In autumn we flew to Turkey on our own. We made up an unusual route for Turkey in advance and set about it as soon as we landed in Antalya. It turned out interesting! In this text I will tell you about the main element of the journey, with the help of which we have been everywhere in 10 days – about our typewriter. More precisely, about the rental.
So, car rental in Turkey and our adventures:
– 2500 km across the country,
– Cappadocia, Pamukkale, canyons and the sea,
– excellent scenic roads,
– and the first acquaintance with road signs, parking where necessary, and the system of fines in Turkey (and their payment).
I have already posted a video for a YouTube channel, and now I am writing this text: to supplement what I forgot to say in the video, upload beautiful photos and generally show that renting a car in Turkey is easy, comfortable and inexpensive.
What kind of car did we drive in Turkey? My auto tips
We rented a Fiat for this trip around Turkey Egea on LocalRent service. I have never driven a Fiat car before and therefore expected nothing 🙂 But looking ahead, I will say that the car is good, suitable for both city trips and long distances in Turkey. The only time I let it down was when it didn’t want to start for five minutes in the morning in Cappadocia (but it was -7 outside, and the car was on a local diesel). It turns out that this model is produced here in the country – because of this, it is more profitable to rent, and such Fiats are very common on the roads.
The choice of cars on the site is huge. Personally, I advise you to book a diesel carso fuel costs will be lower. Gasoline in Turkey is not the cheapest, and diesel consumption is much more economical – we got about 4 liters per 100 km! Almost for free. There are no problems with gas stations in the country, they are literally EVERYWHERE both along the highway and in the city.
What I pay attention to when choosing a car for rent:
– automatic transmission, around the city so more comfortable
— a diesel car, if the rental price is not much different from “gasoline” ones
— it is desirable that the car is less than three years old
— I carefully check the cheapest options (maybe the car is old or there is no normal insurance , or a large deposit)
What rights/documents are needed to rent a car?
1) Passport, 2) driving license and 3) bank card.
What rights do I need to rent a car in Turkey?Ordinary Russian new models, IDPs do not need to be done. Russia and Turkey have signed and ratified the Vienna Convention: that is, they recognize NVU without the need to make international ones. We were stopped twice by Turkish traffic cops to check documents – everything was fine, there were no complaints. The manager who gave us the car didn't have any questions either.
The rental companies have age requirements for drivers.Most often, they put restrictions “from 22 years old and at least 2 years of experience”. Sometimes the minimum age is raised to 25–27 years, and the length of service is up to 3–5 years. For example, for renting luxury cars or minivans. The maximum driver age can be 65–70 years old.
Where is it cheaper to rent a car in Turkey? Services
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I did not even think about renting a car on the spot. I didn’t feel like walking, searching, comparing and being at a “broken trough” (refers to both the condition of the car and the limited choice).
You can see and pick up a car in Turkey on any of 3 sites:
- LocalRent.com
- Rentalcars.com
- EconomyBookings.com
I guess you are like us for your trip, find the best option on the first site. We booked a Fiat Egea for 10 days with collection at Antalya airport for €305 with full insurance – everything went smoothly and comfortably.
Here's another reason I loved Localrent:
+ In local rental car rental prices in Turkey are lower than in branches of large companies like Avis or Hertz. LocalRent connects us, the clients, with local agencies (hence the name). Of course, having previously checked each for reliability.
+ Everything is very clearand without the “small print”. The site directly says: this is the whole amount for the car, now you pay n euros, on the spot to the manager – so much. Here is the deposit (if any); and this is the type of insurance and the necessary details about the car. N euros will be refunded in full up to a day before the start of the rental.
+ Remember, I mentioned the age of the car? Filters LocalRent should be set as an example for Rentalcars and others: here you can sort by year of manufacture, engine (benzo/diesel), drive. Not just “do you want a big car or a small one?”
+ Real photos of the car! Not an advertising picture, but a few clear shots from the outside and from the inside. Well, isn't it wonderful?
