up to 40 guests |
| Event / Mega Event Yacht | By bespoke quote | Up to 90 / 150 guests |
Private yacht from €220
At €220 for 2 hours, the boutique yacht is our entry private charter. One flat rate covers your whole group of up to 12, captain and crew included, so for a small group it works out near €18–€20 a head for a fully private boat.
Market Context — How the Prices Compare
The Bosphorus is served by three very different price tiers. The public boats are the cheapest way to cross the water; a guided cruise buys you the narrated route, refreshments, and a curated experience.
| Source / operator | What you get | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Şehir Hatları (public ferry) | Scheduled Bosphorus tour, no guide | ₺340–₺640 (≈ €6–12) — foreign passengers, checked September 24, 2026 |
| MerrySails (this operator) | Guided shared cruise + private charter | €34 sunset · €30-€35 dinner · €220+ yacht |
Sources: public-ferry fare from the Şehir Hatları official tariff; guided-cruise and charter figures are MerrySails published direct rates (see full pricing). The one night not on this table is 31 December: it is priced by written quote, so start with the New Year's Eve cruise quote request.
From the wheelhouse — Captain Ahmet
“People ask me why one Bosphorus cruise is €6 and another is €500, and the honest answer is that you are not buying the same thing. The €6 ferry is a bus on water — it gets you across, nothing more. What you pay for on a cruise is the route, the timing, the guide, and the boat being yours or shared. We run this water under a TÜRSAB A-Group licence, so my advice is simple: pick the format that matches your evening, not the lowest number you can find. The price is just the format wearing a price tag.”
MerrySails — TÜRSAB A-Group licensed · TÜRSAB #14316
Book direct at these prices — no OTA markup
MerrySails is a TÜRSAB A-Group licensed operator (#14316). Every figure on this page is the direct booking rate — send your date and guest count and we will route you to the right cruise and confirm the price.
Book the right Bosphorus cruise
Now that you know the prices, go straight to the booking page that fits your evening. For a full side-by-side of formats, start at the Bosphorus cruise comparison hub or check which operators are worth it in the best Bosphorus cruise companies ranking for 2026. Every cruise we sell is listed with its price on the Istanbul Bosphorus cruises and prices page.
Bosphorus cruise price FAQs
How much does a Bosphorus cruise in Istanbul cost in 2026?▼
Prices span a wide band by format. The cheapest option is the public Şehir Hatları Bosphorus tour ferry at ₺340–₺640 (≈ €6–12) for foreign passengers (short / long tour; Şehir Hatları official tariff, checked September 24, 2026). A shared sunset cruise is €34 per person (€30 Mon–Thu; €40 with wine), and a shared dinner cruise runs €30 to €35 per person across two packages. A private yacht is priced per boat, not per person: from €220 for a boutique yacht; the 40-guest group yacht is €380 up to 15 guests or €500 for 16–40 guests, with larger event yachts by quote.
What is the Bosphorus cruise ticket price?▼
A shared MerrySails Bosphorus cruise ticket is priced per person: €34 for the sunset cruise (€30 Mon–Thu; €40 with wine) and €30 to €35 for the dinner cruise. The public Şehir Hatları ferry is ₺340–₺640 (≈ €6–12) for foreign passengers (Şehir Hatları official tariff, checked September 24, 2026). A private boat is priced per vessel instead of per ticket.
Which Bosphorus cruise options are there in Istanbul, and how long does each take?▼
MerrySails runs three formats. The shared sunset cruise lasts 2 hours and boards at Karaköy Pier, from €30 per person. The shared dinner cruise lasts 2 hours 45 minutes, boards at Kabataş Pier and runs €30 to €35 per person across two packages. A private yacht is booked per boat from €220 for 2 hours and boards at Karaköy Pier by default. The public Şehir Hatları ferry tours are a separate, unguided option.
Are Bosphorus cruise prices per person or per boat?▼
It depends on the format. Shared sunset and dinner cruises are priced per person — you buy a seat on a scheduled departure. Private yacht charter and hourly boat rental are priced per boat: one flat rate covers your whole group up to the vessel's capacity, so the per-person cost falls as your group grows. When you compare any Istanbul Bosphorus cruise prices, check first whether the quote is per person or per boat.
What is the cheapest Bosphorus cruise in Istanbul?▼
If you only want to be on the water, the public Şehir Hatları Bosphorus tour ferry is the cheapest at ₺340–₺640 (≈ €6–12) for foreign passengers (Şehir Hatları official tariff, checked September 24, 2026) — but it is a public ferry, with no live guide, no refreshments, and no curated route. Among guided experiences, the shared sunset cruise at €30 per person (Mon–Thu; €34 other days) is the lowest-priced way to get the narrated golden-hour Bosphorus route with a small group.
Is a private yacht charter cheaper than buying separate cruise tickets?▼
For larger groups it can be. A €220 boutique yacht holds up to 12 guests, so two hours works out near €18–€20 per head for a fully private boat — competitive with shared dinner-cruise package rates while giving you the entire vessel and your own route. For two people, the shared sunset or dinner cruise is the cheaper choice.
What is the Bosphorus ferry ticket price for foreign visitors?▼
On the Şehir Hatları tariff read on 7 October 2026, foreign passengers pay ₺340 for the short bosphorus tour (about €6), ₺640 for the long bosphorus tour (round trip) (about €12), ₺730 for the moonlight tour (round trip) (about €13); Turkish residents pay ₺170 / ₺320 / ₺365. Euro figures use the Central Bank of Türkiye rate of 55.0898 on 7 Oct 2026. This is a public ferry ride with no guide; the table above compares it with a guided MerrySails cruise.
What does a Bosphorus tour cost, and does one leave from Eminönü?▼
Yes, the public Şehir Hatları Bosphorus tours leave from Eminönü: the long tour at 10:35 (back at Eminönü 16:40) and the short tour at 14:40, per the timetable checked 2026-09-28; the operator changes it by season. Fares for foreign passengers are ₺340 (short) and ₺640 (long, round trip). A guided MerrySails tour is priced per person from €30 (sunset, boarding at Karaköy Pier) or €30–€35 (dinner, boarding at Kabataş Pier).
How much do Bosphorus boat tours cost per person compared with a private boat?▼
Public ferry tours are ₺340–₺640 per person, the shared sunset cruise is €34 per person and the shared dinner cruise €30–€35. A private boat is a flat per-vessel rate from €220 for 2 hours, which comes to about €18–€20 per head for a full group of 11–12 guests.
Do longer private charters get a discount?▼
Yes. Private yacht charter has an entry rate and an hourly step-up per vessel. Every yacht with a published price takes 10% off from 3 hours. The event yachts are priced by quote, with 10% off from 5 hours on the Event Yacht 90 (4-hour minimum) and from 3 hours on the Mega Event Yacht 150. There is no promo code — the longer-charter discount is calculated at checkout.
Planning your route to the pier? Get tram and taxi directions from Sultanahmet, Taksim, or Beyoğlu.