The useful distinction in Türkiye is between having internet and being able to register for a service. Mobile data lets you request a taxi or read a menu, but it cannot supply a Turkish phone number when an app requires. Getting those details sorted before departure matters more than downloading a long list of apps.
Which apps are worth downloading for your trip?
These apps have iOS and Android versions, although store names and availability can vary with your account region. Start with the tools that match your itinerary.
| App | Best use | Setup or main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | Addresses, places and navigation | Download relevant areas; offline walking and public transport directions are unavailable. |
| Google Translate | Turkish menus, signs and short conversations | Download language files and test the features you need offline. |
| Messages and location sharing with hosts or companions | Keep your existing account and access to its registered number. | |
| Roafly | Buying and managing travel data | Requires an unlocked, eSIM-compatible device; the Türkiye plan is data-only. |
| Moovit | Istanbul metro, tram, bus and ferry journeys | Use it for route planning; arrange transport payment separately. |
| Uber / BiTaksi | Requesting taxis in supported cities | Complete account verification and add a payment method before relying on it. |
| Obilet | Comparing and buying intercity bus tickets | Have passenger details, a payment card and access to bank verification ready. |
| TCDD E-Bilet / Eybis | Train searches and ticket purchases | Optional for rail itineraries; allow time to resolve registration or payment problems. |
| Yemeksepeti | Food delivery to your accommodation | Registration requires a local phone number. |
You do not need both taxi apps or a train app for every holiday. An Istanbul city break and a journey through several regions call for different downloads.
Google Maps and Translate: prepare your offline tools
Google Maps is a useful starting point for saving hotel entrances, finding nearby places and comparing routes. Save your accommodation's exact location, especially when its name is similar to another property or its entrance is on a small side street.
Download the areas you will visit while you have Wi-Fi. The important limit is that Google Maps' offline mode does not provide walking or public transport directions. Offline driving directions also lack live traffic and alternative routes. Keep screenshots of an essential transfer rather than assuming a downloaded city map includes every navigation feature.
Google Translate helps with restaurant menus, shop signs and brief exchanges. Download Turkish and your own language where the download option is available, then try a short typed translation in airplane mode. Camera, voice and conversation features can have different connectivity requirements.
Keep translated requests short: a destination, an ingredient question or a pickup time is easier to communicate than a long paragraph. Menu translation is also more useful when you recognize a few Turkish dishes and regional specialties; a literal English translation may tell you little about how a dish is prepared.
Roafly: arrange mobile data before departure
Live route updates, taxi requests and ticket purchases need a working connection. Decide how you will get before arriving: the practical differences between roaming, local SIMs, travel eSIMs and Wi-Fi are covered in our guide to mobile internet in Türkiye.
The Roafly app lets you buy a plan, view your eSIM details, monitor remaining data and access top-ups. Download it and install your Türkiye eSIM before traveling, while you have a reliable connection. Keep the installation instructions and account details accessible.
Roafly's Türkiye plan supplies mobile data without a local phone number. You can use internet-based apps, but SMS verification still goes to whichever telephone number you registered with the service. Keep access to that number and set your intended travel line as the phone's mobile-data line.
If you are still choosing a provider or allowance, compare the best eSIM options for Türkiye before buying. The useful comparison is the plan's allowance, validity, network and device compatibility for your trip.
Moovit for Istanbul routes; a separate way to pay
Moovit is worth adding when your Istanbul plans involve changing between ferries, trams, buses, the metro or Marmaray. It brings these networks into route planner and offers step-by-step directions and get-off alerts.
Its basic service is free, with an optional paid subscription. Start with the free version and select Istanbul as your travel area. Use a connection for current journey planning; save the key stops and interchange details before heading underground.
Treat navigation and fare payment as separate tasks. Moovit's Istanbul route information does not establish that you can use the app to buy a ticket or pass through a turnstile.
Similarly, a physical İstanbulkart and an İstanbulkart Mobil account are different products. Visitors can obtain and top up a physical transport card at supported ticket machines or sales points. You can use that route without depending on successful registration in the mobile app. This is a practical fallback if the app's phone or identity checks do not suit your circumstances.
Outside Istanbul, select the actual city and inspect the routes available there. For decisions such as taking a ferry, bus or train between destinations, use our Türkiye transport guide alongside the app.
