How to rent a car in Turkey

In recent decades, the Republic of Turkey has made tremendous strides along the path of European development. Here the tourist feels almost like in Europe. Including, car rental in Turkey, which has long become an ordinary phenomenon of local life, does not cause any problems at all. Today this service is provided on the basis of international standards, and therefore is in demand.

Features of Turkish rental

To rent a car in Turkey, you will have to provide the same package of documents as in any other European country, such as Germany. The terms of rent, payment, requirements for tenants and even the form of the contract are identical.

And in this Turkish market, the rules are the same as elsewhere. Moreover, all the world's largest players and numerous Turkish companies are represented there.

Rent terms

Rental is available to persons over 21 years of age with at least 1 year of driving experience. For young drivers (less than 25 years old) there are additional charges (5-7 euros per day).

A deposit in Turkey is required, but in most cases its size is pleasantly small - around 200 euros. As a rule, there are no mileage restrictions, and gasoline and car wash are not included in the price.

Transit car rental in Istanbul and some other big cities is provided by large car rental companies.

GPS-navigator, child seat, sports trunk can be borrowed for an additional fee. There are no recorders, chargers and phone holders in the cars. The first one can be taken from home, and the rest can be bought at Migros or Şok for a couple of euros.

The additional driver option is also paid - from 5 to 15 euros. Car rental with the right to travel abroad is not available everywhere, more often you will also have to pay extra for such an opportunity.

Small rental companies willingly provide cars to people over 18 years old, without a deposit, and they accept payment in cash. But they may be asked to leave a passport (we do not recommend agreeing to this). They are too "scrupulous" about returning a car with an incomplete tank and in a dirty state. Regardless of the city in which the car rental is issued - Adana, Ankara or Erzurum, the conditions will be the same.

Most of the rental cars are white and basic - they are cheaper everywhere. At the same time, more often the client receives a car with a minimum of fuel and is dirty, and the contract necessarily states that the car must be returned clean and with a certain amount of fuel.

Smaller companies take more orders than they can supply. Therefore, during the summer holiday season, the client often gets the car, who managed to offer a higher price.

Required documents

The list of required documents is also standard:

1. Driver's license. It is difficult to say whether Turkey needs international rights. The country has not signed the Vienna Convention, but has joined it, and cars are issued without an IDP. On the other hand, Turkey is one of the signatories to the Geneva Convention, and according to its terms, an international driving license is required. And this means that problems with insurers are possible if something happens.
2. A valid international passport.
3. Electronic booking voucher.
4. Credit card with sufficient amount.

Experience shows that distributors have no questions about Russian rights in Turkey. But this does not mean at all that they will not be, say, in court after an accident.

Insurance

The insurance system in Turkey is European. The basic package in reputable companies is included in the rental price and includes:

• compulsory civil liability insurance Third Party Liability Insurance (TPL) ─ a variant of the Russian OSAGO;
• accident insurance ─ Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). This is an analogue of CASCO, which does not cover damage to wheels, glass, headlights, replacement of keys, towing costs. The franchise is always included in it;
• insurance against theft ─ Theft Protection (TP). It is also characterized by a franchise and strict contractual terms. You cannot throw a car open.

The renter has the option of purchasing extended Super CDW insurance, in which all costs are borne by the insurer. This option assumes a reduced size or zero deductible. The amount on the card is not blocked, but at the conclusion of the contract, they are asked to provide the CVV2 code. In this case, the company itself can withdraw funds if necessary.

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Rental cost

The safest way is to rent a car from well-known international offices that pay special attention to insurance. However, the cost of the service will be higher - from 50 to 100 euros per day, depending on the class of the car. The cost is especially high in busy airports. On the other hand, for example, renting a car at the airport of Antalya or Istanbul allows you to get to nearby resorts with minimal losses.

In local car rental companies, prices for middle class cars range from 40 to 75 euros per day. The cost is reduced by almost half in the autumn-winter season.

You can get a discount for long-term rentals, especially in small offices. Diesel car rental is more expensive, but it is worth considering the fuel price, which will be lower.

Review of popular sites and companies

The most comfortable way to book a car is via the Internet.

International car rental sites in Turkey provide this opportunity:

1. Hertz. The credibility of this rental office is not questioned all over the world. The car can be taken directly at the airport. It is possible to use the Hertz Rent-a-Car mobile application.
2. Avis. The company is considered one of the leaders in the world market. Here you can rent a car of any class for a short / long period and for corporate purposes with good conditions.
3. Budget. It is a partner of many airlines, which allows air passengers to earn bonus miles. It is possible to install a proprietary application on a smartphone running iOS or Android.
4. Europcar. The company offers rental services all over the world. Quality and reliability allow it to be positioned among the best. Here you can get the latest car model and year of manufacture.

If you don't want to compare rates and features, it makes sense to use the services of an aggregator. Such a car rental site accumulates data from several large car rental companies on one site, which is convenient for the user. The most popular companies are:

1. Rentalcars, working with 900 companies in 160 countries around the world.
2. Economy Bookings, which guarantees a selection of 175 thousand cars at 20 thousand rental locations around the world.
3. Auto Europe, which favorably distinguishes itself with round-the-clock Russian-speaking support and the ability to contact a rental point in Turkey to resolve difficult situations.

