When planning a trip to Turkey, one of your first questions might be if you should consider renting a car or not. Depending on the situation, renting a car in Turkey can be one of the best ways to experience everything the country has to offer: you’ll be able to cover longer distances, explore at your own pace (and find hidden gems off the beaten path!), and even save money in the long run. 

Although some people might be skeptical, renting a car in Turkey is easier than you think! After doing multiple road trips across Turkey — including short day trips and longer routes — I wanted to create a quick guide to renting a car in Turkey. You’ll find everything you need to know, from how to rent a car in Turkey, what to expect, what documents you need, and more. 

Ready to roll? Let’s check it out!

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To Rent or Not to Rent?

Let’s start with the basics: Do you actually need a car?

While planning your vacation, one of your first thoughts might have been, Should I rent a car in Turkey? 

That really depends on a few factors – I’ve broken it down so you can easily figure out which camp you’re in. :)

RENT A CAR 

🚗 If you need to cover long distances: If you’re planning a road trip in Turkey, then by all means, consider renting a car! There are so many cool things that you’ll find along the way, from small villages to beautiful waterfalls, to grandmas selling fruit on the side of the highway. Plus, it gives you the chance to stop and take photos (that you normally couldn’t if you were going by bus).

🚗 If you don’t want to take pricey tours: There are plenty of one day bus tours in Turkey, but the problem is that they can be so expensive sometimes. Case in point: When my boyfriend and I were visiting Izmir, we wanted to go to Pamukkale, but most official tours were around $100 to $150 per person and we would be crammed along with 50 other tourists. Instead of paying upwards of $200 on this trip, we rented a car for about $60 total (including gas). Plus we had the luxury of leaving Izmir whenever we wanted to, so we could beat the crowds when the gates opened at 6AM. ;) 

🚗 If you want to go off the beaten path: Finally, consider renting a car if you want to visit less-touristy places in Turkey. This might include smaller cities or places where the local busses don’t have regular connections to. On our second trip we really wanted to visit Lake Uzungol and then rent a bungalow near Trabzon but could only do so if we rented a car. 

 

DO NOT RENT A CAR  

🚫 If you’re only staying in one city: If you’re only planning to stay in one city (i.e. Istanbul, Izmir, Trabzon, etc) then renting a car is probably going to be a waste of money for you. Add on parking expenses, traffic, and small winding alleys (thanks, Google Maps) and you might soon regret your decision. The only exception to this is if you’re planning a day trip (like we did from Izmir to Pamukkale, or Antalya to Olympos, etc) and are only renting the car for one day instead of the whole trip. 

🚫 If you haven’t driven in a while: Although driving in Turkey is easy, it still requires some muscle memory and skills. If you haven’t driven in a while, I recommend either bringing a friend who did, or go for a car rental in turkey that comes with a driver (usually found through tour companies). 

🚫 If you don’t feel comfortable driving in other countries: Last but not least, if you’re not comfortable driving — either in other countries or just overall — don’t stress yourself and don’t rent a car. There are plenty of other ways to get around Turkey, and I want to make sure that your vacation is a happy one.   

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What to Know Before You Rent a Car in Turkey

There are a few important rules that you should know before renting a car in Turkey. Here’s a quick summary:

DRIVING

Driving in Turkey: left or right? — Like its neighbors, Turkey drives on the right side of the road. 

What are the speed limits in Turkey? — Speed limits across Turkey are very consistent and stay the same across the entire country. 

The speed limits are as follows:  

50 km/h in cities and towns
90km/h on two-lane highways
120 km/h on motorways

If you forget the speed limit or don’t know how to classify where you are, there are signs frequently posted near the road (or on digital screens above the road).

What are the drivers like in Turkey? — Honestly, I was expecting far worse. I read horror stories on TripAdvisor before renting my first car in Turkey, and those fears were completely unwarranted as soon as my tires hit the road. Yes, there are some crazy drivers, but the majority are courteous, use turn signals, and will not bother you as long as you don’t bother them (i.e. drive like a snail in the left-most lane). ;) 

 

RENTING

What is the minimum age to rent a car in Turkey? — Although the minimum driving age in Turkey is 18, to rent a car you must be at least 21 years old. Some agencies might require you to be older (either 23 or 25) if it’s an expensive car. Likewise, some car rental agencies in Turkey can cap the maximum age to rent at either 70 or 75 years old. If you have any doubts, I recommend either calling or emailing in advance to make sure that you can rent. 

How much does it cost to rent a car in Turkey? — Compared to the cars I rented in other countries (i.e. the United States, New Zealand, Western Europe, etc.), I would say the price of a car rental in Turkey is very cheap. You can find deals for as low as $10 USD per day (!!), as well as weekly or monthly discounts. During the three times I rented a car in Turkey, the average price was around $30 USD per day. 

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Which Car to Rent in Turkey

Although it may seem like there are hundreds of cars to choose from, the rental cars in Turkey usually boil down to the few most popular brands. This includes Hyundai, Ford, Volkswagen, Renault, and Peugeot. Of course, this isn’t an all-inclusive list — if you really wanted to rent that sleek BMW M5, there are plenty of companies that will gladly do so. ;)

Here’s a list of the most common models you might see on Turkish car rental websites:

🚗 Ford Focus
🚗 Hyundai i20
🚗 Volkswagen Passat (the one we rented above)
🚗 Renault Clio

Fun fact: Compact cars (such as the Ford Focus or similar) are the most frequently booked cars in Turkey.