Yes, large aggregators take advantage of the fact that their office will give you a car for rent in a remote African village. We will leave this share to them, and for everything else, including Turkey and other 10 countries, there is Localrent. Wait, did I already write that Russian guys are behind it? 🙂
Car rental prices in Turkey
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< img title="Rent a car in Turkey — 2022: my review, prices and itinerary" src="/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/arenda-avto-v-turcii-2022-moj-otzyv-ceny-i -marshrut-af06868.jpg" alt="Rent a car in Turkey — 2022: my review, prices and itinerary" /> |
Prices for car rental in Turkey, as in any country, depend on the season and demand. More expensive in summer and cheaper in autumn. In winter you can rent four wheels and for 10 euros per day. Do not forget the golden rule: the longer the rental period, the lower the price per day.
In November, we drove Fiat for 10 days for 30.5 euros per day – with full insurance (such as CASCO) and no deposit. I think this is a great value for a mid-range car with automatic transmission and diesel.
So, how much does it cost to rent a car in Turkey? I will collect different options:
(for 5 days or more)
| Season (May– September) |
Off-season (October-April) |
|
| The cheapest mechanics | from 29 EUR/day | from 10 EUR/day |
| Automatic | from 32 EUR< /td> | from EUR 16 |
| Crossover | from EUR 49 | from EUR 25 Euro |
| Luxury | from 100 euros | from 65 euros |
| In Antalya | from 29 euros | from 10 euros |
| In Marmaris | from 42 euros | from 28 euros |
| In Istanbul | from 30 euros | from 16 euros |
If you book a car for a short period (a day or two), during the season the car will cost 35 euros per day, which is also not bad. Once we rented a car in St. Petersburg, and the price was the same – I don’t know who wins here?
And since we are talking about money in this section, here are gas prices in Turkey in 2022 ( from a BP gas station, 1 lira = 5.5 rubles):
- Gasoline 95 – 15.4 lira
- Diesel – 15.6 lira
- Gas – 9.7 lire
The 2,500-kilometer journey in November cost us 1,000 lire. I am writing and am amazed at two facts: then the fuel cost TWO TIMES cheaper, we refueled with diesel for 8.4 lire. What is even more interesting, in terms of rubles in November, a liter cost 61 rubles, and now it is 87 rubles.
Step by step guide for car rental
How to book a car so that you don't miss anything and take everything into account:
- We go to Localrent.com and select in the columns “Receiving a car” and “Return” your starting and ending point of the trip. Not necessarily Antalya, there is a car rental in Side, Kemer, Alanya – wherever it is convenient for you. Specify the dates and click on the “Filters” button on the site.
- In the filters, I usually indicate automatic transmission, CASCO, and ideally without a deposit. If necessary, you can check the box next to the “free cancellation” box. Here you can also select the year of the rented car (for example, from 2018). At the same time, even our 3-year-old car had a mileage of more than 100 thousand kilometers.
- Under the menu, you can select the category of car – crossover or middle class or luxury. By default, the cheapest options are shown first. We study the selection, click on the option you like.
- Inside the rental car card, you can choose insurance options (I take CASCO – most often it is included in the price), see the characteristics of the car and real photos of the car. Scroll down to see other options that I usually miss – child seat, winter tires, etc. But no, sometimes there is a “second driver” I add: it costs from 16 euros.
- I chose to receive a car at Antalya Airport. We were contacted in advance via Whatsapp, we were met at the airport with a sign with the name and escorted to the car. Everything is convenient and fast. We signed the contract and received the car in about 15 minutes (details of receipt/return below).
Pay attention to the mileage limit – some cars have such a mark: for example, 200 km per day. Therefore, I chose without limitation of kilometers (and possibilities).
I remember one inconvenience. Still, I advise you to set the filter “There is a payment by card” – so that the second part of the amount can be paid on the spot with a bank card (and do not forget to remove the limit for anyone else in Russia). Otherwise, withdrawing lira at the airport is problematic, a high commission. And the only necessary ATM, as in our case, can go on a break … Of course, cash will be accepted in both euros and dollars, but we basically needed it in lira – because of which we spent 30 minutes looking for another ATM.
