IST, I did say that public transport is much better than it was a decade ago, that being said, if someone is looking for a Paris, London, NY, or even Moscow, Tokyo or ever Mexico City level of integrated public transportation that goes almost anywhere in the city in a time efficient manner...... Istanbul is not there yet! As you mention it had improved, however the system is of limited use to tourists, and people often have to take 2 or 3 modes of transportation, which very well may include a taxi or dolmus to get where they need to go. Furthermore in these covid times I simply do not use public transportation anywhere other than an odd taxi. Regarding taxis, the possibility of getting ripped off declines with one's knowledge of Turkish and /or bring Turkish. Uber was quite good because in their bleating to get Uber banned the taxi industry had to make promises to clean up their act, and you are right they have been improving, but the same garbage still happens, as an example recently some friends sharing near besiktas has a 400TL ride to sultanahmet,how you may ask ?it would seem that the taxi driver from them across the first bridge and then the avrasya tunnel to get them there! (for those unfamiliar that means that rather than do a straight trip along the coast, that maybe should cost 50tl tops and 20 mins, and is maybe 5km, the taxi driver took them to Asia via bridge and then back via tunnel, with both tolls and a distance of maybe 25km and half an hour...
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