Another very important thing to note when choosing which car to rent is the transmission. The majority of rental cars in Turkey come in manual transmission. If you want automatic transmission, be sure to double check when reserving your car (it’ll usually clearly say so on the information page). Also, please note that you might have to pay a few dollars extra if you want to rent an automatic car.

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Where to Rent a Car in Turkey 

There are hundreds of car rental companies in Turkey, from well-known international chains to smaller local brands. Here is a quick and simple table of the most popular car rental companies in Turkey (click on the logo to be taken to their reservation website!)

 

Hertz

     
EasyRentCars // Rentalcars.com // Expedia Cars

 

I personally went with Europcar and WindyCar (both booked through RentalCars.com above) when I needed a rental car in Turkey and had great experiences with both companies. 

TIP! Always make sure to know exactly where the car rental office is (i.e. inside the airport, outside, or elsewhere). We showed up to pick up our rental car at Trabzon airport only to be told that our rental office is actually on the other side of the airport. Thankfully it was a short 10-minute walk, but be sure to check!

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The Rental Process

The process of renting a car in Turkey is very simple and straightforward. After reserving the car online, you’ll go to the office and sign some paperwork. This includes the standard liability contract, rental contract, etc. You’ll need your passport, a valid driver’s license, and a credit card for this step. You can use your regular driver’s license from your home country if it is printed in the Latin alphabet. If not (it’s printed in another alphabet, i.e. Cyrillic or Chinese), you’ll need to get an International Driving Permit beforehand. Likewise, your credit card will be blocked for a certain amount to cover the deposit (usually anywhere from $100 to $1000 USD). If you didn’t opt for insurance while reserving online, the employee will ask if you want to add it onto your rental agreement. Likewise, you’ll also be asked if you want to add additional drivers (for an extra fee). 

After the paperwork is complete, the employee will tell you where to find your rental car. Just like the rental process in other countries, the employee will walk around the car with you and mark any dents, scratches, spots, and other damage on the paperwork. 

TIP! I recommend taking photos (or videos) of the car while doing this step, as you’ll have proper documentation if any questions arise. 

Finally, the employee will show you where everything is located. There are two things to be aware of: the car “passport” (a paper that shows the car make/model that’s similar to our registration) and the toll transponder (a box that lets you take paid roads for a fee). 

Once that’s all set, you’re ready to drive!

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What to Know on the Road

Woo hoo, we’re finally driving! 

Now that we’ve gotten all of the technical stuff out of the way, the only thing left are a few tips for driving on Turkish roads. 

First off, there are some mandatory documents that you need to carry with you at all times when driving in Turkey. This includes your passport (with your tourist visa and/or stamp), your driving license (and International Driver’s Permit if needed), proof of vehicle registration, and vehicle insurance. The last two are provided by your rental company. 

Before driving, I hiiiighly recommend downloading your planned route ahead of time on Google Maps. Sometimes there may be pockets where there is no internet connection available — but having the map saved ahead of time ensures that you’ll still be able to get information on where to go. 

When driving, be sure to pay attention to the speed limits — police are very serious about speeding and won’t hesitate to stop you if you’re going above the limit. Here are the speed limits one more time :)

50 km/h in cities and towns
90km/h on two-lane highways
120 km/h on motorways

Speaking of police… you might notice paper cutouts of police cars on the side of the road. They look real (at first!) and are there to discourage speeding.  

There are free roads and paid roads around Turkey. They’re clearly marked, but if you have any questions (or plan to use them), you can ask your rental car company to go over the details. Some car companies may even give you a toll transponder so that you can seamlessly drive on paid roads and have the fee electronically deducted. (This is especially popular in Izmir and the nearby region) 

Finally, there are two things to note about the roads themselves. Like in most right-side driving countries, the fastest lane is on the left side, and the slowest lane is on the right side. You’ll quickly notice that most Turkish drivers will stay in the middle and right lanes, and only use the left lane to pass slower vehicles before merging back to their original lane. Please be courteous and don’t block the left lane, or you might have an angry driver tailgating you and beeping to get out of the way.

The second point is that there are a lot of roundabouts, especially in the city and on highway exits. Be sure to stay in the correct lane when going around or read up on roundabouts if you don’t have experience with them (like me!)  

 

Gas Stations in Turkey

Speaking of driving, you’re probably going to need gas while on the road.

Thankfully, there are plenty of (amazing) gas stations in Turkey. The most common companies are BP, Petrol Ofisi, Shell, Luk, SoCar, and AyGaz. 

There are different types of fuel for your car: Gasoline/Petrol (benzin) and diesel (dizel). When you pull up to the gas station, there will be an attendant that will fuel your car for you. Depending on the station, you either pay him directly or go inside, pay, and give the attendant your receipt. 

Many of the modern gas stations in Turkey have their own mini-markets with drinks and snacks, and almost all have a bathroom. 

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That’s all for my mini guide to renting a car in Turkey! Are you already planning your road trip around Turkey (or at least dreaming about it)? Let me know in the comments below which cities you’d love to visit, and see you in the next post!

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