Uber and BiTaksi: understand the taxi fare
Uber lets visitors request local taxis in Istanbul, while BiTaksi operates in multiple cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir and Antalya. Availability depends on your pickup location and nearby participating drivers, so an app's national presence is not a promise of a car in every town.
If you already use Uber, prepare your existing account before the trip. BiTaksi is a useful local alternative, with English support and vehicle and driver details. Complete verification with the number you intend to use before making it your arrival plan; receiving a code remains separate from having mobile data.
BiTaksi accepts supported foreign credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Debit-card support is more limited, so add your intended card early and retain a backup payment method. Its fare and payment rules also include an Istanbul service fee in addition to the meter fare, including on cash journeys.
The price shown before a taxi trip can be an estimate. Read the selected service's fare explanation, compare the final charge with the meter and displayed additions, and keep the ride within the app. Driver and vehicle details give you a record of the journey; they do not remove the need to notice an unexpected charge or request.
Our guide to taxi scams in Türkiye explains the warning signs and what to do if a fare dispute develops.
Obilet for buses, TCDD for train journeys
Obilet: compare the departure details as well as the price
Obilet's official app is useful for comparing intercity bus companies, departure times and seats. It has an English service, and passengers without a Turkish national ID can select the non-citizen option and enter their nationality and passport details.
Pay attention to the departure terminal and arrival stop. The cheapest departure is less useful if it leaves from a terminal far from your accommodation or reaches an inconvenient part of your destination.
Keep access to your bank's authentication method when buying a ticket. A supported card network does not ensure that every foreign-issued card will pass the bank's security checks. If payment fails, use another card or the operator's sales channel, and verify whether a booking was issued before trying again.
Save the ticket, booking reference and exact terminal location offline. Cancellation conditions depend on the operator and fare, so read the terms attached to your selected departure. Broader questions about card acceptance and backup cash belong in your Türkiye payment preparations.
TCDD: add the official app if you are taking a train
TCDD Taşımacılık's official app appears as E-Bilet on the App Store and TCDD Taşımacılık Eybis on Google Play. Check the developer name to distinguish it from independent journey planners.
It provides access to train ticket services, with ticket confirmation sent after a completed purchase. The iPhone listing includes English and Turkish, but foreign-number registration and overseas-card checkout are not sufficiently documented to treat the app as a guaranteed booking route for every visitor.
Try it well before your intended departure. If registration or checkout will not complete, use the railway's official website or a station ticket office. Keep your confirmation accessible and bring your passport for identification. The exact station on the ticket matters, particularly in a large city with several rail terminals.
WhatsApp and food delivery: the phone-number distinction
WhatsApp is useful for sharing a meeting point, messaging your accommodation when it offers WhatsApp contact, and coordinating with travel companions. You can keep your existing WhatsApp account while using a separate SIM or eSIM for internet access. Changing the data connection does not require creating a new messaging identity.
Save the accommodation's confirmed contact details and send the actual pickup pin when location matters. “Near the ferry” or “outside the station” can leave plenty of room for confusion.
Yemeksepeti needs a different kind of preparation: its registration requires a local phone number, and foreign numbers are not accepted for membership. A data-only travel eSIM will not satisfy that requirement.
If you already have a suitable local number, the app can be useful for delivery. Payment choices depend on the restaurant, and your hotel may have its own delivery arrangements. Without a local number, ask your accommodation about nearby restaurants or direct ordering instead of planning your first evening around the app.
Anyone who needs a Turkish number for several services can weigh the purchase and registration steps for a local tourist SIM in Türkiye. Buying solely for an occasional food order may add unnecessary cost and administration.
Before you fly: a short app setup checklist
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Install from your usual app store. Open each app at home and choose English where available.
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Finish essential account verification. Retain access to the telephone number and bank authentication method you will use abroad.
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Download and test offline tools. Save map areas, language files, hotel addresses and important tickets.
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Prepare your first journey. Save the correct airport, station, terminal or pickup point rather than the destination name.
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Keep a payment fallback. Carry a physical card and some cash even when you intend to pay through apps.
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Match downloads to the itinerary. Moovit helps with Istanbul transfers; Obilet and TCDD become useful when you travel between cities.
App listings and the features described here were checked on 28 September 2026. Registration, payment support and service coverage can change; complete essential setup before your trip.