Car rental information in Turkey

The minimum age for car rental in Turkey is 19 however people wishing to rent more expensive cars should usually be at least 27.

When you go to the car rental agency in Turkey you will need a major credit card to make the payment, as well as quite a hefty cash deposit. All the big cities and towns in Turkey have branches of the main international car rental agencies that are found anywhere else in the world although there are also smaller local car rental agencies in Turkey, for Akbuk you could try Medusacars.com expect to pay £25 - £30 per day.

The main advantage of using an international car rental agency in Turkey is that the staff there will always speak some English. The local car rental agencies probably won’t speak much English but if you’re prepared to try them you’ll find many of them willing to help and you may find prices slightly lower here.

The two most important things you should be aware of when you go to the car rental agency in Turkey is whether mileage is included or extra and also who pays for damage in the event of an accident. If you’re planning to do a lot of driving in Turkey then choose a car rental agency that offers unlimited mileage in the price as otherwise you could end up paying double the initial car rental price.

If you are going to be driving when you visit Turkey you should be familiar with some of the laws and conditions of driving in Turkey

Essential Information

• The minimum driving age is 17yrs.

• Your vehicle needs to carry two warning triangles in case of an accident.

• Children under the age of 12 years must not sit in the front seat.

• Seat belts are compulsory in front seats.

• It is illegal to use a hand-held mobile when driving.

Driving conditions in Turkey

The roads in Turkey are maintained by the government and for most visitors driving is possible and getting around Turkey with your own transport will give you the chance to see all of Turkey 's ancient ruins as many are hard to visit without it.

Driving in Turkey requires you to drive defensively. With high speeds, low caution and overtaking taking place at the narrowest opportunity, it is important that you create space around your vehicle which will allow for the antics of other drivers.

Some of the highways in Turkey only have two lanes which can be daunting to the visitor. Many of the roads have pot holes which you should be cautious of. Some of the bigger commercial highways including the one connecting Ankara to Istanbul are broader and offer better road conditions for driving however there are usually a lot of trucks and lorries driving on these highways which can slow things down.

Driving in the crowded cities of Turkey can be frustrating its adviseable to park in the outskirts of the city and then walk in or investigate alternative transport for your visits.

Driving laws in Turkey

The law in Turkey states that driving should take place on the right of the road and that right of way always belongs to traffic coming from the right.

In reality however you will see this law flouted often when driving in Turkey so you just have to observe and get a feel for what’s acceptable.

The speed limit for driving in Turkey is 90 km/h on the highways and 50km/h in towns although once again these limits are often ignored and people driving in Turkey tend to go as fast as they can.

Driving permit in Turkey

If you intend to rent a car in Turkey to do some driving be sure to take your full driving licence from your home country. The car rental agency in Turkey will want to see it and so will the police if you are stopped. Provided you have your full driving licence there shouldn’t be any need to obtain an international driving permit although if you want one you can always apply at your countries automobile club.

If you are involved in an accident

You must not move your vehicle and you must carry two warning triangles, one to place in front of an immobilized vehicle and one behind it. If you do not do this, Police can issue on the spot fines.

The Turkish Touring and Automobile Club (tel: (212) 282 8140) provides insurance and advice for foreign drivers. Click here for more information.