The client is guaranteed a multilingual platform everywhere, security of payments, confidentiality of the data provided, as well as a wide selection of cars of any class.

Alternatively, you can use the Turkish car sites of large local companies:

1. Sky Car Rental. This company uses European standards for the provision of services: full insurance, unlimited mileage, road support 24 hours a day, the ability to pay by card. The site has an English version.
2. Palace Car Rental. The site supports the Russian language. It is one of the few large Turkish companies offering affordable car rental in Belek.
3. Cizgi. Cizgi is one of the most popular companies in Turkey ─ the number of satisfied customers in percentage terms is close to 96%. Only almost new cars are offered here. There is a Russian-language version, the call center works around the clock.

Prices: fuel, toll roads, parking

The cost of fuel in Turkey is higher than in Russia, but lower than in Europe. Today it is as follows (per liter):

• gasoline: 95th ─ 1.074 euros, 98th ─ 1.08 euros;
• diesel: 1,036 euros;
• gas: 0.632 euros.

Payment for fuel is possible by card or cash (only lira accepted).

Toll motorways are characterized by increased speed limits. For travel, a fee is provided depending on the distance traveled and the class of the vehicle (a passenger car belongs to the first). On average, for 100 km of track, you need to pay from 5 to 30 liras. Free alternatives are usually paralleled.

Bridges over the Bosphorus ─ toll:

1. Bosphorus Bridge (Boğaz Köprüsü). The fare is around 9 liras.
2. Bridge of Sultan Mehmed Fatih (Fatih Sultan Mehmet Köprüsü). The fare is the same.
3. Bridge of Sultan Selim the Terrible (Yavuz Sultan Selim Köprüsü). The fare is just over 13 liras.
4. Osman Gazi Bridge (Osman Gazi Köprüsü). The trip is the most expensive - about 74 liras.

There is a Eurasia tunnel (Avrasya Tüneli) under the strait, the fare on which is just over 23 liras.

Two contactless systems are used for payment:

1. HGS ─ with a windshield sticker. The sticker consists of two parts, one of which is attached in the area of ​​the rear-view mirror. You can buy at offices at the exit / entrance from highways, at the post office and branches of the banks Garanti and Isbank for 35 liras, of which only 30 are for payment. After the purchase, the sticker must be registered ─ fill out a questionnaire at the post office. For the system to work, you need to drive through the gate at a speed of up to 30 km / h. The display will turn green and the amount written off will be displayed.
2. OGS ─ through a special sensor. When driving along the lane marked with a corresponding sign, the system reads the data from the transponder and sends a signal to the traffic light. The device can be purchased at Ziraat, Vakıfbank, İş, Denizbank, Garanti banks for 40 liras.

The cost of the sticker is sometimes included in the rent, sometimes it is suggested to buy it for a higher value. If you drive without a sticker, the board will display the amount not of the payment, but of the fine. It is necessary to visit the post office within 15 days and buy a sticker - then the debt will be written off.

There are no time-limited paid parking lots in Turkey. Municipal inspectors in orange vests and caps charge on the street. The first 15 minutes are free, and in two hours you will have to pay 2-4 lira.

In private parking lots, rates can be 15-20 liras per hour. Indoor car parks may be asked to pay in advance.

Features of traffic rules

In general, traffic rules differ little from Russian ones, as well as road signs. Drivers in Turkey do not like to follow the markings, but they are in no hurry to pass at a red light. Speed ​​limits are the same as in Europe:

• settlement - 50 km / h;
• highway - 90 km / h;
• highway - 120 km / h.

The allowed alcohol level is 0.5 ppm.

The rules for transporting children in Turkey are strict:

• Children under 3 years old must be transported using restraint systems. The airbag must be deactivated during transport in the front seat.
• Children under 12 years old, up to 150 cm tall and weighing up to 36 kg are not allowed to be transported in the front seats.
• Everyone must wear seat belts.

Penalties

Fines in Turkey for traffic violations have been increased since the beginning of the year, but they can be paid on the spot with a 25% discount. The dimensions are shown below:

• over speed:
  • by 10-30% - 235 lire;
  • from 31 to 50% - 488 liras;
  • over 50% - 1,002 lira;
• driving without a license, drunk - 2,021 lire;
• non-observance of the requirements of signs, turning rules, unfastened seat belt - 108 lire;
• did not allow a pedestrian to pass, violated the rules of overtaking, drove on red, used the phone while driving - 235 lire;
• driving while intoxicated - 5167 lire;
• use of anti-radar - 3042 lira;
• fictitious numbers - 5942 lira.

Conclusions

Renting a car gives you a lot of opportunities. If your final destination in Turkey is far from the airport, this is very convenient. If you choose to rent a car in Side, the car can be waiting for you upon arrival in Antalya, from where you can immediately go on your own to your holiday destination.

Consider local considerations. Rental cars in Turkey do not have alarms, so it is better to leave them in guarded parking lots. Always check for a spare tire, fire extinguisher, set of keys, jack, first aid kit, emergency plate, and even license plates before leaving.

There are many rental points, but it is better to make a choice at home. For example, car rental in Marmaris is offered by eight companies, although the town is quite small. Be sure to take the manager's business card with phone numbers. Even without knowing the language, in Viber or What`s Up you can communicate using the Google translator. As a last resort, you can send a photo of a breakdown or a car after an accident.