Istanbul Bridge Tolls: What You Pay and Which Bridge You May Use
Prices are the easy part, because in Istanbul your vehicle class decides which Bosphorus bridge you may cross, and caravans, trucks and buses each get a different answer
Ramis KalkanUpdated: 6 min read
Crossing the Bosphorus by car costs 59 TL on the 15 July Martyrs and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges. Yavuz Sultan Selim, to the north, costs 110 TL. All three are cashless. They charge through HGS, in both directions.
Price, though, is rarely the decision. İstanbul’s traffic authority restricts each bridge to particular vehicle classes. So the real question is which crossing you’re permitted to use, and caravans, trucks, and buses all get different answers.
This guide sets out the 2026 tariffs and the access rules for each bridge. It also shows how the tunnel compares on speed and cost.
Key Takeaways
- A car pays 59 TL on the two older bridges and 110 TL on Yavuz Sultan Selim, charged in both directions since 2022 (KGM, July 2026).
- Trucks, buses, and hazardous goods must use Yavuz Sultan Selim, while caravans are permitted on Fatih Sultan Mehmet but banned from the tunnel.
- Motorcycles pay 25 TL on the older bridges, half the Class 1 rate as required since 2015.
The 2026 Bridge Tariffs
Three bridges, three price points. All VAT-inclusive, and charged per crossing.
| Bridge | Class 1 (car) | Class 2 | Class 3 | Class 5 (heavy) | Class 6 (motorcycle) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 July Martyrs | 59 TL | 75 TL | 168 TL | 440 TL | 25 TL |
| Fatih Sultan Mehmet | 59 TL | 75 TL | 168 TL | 440 TL | 25 TL |
| Yavuz Sultan Selim | 110 TL | 145 TL | 270 TL | 860 TL | 75 TL |
Source: KGM 2026 tariff schedules. The older bridges took effect on 1 January 2026, Yavuz Sultan Selim on 1 July 2026.
The two-way charging rule matters more than the headline figure. Before 2022 you paid once. Now each pass is billed, so a day trip across and back costs a car 118 TL on the older bridges.
For every other crossing in the country, see our 2026 toll price guide.
Which Bridge Can You Actually Use?
İstanbul’s transport coordination board sets access by vehicle type. Unauthorised crossings carry penalty charges.
| Bridge | Permitted vehicles |
|---|---|
| 15 July Martyrs | Class 1 cars, all service vehicles (tourism, staff, school), public transport including taxis and dolmuş, and N1 emergency medical vehicles |
| Fatih Sultan Mehmet | Class 1 and Class 2 vehicles excluding trucks and buses, service vehicles, caravans, public transport, and authorised official vehicles |
| Yavuz Sultan Selim | Every vehicle class, and compulsory for anything the other two exclude |
Source: KGM 2026 tariff notes citing the UKOME decision, verified 20 July 2026.
Read that bottom row carefully if you’re driving anything large. Class 2 to Class 5 vehicles off the permitted lists, plus all hazardous-goods transport, are required to use Yavuz Sultan Selim. It isn’t a suggestion. Crossing an unauthorised bridge adds a penalty charge on top of the toll.
Caravans, campervans, and towing
This is the question we get asked most. The answer is specific:
- Fatih Sultan Mehmet explicitly permits caravans, so it’s the practical crossing when towing
- Yavuz Sultan Selim takes every class, including anything the others exclude
- The Eurasia Tunnel bans all trailer categories outright
The Eurasia Tunnel does not. Trailer categories O1 to O4 are banned there, along with anything over 2.8 m tall.
Touring with a caravan? The bridge is your crossing, whatever your navigation app suggests. We cover the restrictions in the Eurasia Tunnel guide.
Not sure which class you fall into? A wheelbase of 3.20 m is the dividing line between Class 1 and Class 2, and our vehicle classes guide explains the rest.
Bridge or Tunnel?
If your vehicle is allowed everywhere, the choice is money against time. A quick way to decide:
- Off-peak, cost matters: take the older bridges at 59 TL
- Peak hour, time matters: the tunnel is worth 330 TL
- Passing the city, not visiting: Yavuz Sultan Selim at 110 TL
- Arriving after midnight: the tunnel drops to 165 TL
| Crossing | Car toll | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 15 July Martyrs / Fatih Sultan Mehmet | 59 TL | Cheapest crossing, off-peak trips |
| Yavuz Sultan Selim | 110 TL | Bypassing the city entirely, heavy vehicles, transit traffic |
| Eurasia Tunnel (day) | 330 TL | Rush hour, when predictability is worth the money |
| Eurasia Tunnel (night) | 165 TL | Late arrivals, when it’s half price and traffic is light |
Yavuz Sultan Selim deserves a note. It sits well north of the city, on the Northern Marmara Motorway. Excellent if you’re passing İstanbul. A long detour if you’re heading downtown.
Paying: There’s No Cash Option
Every Bosphorus crossing is cashless:
- Overhead readers photograph your plate as you pass
- The toll comes off the HGS balance registered to that plate
- There are no booths, no barriers, and nothing to stop for
For a foreign-plated car, the account needs to exist before you reach the bridge. Registration through the Vignetim app needs no Turkish ID or bank account, and it goes live immediately through plate recognition. You can sort it from the car if you’ve just realised: set up HGS for your plate, or read our full walkthrough.
Crossed already without a balance? You’ve got 15 days before a penalty applies:
| When you fix it | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Within 15 days | The toll only |
| Day 15 to 45 | Toll plus one extra toll |
| After day 45 | Toll plus four times the toll |
The detail is in driving without HGS.
The Short Version
The Bosphorus costs a car 59 TL on the older bridges and 110 TL on Yavuz Sultan Selim. Both are charged each way since 2022. Motorcycles pay half the car rate. Heavy vehicles pay up to 860 TL.
Before you pick a route, check what you’re driving:
- Trucks, buses, hazardous loads: Yavuz Sultan Selim only
- Caravans: fine on Fatih Sultan Mehmet, banned from the tunnel
- Everything else: any crossing, as long as the plate is funded
New to the system? How Turkish tolls work covers the basics, and the mega-bridges are the next big numbers if you’re heading further into Türkiye.
You can register a foreign plate before you reach any of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Bosphorus bridge toll for a car?
In 2026 a car pays 59 TL on the 15 July Martyrs and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges, and 110 TL on Yavuz Sultan Selim. All figures include VAT and are charged on every crossing, both ways.
Can trucks use the Bosphorus bridges?
Only Yavuz Sultan Selim. Trucks, buses, and hazardous-goods vehicles are excluded from the other two bridges, and they’re required to use the northern crossing.
Can I take a caravan across the Bosphorus?
Yes, over the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, which explicitly permits caravans. The Eurasia Tunnel bans trailers of every category, so don’t route a caravan through it.
Do you pay the Istanbul bridge toll in both directions?
Yes. Two-way charging has applied since 1 January 2022, so a return trip costs twice the single fare. Budget 118 TL for a car crossing and coming back on the older bridges.
Can you pay an Istanbul bridge toll in cash?
No. All three bridges charge through HGS by plate recognition, and there are no toll booths at all. The balance has to be on the plate before you cross.
Which Istanbul bridge is cheapest?
The 15 July Martyrs and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges, both at 59 TL for a car. Yavuz Sultan Selim costs 110 TL, but it often saves time if you’re bypassing the city.
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.
