Tourist Police · Istanbul
Three dedicated Tourist Police offices in central Istanbul — Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Taksim. English-speaking officers in distinctive black-and-orange vests. Main phone: +90 212 527 45 03. 24/7 mobile: +90 505 187 66 14. For any immediate emergency, dial 112.
Updated
01 · Locations
All three offices share the same main phone number and 24/7 mobile line. Walk in during daytime hours, or call ahead.
The main Istanbul Tourist Police office. Walk-in friendly. Located next to the Basilica Cistern entrance, across from the Sultanahmet tram stop.
Sirkeci office, useful if you've just arrived by Marmaray or train and need help. Located near the historic Sirkeci train station.
Taksim office, serving the Beyoğlu / Istiklal / Galata district. Located next to AKM (Atatürk Cultural Center), at the State Opera and Ballet building entrance.
02 · District police
For non-tourist incidents — or if the Tourist Police office is closed — your next stop is the district police directorate (ilçe emniyet müdürlüğü). Fatih covers the historic peninsula where most travellers stay (Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Eminönü).
The official police directorate for Fatih district — covers Sultanahmet, Eminönü, Sirkeci, Hocapaşa and the historic peninsula. Handles non-emergency reports, passport-related cases, traffic, public-order incidents.
For any active emergency (theft happening now, injury, accident), call 112 first — it dispatches the nearest unit in 1-2 minutes. The Fatih directorate is for filing reports, follow-up paperwork and document services.
03 · Identify
Tourist Police (Turizm Polisi) are easy to spot once you know what to look for. They patrol on foot, bike and motorbike in major tourist areas.
Black and orange high-visibility vests with "TURİZM POLİSİ" or "Tourist Police" lettering. Visible from a distance in crowds.
Fluent in English and Russian. Many also speak Arabic and German. Just ask "Do you speak English?" — they almost always do.
Most visible in Sultanahmet, Eminönü, Taksim, Istiklal Avenue, Beyoğlu and around major attractions. Less common in residential districts.
04 · Scenarios
Common situations where you should head to the Tourist Police instead of (or in addition to) the regular police karakolu.
1. Go to any Tourist Police office or general polis karakolu. File a written report (kayıp ihbar). You'll receive a paper report — keep this, you need it to leave the country and for insurance.
2. Contact your country's consulate in Istanbul. They issue an emergency travel document, usually within 24–48 hours. Bring the police report, a passport-size photo, an ID copy and proof of nationality.
3. If your flight leaves the same day, call your airline — they can rebook you free once you have the emergency document.
1. Move to a safe area, then call 112. If injured, ask for an ambulance.
2. File a police report at any polis karakolu or Tourist Police office. Bring an ID copy. Without a report, travel insurance won't pay out and banks may not refund stolen card transactions.
3. If your phone or wallet is stolen, immediately freeze cards via your bank app or call your bank's lost-card line.
4. Pickpocket hot-spots in Istanbul: T1 tram through Sultanahmet, Istiklal Avenue, Grand Bazaar. Front pockets, anti-theft bags, no phone in back pocket.
1. Live incident: politely ask for the receipt (fiş), photograph the licence plate, refuse to pay more than the meter.
2. Report to İBB 153 (municipality complaint line) or the Tourist Police. Provide plate number, time, route, amount. Driver's licence can be revoked.
3. If you used an app (BiTaksi, Uber, iTaksi), file an in-app complaint — the company investigates, refunds the difference, sometimes bans the driver.
4. Full taxi safety guide: official taxi ranks & how to spot scams.
1. Confirm any tour operator is licensed (TÜRSAB membership) before paying. Real guides have a numbered badge.
2. If you've been defrauded, file with the Tourist Police and provide receipts, photos, written communication.
3. Common in Sultanahmet, Eminönü and around major monuments. Real tourist information desks are inside museums or at official İBB info points.
1. Document everything — photos, screenshots of the booking, what you actually received.
2. Tourist Police can intervene on the spot for active fraud.
3. For serious cases, file with the İl Turizm Müdürlüğü (Provincial Tourism Directorate) and call 153.
4. If paid by credit card, file a chargeback with your bank when home — Turkish merchants are subject to international card-network rules.
Tourist Police officers can translate for regular police in non-tourist neighbourhoods. If you're at a regular polis karakolu and language is a barrier, request that Tourist Police be called for translation — they often will dispatch an English-speaking officer.
05 · Airport police
Frequently asked: "What is the airport police number in Istanbul?" — answer below.
Both Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) have a permanent on-site general police office inside the terminal, not the specialised Tourist Police unit. For any airport incident:
The specialised Tourist Police offices listed above are in central Istanbul (Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Taksim), not at the airports. They can still help airport tourists by phone (+90 212 527 4503) or by visiting in person once you're in the city.
06 · Phrases
Most Tourist Police officers speak English. But if you end up at a regular police station, these short phrases get help fast.
07 · FAQ
Quick answers to common questions about Tourist Police, airport police and the 112 emergency line.
The Istanbul Tourist Police main phone is +90 212 527 45 03 (Sultanahmet office, also serves Sirkeci and Taksim). A 24/7 mobile line is +90 505 187 66 14. For any genuine emergency, dial 112 instead.
The Sultanahmet Tourist Police office is at Yerebatan Caddesi No:4/6, right next to the Basilica Cistern entrance, across from the Sultanahmet tram stop (T1 line). Walk-in friendly, English-speaking officers.
Yes. Istanbul Tourist Police officers are fluent in English and Russian, with many also speaking Arabic and German. They are identifiable by distinctive black and orange vests.
No — Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) have on-site general police offices, not the specialised Tourist Police unit. For any airport incident, dial 112 or walk to the police office inside arrivals. The dedicated Tourist Police are in the central districts: Sultanahmet, Sirkeci and Taksim.
112 is the official unified emergency number in Türkiye for police, ambulance, fire and gendarmerie. It is free to call from any phone (even locked or without a SIM card), operates 24/7, and has multilingual operators (English, Arabic, Russian, German, French).
Move to a safe area, then call 112. Visit a Tourist Police station (Sultanahmet, Sirkeci or Taksim) or any neighbourhood polis karakolu to file a written report. Bring an ID copy. Without a police report, travel insurance won't pay out and banks may not refund stolen card transactions.
Tourist Police offices are typically open daily during daytime hours. The 24/7 mobile line (+90 505 187 66 14) is for after-hours tourist emergencies. For immediate help any time of day or night, dial 112.
Tourist Police (Turizm Polisi) is a specialised unit trained for tourist incidents, with language skills (English, Russian, Arabic, German), located in major tourist hubs. Regular police (Polis) handles all city-area crime — they help tourists too but may not speak English. For best service in tourist incidents, head to the Tourist Police first.
The official email of Fatih İlçe Emniyet Müdürlüğü (Fatih District Police Directorate) is [email protected]. Main phone: +90 212 526 8100. Address: Hocapaşa Mah. Hükümet Konağı Cad. No:2, Cağaloğlu / Fatih. Fatih police covers the historic peninsula including Sultanahmet, Sirkeci and Eminönü. For active emergencies, call 112 instead of emailing.