Insurance and deposit
On LocalRent you can rent a car with full insurance (oh, this handy insurance comparison plate of theirs – everyone should have one!). By default, OSAGO, often CASCO, is included in the price, but Super CASCO, which covers damage to wheels and windows, costs an additional 20-150 euros, depending on the car class.
The maximum level of security is called “full coverage” – not available for all cars. It costs from 50 euros and implies 1) no deductible, 2) coverage of expenses even if the perpetrator of the accident has disappeared.
Now I will explain how you can save money, but be insured on all sides and not get into the franchise (this is the part that you pay for damage, and everything above is insurance).
- If you chose car with insurance, which includes a franchise, supplement it with a debit premium card from a yellow bank (Tinkoff Metal)!
No, you do not need to deposit millions into your account or pay thousands for maintenance. The card has a trial period – 2 months for free, if you apply through a friend's link, and then you can close it.
Here's how it works: take the cheapest CASCO (usually a large deductible is included there – from 600 to 2000 euros) and supplement with third-party damage insurance, which comes as a bonus with a metal card. It covers the franchise up to 3000 euros – and it's great!
I even tested this combo: in the USA we got into an unpleasant situation with Tesla – a stone got under the bumper on the highway, leaving a dent and damage for $ 1100 (franchise was $1500). We paid from our own pocket, and Tinkoff returned this money to the card within 2 weeks!
What about a deposit? For Turkey, I chose a car without a deposit, there is such a filter on the site. But there is nothing wrong with a deposit, especially if you have a credit card. You can simply freeze it on the card (for example, on the same premium credit card from Tinkoff) and not spend your money. Or you can give it in cash and pick it up when you return the car.
Receiving and returning the car
Getting a car.With this item, everything is very simple, so the section is small. As I said above, we received the car at the Antalya airport. The day before arrival, they contacted us (in Russian), confirmed the time and flight number, and the next day they met us at the exit of the airport with a sign with my name on it and escorted us to the car. True, here communication with the manager is already at the level of gestures, if you don’t know Turkish 🙂
At the car, the employee began to fill out an agreement: he asked for a passport and a driver’s license for both drivers (I made a note in advance that there were two drivers). Then together they photographed all the damage and brought them into the contract. I'm not lazy and I also shoot a video at the time of the inspection, it's more reliable.
All this took 20 minutes, and then there was a plug, because of which everything stretched out for an hour. The second part of the amount must be paid in cash, and for this I specifically bought lira in the Tinkoff application. But the Halk ATM did not work at the airport (it is the only one that allows you to withdraw without commission) – and we all went together to look for an ATM in another place. If anything, you can pay in euros, but it would be a shame for me to change these thousands of lira back, even with the rapidly falling exchange rate at that time.
Checking in a car.The night before, we agreed that we would rent a car at the departure terminal at 5:00. We arrived at this time, waited five minutes, phoned and found each other. We looked at the car in a couple of minutes, checked the fuel level, the body in a circle and that's it. Before handing over, we washed the car in the evening (it cost only 50 lira).
By the way, you can see the whole process in my video review about car rental in Turkey – I shoot them without water and empty talk, maximum concentration of information (and sometimes beautiful shots):
What to look out for when booking? My Tips
For me, the main criteria in a rental car are automatic, diesel, the age of the car is 3-5 years, parking sensors or a rear-view camera and insurance.
A contract for renting a car in Turkey is standard. Of course, you can study it, and it will be correct (I will attach a version of ours below), but more attention should be paid to damage to the car, mileage and fuel level. Take photos of everything, and better – video on your phone.
Download Google map of your route in advance. Google Maps – best navigatoracross Turkey. Mapsme is also nothing, it will bring you to the desired point, but how crookedly it displays routes … Shows congresses where there are none, stupid voice acting. Upon arrival in Antalya, you can issue a SIM card with the Internet and use an adequate navigator in online mode from Google, and when there is no Internet, switch to offline maps. When I read reviews about car rental in Turkey, I came across information that a SIM card costs 150 lira. But no, the minimum tariff for tourists is 250 lira with 20 GB of Internet and 750 minutes (Vodafone or Turkcell operators). Passport and cash are required, the closest point of sale to the airport is the Mall of Antalya.
