# Istanbul: Big Box

Istanbul: Big Box is a board game for 2–5 players. It plays in 40–90 minutes and is meant for ages 10 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 4. It is rated 7.8 out of 10 by 24 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $51.99 (United States).

- **Players:** 2–5 (best with 4)
- **Playing time:** 40–90 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 10+
- **Complexity:** 2.5 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2018
- **Categories:** Economic
- **Mechanics:** Dice Rolling, Network and Route Building, Variable Set-up, Race, Contracts, Pick-up and Deliver, Grid Movement, Modular Board, Mancala
- **Ludoya rating:** 7.8 out of 10, from 24 reviews
- **Owned by:** 94 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 191
- **Unique players:** 187

**Designers:** Rüdiger Dorn

**Artists:** Hans-Georg Schneider, Andreas Resch

**Publishers:** Pegasus Spiele, Нескучные игры

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Miniature Market | 51.99 $ | https://www.miniaturemarket.com/istanbul-big-box-peg55119g.html |
| Cardhaus Games | 52.19 $ | https://www.cardhaus.com/istanbul-big-box/ |
| Board Game Bliss | 69.95 $ | https://www.boardgamebliss.com/products/istanbul-big-box-1 |
| 401 Games | 69.95 $ | https://store.401games.ca/products/istanbul-big-box |
| Rampi Games | 49.95 € | https://www.rampigames.com/juego-de-mesa/istanbul-big-box/ |
| Zatu Games | 33.75 £ | https://zatu.com/products/istanbul-big-box |
| Spelexperten | 497 kr | https://www.spelexperten.com/sallskapsspel/strategispel/istanbul-big-box.html |
| Ludifolie | 48.9 € | https://www.ludifolie.com/9567-istanbul-big-box.html |
| Uplay | 49.99 € | https://www.uplay.it/it/gioco-da-tavolo-istanbul--big-box.html |
| Alphaspel | 599 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/94320-istanbul-big-box-ende |
| Hyggeonkel | 399.95 kr | https://www.hyggeonkel.dk/produkt/istanbul-big-box |
| Midgard Games | 599 kr | https://midgardgames.no/products/istanbul-big-box-en |
| Spielezar | 54.9 Fr. | https://www.spielezar.ch/brettspiele/istanbul-big-box |
| Spilforsyningen | 449.95 kr | https://spilforsyningen.dk/products/istanbul-big-box |
| Good Games | 102.45 $ | https://www.goodgames.com.au/products/istanbul-big-box |
| Fantasiapelit | 64 € | https://www.fantasiapelit.com/index.php?main=ai&kat=single&mista=indeksi&etsittava=_191959 |
| Games Empire | 103.99 $ | https://gamesempire.com.au/products/istanbulbigbox |
| Game Ninja | 749 kr | https://www.gameninja.no/produkt/istanbul-big-box-en/ |
| Nexus | 11995 kr | https://nexus.is/vara/istanbul-big-box/ |

## Expansions

- [Istanbul: Kebab Shop Mini Expansion](https://www.ludoya.com/games/istanbul-kebab-shop-mini-expansion)
- [Istanbul: Pegasus Depot Mini Expansion](https://www.ludoya.com/games/istanbul-pegasus-depot-mini-expansion)
- [Istanbul: Caravan Leader Mini Expansion](https://www.ludoya.com/games/istanbul-caravan-leader-mini-expansion)
- [Istanbul: Pegasus Depot & Kebab Shop Mini Expansions](https://www.ludoya.com/games/istanbul-pegasus-depot-and-kebab-shop-mini-expansions)
- [Camel Up: The Referee Camel & Istanbul – Caravan Leader Mini Expansion](https://www.ludoya.com/games/camel-up-the-referee-camel-and-istanbul-caravan-leader-mini-expansion)
- [Super Power](https://www.ludoya.com/games/super-power)

## Similar games

- [Istanbul](https://www.ludoya.com/games/istanbul)
- [Yokohama](https://www.ludoya.com/games/yokohama)
- [Kingdom Builder: Big Box (Second Edition)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/kingdom-builder-big-box-second-edition)
- [Gold West](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gold-west)
- [Orléans: Big Box](https://www.ludoya.com/games/orleans-jubilaumsbox)
- [Century: Eastern Wonders](https://www.ludoya.com/games/century-eastern-wonders)
- [Finca](https://www.ludoya.com/games/finca-2)
- [Catan: 3D Edition](https://www.ludoya.com/games/catan-3d-edition)
- [Catan: 25th Anniversary Edition](https://www.ludoya.com/games/catan-25th-anniversary-edition)
- [Catan: Big Box](https://www.ludoya.com/games/catan-big-box-3)
- [Catan 3D Collector's Edition](https://www.ludoya.com/games/catan-3d-collectors-edition)
- [Finca](https://www.ludoya.com/games/finca)

## Rules questions

### After I move, do I have to pick up or leave an Assistant to take the Place action, or can I just move and take the action?

You must either pick up an Assistant or leave one behind when you end your movement to be able to carry out the Place action; if you neither pick up nor leave an Assistant your turn ends immediately (the Fountain is an exception). (p.8; Fountain exception: p.18)

### If there are other merchants at the Place I land on, do I pay them before I take the action, and what if I can't or won't pay?

After movement (and after you pick up/leave an Assistant) you must pay each other Merchant 2 Lira in the Encounters phase before taking the Place action; if you cannot or choose not to pay, your turn ends immediately (you don’t have to pay at the Fountain). (p.8; Fountain exception: p.18)

### If I free my Family member from the Police Station and send them to another Place, do I still do that Place’s action and do they face encounters or payments?

When you free your Family member from the Police Station you send them to another Place and then immediately carry out that Place’s action; your Family member does not suffer encounters and you do not have to pay 2 Lira (and you may not use the Governor). (p.19)

### When do I get my 5th Assistant from a Mosque tile — is it added immediately when I buy the tile?

Yes: after you pay the goods and receive the Mosque tile, you immediately add your 5th Assistant to the bottom of your Merchant stack (the 5th Assistant is kept nearby during setup). (p.19; setup note: p.7)

### How many Rubies end the game — is it 5 or 6?

In the base game a player collecting 5 Rubies triggers the end (finish the round), but in a 2‑player game and when playing with certain included expansions the end condition becomes 6 Rubies; with the Letters & Seals expansion the game ends when a player has 6 Rubies. (p.8; Letters/expansion note: p.16)

### What happens when I catch other players’ Family members — where do they go and what reward do I get?

You send all caught Family members to the Police Station and, for each one, you may take either 1 Bonus card or 3 Lira from the supply (you get no reward if the Family member was already in the Police Station). (p.9; Police Station details: p.19)

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/istanbul-big-box)
- [Istanbul: Big Box in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/istanbul-big-box)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/251219)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._