Most popular car hire locations in Turkey
Turkey Mini Guide
Turkey is a country in Western Asia which sits on the Mediterranean Sea with a small section in south eastern Europe that is separated by the Turkish Straits of Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles. A visa is needed to enter Turkey from certain countries and a three month visa can cost anything between 15-45 Euros, depending on where you are coming from.
The two main Turkish airports which you are likely to fly into are Ataturk airport in Istanbul and Esenboga airport in Ankara. There are also direct charters to the popular Mediterranean resorts such as Antalya in the peak summer and winter seasons. Low cost carriers such as easyJet and Condor use the Sabiha Gökçen Airport which is located about 50 kilometres to the east of Istanbul.
Driving in Turkey is fairly standard and they drive on the right hand side of the road. Distances are measured in kilometres, about two glasses of beer is the drinking limit, seatbelts must be worn and talking on mobiles while driving is forbidden. It is however worth noting that Turkey is one of the most expensive countries in the world in which to buy petrol and most of its roads operate on a toll basis. It is useful to know the Turkish words for unleaded gasoline (kursunsuz), and diesel (dizel or motorin).
Major roads from Caucasia enter Turkey at the Sarp border gate to the south of Batumi from Georgia. The Türkgözü border gate south of Akhaitsikhit is the nearest border gate from Tbilisi.
Turkey Factfile
- Turkey is one of six independent Turkic states and is bordered by eight countries.
- Two of the Seven Wonders of the World were located in Turkey: the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Bodrum.
- There are 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in Turkey including the City of Safranbolu and the Archaeological Site of Troy.
- Ayran is a popular drink in Turkey and is made from yoghurt mixed with cold water.
- The currency in Turkey is the Turkish lira (TRY).
Can foreigners drive in Turkey?
Of course, Turkey welcomes international travellers in their droves to its sandy beach resorts and cosmopolitan cities. Renting a car and driving in Turkey is incredibly popular, evident by the large number of car rental companies who operate here.
All you need to drive a rental car legally in Turkey is your full domestic licence, passport and a credit card. We strongly recommend obtaining an International Driving Permit (1949) as whilst not all car rental companies will request one, it is a legal requirement.