Eurasia Tunnel: Tolls, Rules, and Who Can’t Drive Through
Istanbul’s road tunnel under the Bosphorus is fast, half price at night, and closed to more vehicles than most drivers realise, so here are the tolls, the limits, and the payment rule that catches people out
Ramis KalkanUpdated: 6 min read
The Eurasia Tunnel takes cars under the Bosphorus in about five minutes. It costs 330 TL by day and 165 TL overnight. It also accepts no cash and no cards at all. The only way to pay is HGS, taken from the balance on your plate.
It’s also the most restricted crossing in the city. Buses, trucks, caravans, and trailers are all banned. So is anything over 2.8 m tall or 5,000 kg. That surprises drivers who assumed a tunnel would be the easy option.
This guide covers four things:
- The current tolls, day and night
- The full banned-vehicle list, including trailers
- The HGS-only payment rule and what happens without a balance
- When the tunnel is worth its price over the bridges
Key Takeaways
- A car pays 330 TL between 05:00 and 23:59, and 165 TL between midnight and 04:59, making this the only major Turkish crossing with a night discount.
- Payment is HGS only, with no cash lanes and no card terminals anywhere in the tunnel.
- Towed trailers and caravans are banned, along with buses, trucks, and anything over 2.8 m or 5,000 kg.
What the Eurasia Tunnel Costs
Tolls run on a two-band clock. The cheap band covers the small hours, when the tunnel is at its quietest and the approach roads around Kazlıçeşme and Göztepe are genuinely empty.
| Vehicle | Day (05:00-23:59) | Night (00:00-04:59) |
|---|---|---|
| Car | 330 TL | 165 TL |
| Minibus | 495 TL | 247.50 TL |
| Motorcycle | 257.40 TL | 128.70 TL |
Source: Eurasia Tunnel operator tariff, valid from 1 July 2026.
Those rates went up in July 2026, from 280 TL by day, so any figure in an older guide is probably out of date. VAT is included.
A few notes on the bands:
- The day band starts at 05:00, so an early start still pays full price
- The night band ends at 04:59, and there’s no grace period at the boundary
- Rates are per crossing, not per day
Next to the alternatives it looks expensive:
| Crossing | Car toll | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 15 July Martyrs / Fatih Sultan Mehmet | 59 TL | Cheapest, but surface traffic |
| Yavuz Sultan Selim | 110 TL | Bypasses the city entirely |
| Eurasia Tunnel, day | 330 TL | Predictable at rush hour |
| Eurasia Tunnel, night | 165 TL | Half price after midnight |
What you’re buying is time. Our İstanbul bridge tolls guide compares the routes properly.
HGS Is the Only Way to Pay
This is the rule that strands people. The operator says plainly that there’s no cash or card option in the tunnel. The whole design depends on traffic never stopping.
No booth. No attendant. No machine. Drive through with an unfunded plate and the crossing is simply logged as a violation, which means you’ll be sorting it out weeks later instead of at the entrance.
For a foreign-plated car, this is the crossing you least want to reach unprepared:
| What you need | How to get it |
|---|---|
| A registered plate | Vignetim app, minutes, no Turkish ID |
| A funded balance | Card payment in the app |
| Activation | Immediate, by plate recognition |
You can set it up here before you drive into İstanbul.
Gone through already without a balance? You’ve got 15 days. The mechanics are in driving without HGS.
Who Can’t Use the Tunnel
The banned list is longer than most drivers expect, and it isn’t only about weight.
Read the whole list before you set off, because some of it is counterintuitive. Vehicles banned outright:
- Buses and coaches
- Trucks and articulated lorries
- Tow trucks and recovery vehicles
- Vehicles with more than two axles
- Bicycles and scooters
- Vehicles carrying hazardous goods
Limits that exclude a vehicle:
| Limit | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Maximum weight | 5,000 kg |
| Maximum height | 2.8 m |
| Freight-category vehicles | N2, N3, O1, O2, O3, and O4 are all excluded |
Source: Eurasia Tunnel operator, verified 20 July 2026.
Caravans and motorhomes are the trap
That freight-category line is what catches holiday traffic. O1 to O4 are trailer categories, so an ordinary family car towing a caravan or a boat trailer isn’t allowed through the tunnel at all, whatever it weighs.
The 2.8 m height limit rules out most motorhomes too. Roof boxes and air conditioning units push camper conversions closer to that line than owners assume.
Towing? Your Bosphorus options narrow to two:
| Crossing | Caravans and trailers |
|---|---|
| Eurasia Tunnel | Banned, all trailer categories |
| Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge | Permitted |
| Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge | Permitted, every class |
Class also decides the fee, and our HGS vehicle classes guide explains the boundaries.
When the Tunnel Is Worth It
The case for paying five times the bridge toll comes down to three situations. Here they are in short:
- Rush hour, when predictability beats price
- Late-night crossings, when the toll halves
- Direct cross-city runs between Kazlıçeşme and Göztepe
| Situation | Why the tunnel wins |
|---|---|
| Rush hour | Bridge approaches queue badly, tunnel traffic keeps moving |
| After midnight | The toll halves to 165 TL and roads are clear |
| Cross-city Asia to Europe | Kazlıçeşme to Göztepe is a direct line, not a ring road |
| Tight schedule | You’re buying a journey time you can predict |
If none of those apply, the bridges do the same job for a fraction of the money.
The Short Version
The Eurasia Tunnel is fast, straightforward, and strict. A car pays 330 TL by day and 165 TL between midnight and 05:00, and the only accepted payment is an HGS balance sitting on your plate.
Before you head for the entrance, check two things:
- Is the plate funded?
- Is your vehicle actually allowed?
Towing anything, or over 2.8 m tall? The tunnel is closed to you, and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet or Yavuz Sultan Selim bridges are the way across.
You can register a foreign plate in a few minutes. There’s also how the toll system works and the full price list if you’re planning the wider trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Eurasia Tunnel cost?
A car pays 330 TL between 05:00 and 23:59, and 165 TL between midnight and 04:59. Minibuses pay 495 TL and 247.50 TL, while motorcycles pay 257.40 TL and 128.70 TL. All rates include VAT and took effect on 1 July 2026.
Can you pay the Eurasia Tunnel toll by card?
No. The tunnel takes HGS only, with no cash lanes and no card terminals. The fee comes off the prepaid balance linked to your plate, and an unfunded plate is logged as a violation.
Can you take a caravan through the Eurasia Tunnel?
No. Trailer categories O1 to O4 are banned, which covers a car towing a caravan or boat trailer. The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge does allow caravans, and Yavuz Sultan Selim takes every class.
Is the Eurasia Tunnel cheaper at night?
Yes, exactly half price. The night band runs from midnight to 04:59, and it’s the only night discount you’ll find on a major Turkish crossing.
How long does the Eurasia Tunnel take?
The crossing takes around five minutes. Access is restricted and traffic is metered by toll, so it’s more predictable than the bridge approaches at peak times.
Do foreign-plated cars need anything special for the tunnel?
Only a funded HGS account on the plate. Registration through the Vignetim app needs no Turkish ID or bank account, and it activates immediately. A visiting driver uses the tunnel on the same terms as a resident.
Sources
Ramis Kalkan
Ramis Kalkan leads growth at Vignetim. He writes about everything that makes European road trips smoother, from digital vignettes to eSIMs. Based in Ankara, usually mid-way through planning his next drive.