Driving rules in Turkey – what are the differences?
In Turkey, the standard rules of the road, and in general, are not very different from Russia. But because of this “not very” we got a fine of 314 lira 🙂
- There are a lot of cameras on the roads, a LOT of them, which catch on speed – they are hung on poles, hidden in the bushes, mounted on the roofs of traffic control cars and film you even from drones. In a word, I recommend observing the speed limit:
❗in populated areas – more often up to 50 km/h, sometimes up to 70 km/h
❗ outside the city – up to 90 km/h
❗ there are sections of the motorway where can 110 km/h
❗ these values can be exceeded by +10%, from +11% fines already follow - Sometimes there are strange speed limit signs – for example, 82. We add 10%, and here are the same 90 km/h. That is, somewhere you can drive a maximum of 90, and somewhere – 99 km/h, depending on the signs.
- There are cool road signs – beware, a wild boar, or a turtle, with images of animals. A stop sign is denoted as DUR.
- Children under 12 years of age and shorter than 115 cm can only ride in the back seat in a child seat. In Turkey, this is rarely checked, but it is worth taking with you or buying it locally.
- Policemen stop to check documents. We had this happen twice in 10 days: they asked where we were going, looked at our driving license, and let us go.
- In general, people in Turkey drive, as I call it, “orientally”: fast, often without turn signals, abruptly changing lanes and a MANDATORY SIGNAL IF DELAYED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT FOR A MILISECOND.
And the fine … the fine came to us 15 (!!!) minutes after the violation: they did not notice the sign of the settlement and drove under the camera at a speed of 90 km/h, when the allowable was 77. The rental company informed us about the fine in WhatsApp and threw off the receipt in confirmation (we immediately understood where we violated). They paid themselves, and we later gave it in cash – with a 25% discount for paying right away.
Here's what they are fined for in Turkey and what amounts to prepare for:
- 314 lira ( 1800 rubles) – for violation of the speed limit within 11-30%
- 652 lira (3700 rubles) – for violation of the speed limit within 30-50%
- 1340 lira (7600 rubles ) – for breaking the speed limit over 50% or for driving under alcohol
- 144 lira (815 rubles) – for not wearing a seat belt or improper parking
And in Turkey, it is strictly forbidden to talk on the phone while driving! The fine is the same 314 liras, this is such a local minimum wage.
Route by car in Turkey
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< img title="Rent a car in Turkey — 2022: my review, prices and itinerary" src="/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/arenda-avto-v-turcii-2022-moj-otzyv-ceny-i -marshrut-af3f77e.jpg" alt="Rent a car in Turkey — 2022: my review, prices and itinerary" /> |
When compiling a route, if you are traveling on 10-14 days, in any case, you will have to sacrifice something – either sleep or interesting places. Since there are sooo many attractions in the south of Turkey alone, and it is unrealistic to cover everything in a couple of weeks.
Our goal was to fit interesting places and stay in hotels in 10 days. And we did it pretty well!
✅Arrival in Antalya – ✅2 days in Fethiye – ✅1 day in Pamukkale and Salda Lake – ✅3 days in Cappadocia – ✅3 days in Antalya
Distance: 2500 kilometers
Fuel costs: 1000 lira
Maximum travel time: 7 hours (from Cappadocia to Antalya)
Toll roads: we did not come across
We will write a separate article about the route and independent rest in Turkey, but here I will leave our hotels (everything is great, and off-season prices are even better):
- 5* Liberty Fabay in Fethiye – a luxury hotel to taste the luxury life for at least a couple of nights
- Oyster Boutique Hotel in Side – just a budget overnight on the way from Pamukkale to Cappadocia
- Helen Cave Suites in Goreme is an excellent hotel, beautiful, next to the main observation deck for balls, with heating in the off-season, and even in a cave (this is a feature of Cappadocia), but without bouts of claustrophobia
- 5 * Sealife Family Resort in Antalya – one of the most popular hotels in the city, open all year round; located in the best (for us) part of Antalya near Konyaalti beach, where you definitely won’t get bored
My review and tips for driving in Turkey
Since blowing the dust off my 10-year-old license, I try to rent a car on almost every trip. After all, this is a completely different kind of holiday. You can visit Turkey several times, but it is worth taking a car and making an independent route – and now you are in the country for the first time! Driving around Turkey is a pleasure, the roads are good and picturesque.
