Rent a car in Turkey

Not with most local Turkish suppliers. They typically accept debit cards for the online booking and allow the balance and deposit to be settled in cash on arrival, in USD or EUR. International chains in Turkey still tend to require a credit card in the main driver's name and rarely accept cash deposits, so it's worth filtering for local suppliers if a credit card isn't an option.

HGS is a fully electronic toll system covering Turkey's motorways, paid bridges and certain tunnels. A chip sticker is already mounted on the windscreen of most hire cars; at toll points you slow down slightly and the charge is deducted automatically. Cash booths no longer exist. Total toll charges are usually invoiced as a single line on the final bill at the end of the rental.

Deposits depend on the car class and the supplier. Economy cars usually start from $100, midsize from $200–500, and minivans up to $500. With several suppliers there is no deposit at all; with others, the deposit is waived when full coverage is taken. Choosing this configuration at the booking stage is more straightforward than trying to negotiate it on collection.

In most cases, no. Cross-border travel from Turkey is not permitted by the majority of suppliers. That includes Greece, Bulgaria, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria. If your itinerary involves crossing into a neighbouring country, the practical approach is to drop the car on the Turkish side and continue with a separate rental or local transport from the border.

Yes, between major airports and cities — Istanbul, Antalya, Izmir, Dalaman, Ankara — most suppliers offer one-way rentals. The relocation fee scales with distance and typically starts from around $200–300. Stock for these journeys runs out faster in the high season, so booking in advance avoids disappointment.

The general limit is 0.5‰. However, if there is any passenger in the vehicle, the limit drops to zero — effectively requiring the driver to be entirely sober. Anything above the limit at the time of an accident voids any insurance policy, including Full coverage and Super coverage, and carries a substantial fine.

Most suppliers require drivers to be at least 22 years old with a minimum of two years' driving experience. Premium and 4x4 categories often start at 25. For drivers under 22 or 23, some suppliers will still arrange the rental but apply a young driver surcharge — typically around $10 per day.

Most European licences are accepted in Turkey on their own. UK government guidance recommends carrying an International Driving Permit alongside the domestic licence as a precaution, though it is not strictly required for short visits. For licences in scripts other than the Latin alphabet, an IDP is sensible.

Don't move the vehicle. Photograph the damage and the wider scene, contact the rental supplier and call 112 if the situation is serious. A police report is needed in Turkey for almost every incident — without it, insurance typically doesn't apply. The supplier will then guide the formal handling and the insurance side from their end.

Often, yes. Many local Turkish suppliers apply a 150–250 km daily mileage cap, with each kilometre over the limit charged separately. For longer routes — the coastal drive from Antalya to Fethiye, or a trip to Cappadocia — choosing an unlimited-mileage tariff at booking is the more practical option. The setting is filterable when comparing cars.

The body, wheels, glass, bumpers, lights and interior are best filmed on a short video. Check the fuel level and the presence of the HGS sticker, the first-aid kit and the warning triangle. Any noted damage should be marked on the contract before driving away. The whole process takes a couple of minutes and removes most disagreements at return.

Generally, yes. Both petrol and diesel typically run noticeably below the prices in Greece, Italy and most of Western Europe — often the difference funds a meaningful share of the trip's driving budget. Diesel is the cheaper option per kilometre in Turkey and is usually preferred for long-distance and mountain routes.