Fines and accidents.First, as I said above, you can exceed a maximum of 10% of the speed on the road sign. Secondly, for exceeding by 11% there will be a fine of 314 lira. If you suddenly got into an accident, then be sure to issue a police report (kaza raporu), without it, there will most likely be problems with paying insurance! Save the phone number of the rental company and always contact them first and they will tell you what to do next.
Roads in Turkey.The roads here are beautiful, they pass through mountains, canyons and along the sea, winding in serpentines. And very good, without holes and bumps, you literally fly over them (but don’t get carried away, because you remember the speed limit and rather big fines). The oncoming lane is rarely separated, but there are sections – mainly in the mountains – where there are three lanes, and the middle one passes from one lane to another for overtaking. On an ordinary sedan, we drove everywhere without problems, we didn’t think about a crossover.
Internet.It is better to have an online and offline map on the phone, communication on the road often disappears, especially in the mountains and on serpentines. If the route gets lost in the online navigator, there may be problems. I advise you to issue either a SIM card on the spot with 20 GB of Internet or Tinkoff Mobile, where for 49 rubles a day you can connect an unlimited number abroad to Google maps. + 49 rubles per day for messengers. That's enough for me.
Parking.Wherever we were – Fethiye, Side, Antalya – there were parking lots at hotels, which is convenient. But if you go somewhere, even just around the city/resort, then parking will be either spontaneous free on the street (as in Cappadocia and resort villages), or paid (near attractions – for example, in Pamukkale, or the Old Town in Antalya). Most often, paid parking lots are unofficial, you just put a bill in the hand of a person in a vest. It costs 10–20 lira.
What is the best way to rent a car? Top 5 Tips:
- Book on Localrent, which works with local rentals, and therefore offers more attractive options
- Diesel-driven car is more economical
- Prices are lower in the low season
- Book for a long stay – at least 4 days or more, this reduces the price per day
- Ride with a group – we traveled with four people
What additional expenses can be incurred when renting a car?
– The second driver (it should be specified in advance, and it is included in the contract)
-Child seats, navigators, etc.
– CASCO (often in the standard at the price of OSAGO only)
— Delivery of a car in a different place from the place of pickup
— Driver's age/experience is less than required
Pros and cons of renting a car in Turkey
As a person who has previously been to Turkey several times in hotels on “all inclusive” and without a car, I liked the vacation with the car. You see a completely different Turkey. And not only her, any country opens up completely differently when you get behind the wheel – I felt this in the USA, Spain and other countries. And even in Sochi🙂
So, what are the advantages of car rental in Turkey:
+ Inexpensive, and the best car rental service works here Localrent
+ Excellent roads
+ Lots of interesting places to visit
+ Mobility and freedom of movement and travel planning
+ Adequate police, strict supervision of traffic rules
And the cons:
– Expensive fuel in terms of rubles
– On the roads, it happens, animals run out, so you need to be especially careful at night
— It happens that every 500-700 meters on the highway the speed limit changes from 70 to 90 and back, it's annoying. The Turks themselves do not pay attention to this and drive under 100
— Far from all locals comply with traffic rules, therefore, as a foreigner, you need to be especially careful on the road, and, if anything, yield
— Driving in the city of Antalya is such a thing occupation, narrow streets, lots of cars and no proper parking
That's about it. Tell us about your experience in the comments and ask questions – I will be happy to answer!