Safety and Driving Advice for a Road Trip in Turkey (Plus Itinerary Ideas)
- RJ
- 7 hours ago
- 12 min read
Editor's Note: Recently my parents took a road trip around Turkey - just the two of them - and upon their departure someone asked me, "What possessed them to do such a thing!?" This makes me think of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde..."What, like it's hard?"
They certainly discovered some unusual and peculiar driving anomalies and faced challenges with the language, but in the spirit of adventure and with a love for the culture and food of the country, their trip was absolutely worth the headaches they ran into.
Learn about some practical first hand advice from my father and discover the helpful tips that they encountered on their road trip in Turkey below. Enjoy some inspiration from their photos along the way.
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Short on Time?This article focuses on the practical safety and driving advice for couples (especially seniors) embarking on a road trip around Turkey. Topics covered include police checkpoints, signs and systems to watch for, and even how to get gas. Pre-Booking is advised, including:
Now let's get into the advice! |
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Is Traveling to Turkey Safe and Worth it for Seniors?
My wife and I are both seniors and decided to have an adventure by taking a road trip through Turkey in May 2026. Why Turkey you ask? We had a small sampling of Turkish culture and cuisine on a cruise a couple of years ago and said we’d like to come back and explore more of the country.
Everything about Turkey is amazing from the ancient history and cities, to the fantastic food, all the inexpensive shopping, to great people and stunning scenery. You can’t experience all of this by flying from city to city, quick cruise ship stops or limited train destinations. The best way is to hit the road driving.
Our friends said OMG are you crazy. Turkey is a large country that boarders on Syria, Iraq and Iran and they are shooting rockets overhead. They’ll find your dead bodies on the side of the road with your passports and luggage missing.
While seniors definitely need to travel with health and safety in mind (read senior travel tips here), able-bodied and well-traveled adults will find this to be an exciting adventure - without pushing the levels of comfort too much.
Despite all the stress of whether or not Turkey would be safe with the conflicts actively happening in Iran, we forged ahead with our plans with no regrets. Here's what we learned should you decide to hit the road and do the same!
Turkey (Turkiye) 101: Two Continents
Turkey spans two continents: Europe and Asia. Landing at the main Istanbul Airport (IST) puts you in Europe. IST is about 30 miles from downtown Istanbul and at least a 1 hour drive by taxi in bad traffic.
Once you cross the bridge to the east of Istanbul, you are in Asia. SAW is the other Istanbul airport on the Asian side.
Despite what you might think, I didn’t notice any increase in Asian influence or food on the Asian side. It’s still all Turkish and very European to me. There were some Chinese and Japanese restaurants, but they’re far in few between.
Not For Amateurs: The Non-Negotiable Basics for Travel
A Turkey road trip is not for amateurs. You need to be experienced with international travel including finding your way around airports, getting through passport control, driving in foreign countries with a stick shift car, navigating horrible city traffic, using Apple or Google maps, not afraid to use Google Translate and being security conscious for your surroundings.
A smart phone with highspeed Internet data access is an absolute must along with knowing how to use Apple or Android CarPlay for driving directions. Everyone also uses WhatsApp for messaging and communication. Download maps in advance, and consult more tips for driving abroad here.
For information on connectivity and WiFi abroad, check: 5 Easy and Cheap Ways to Make International Calls When You Travel.
Taxi and Rental Cars from the Airport
We decided to take a taxi to the city for a couple of days touring before renting a car from one of the local agencies. The taxi cost the equivalent of $36 one way. You can pay with Visa or local currency. American Express is not widely accepted.
We chose to rent a car from Budget and picked up the car at the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus on the Asian side. It saved us another trip back to the airport and headed us in the right direction.
I didn't need an international drivers license as an American. If they can't read your name and address off your license because of an unfamiliar foreign language, then get the International license before you leave home.
Pro Tip: At the airport, avoid all of the people trying to sell you a taxi ride to the city. Follow the taxi signs to the curb outside of the airport baggage claim and go to the formal Taxi line. The taxis are yellow and there is a dispatcher present to help. You can use Uber but they are not allowed to pickup near baggage claim. You may have to meet them in the parking garage. It’s the same price for either a taxi or Uber.
Turkey Road Trip Driving Itinerary
Our trip took us in a clockwise circle from Istanbul to these cities in this order:
Ankara
Cappadocia
Antalya
KAS
Belcehan Beach
Pumakkale
Kusadasi
Istanbul
We spent 10 days in Turkey and drove a total of 2900 km or 1750 miles with many sites to see along the way.
Sights to See Along the Way
There are so many sights along the way so plan your route starting from Istanbul. Enjoy the Blue Mosque, Cistern, Grand Bazaar and spice markets in Istanbul.
See the hot air balloons at sunrise in Cappadocia, swim in the salt pools at Pumakkale and the enjoy at day beautiful Belcehan Beach.
Don’t miss the ancient cities of Ephesus, Perge and Olympos for some of the best ruins in the world.
Driving along the southern coast is an Amalfi like drive from Antalya to KAS.
Be sure to visit the city of Derinkuyu for an eerier trip into the largest underground city from prehistoric times.
Using sites like Viator for Turkey tours are a good idea for booking tickets in advance to the more popular sites, or for more in-depth tours that typically include guides or meals.
Getting Around
Navigating in Turkey is just like at home. I used CarPlay to sync with Apple Maps. You could also use Google Maps, but be sure to download off-line maps in both programs before you leave home.
Cell coverage is good in Turkey but not everywhere you need it. Offline maps can fill in the gap.
One caution: if you want traffic updates, you cannot use off-line maps and you’ll need a cellular internet connection for traffic.
I also sync’d with my Apple Watch to my iPhone to walk around cities. My apple watch showed the walking directions so you avoid holding your iPhone in your hand. This way you don’t look like a tourist, becoming a pickpocket victim. (Here's some more clever tips for avoiding a pickpocket scenario abroad).
Pro Tip: Be sure you have a good cellular Internet data plan on your smart phone. You need it for just about everything in this country. I estimate about 2 to 5 GB per week depending on usage. You can buy a SIM card in Turkey for internet access at the airport. Downloading maps as you go eats a lot of data.
Also, hotels like to communicate using WhatsApp over the internet. We have T-Mobile on our phones with the international data plan. It works great. Google wireless also has a good international plan for Android lovers.
Good to Note: Driving a Stick Shift
Most rental cars have manual transmissions so be sure you are a good stick driver. This is no place to learn. I always found driving a stick shift a lot of fun, but be ready for traffic in cities, mountainous roads with steep grades, hair pin turns and heavy trucks on the highway.
Driving a stick shift up a steep 8% grade with an underpowered car can be challenging for any driver.
Pro Tip: Rotary or traffic circles are common on city roads. The Turkish law says the car in the rotary has the right of way over entering vehicles. This maybe true but not how it works. Cars entering the rotary will cut you off and not yield. Turkish drivers are very impatient and will be aggressive when they can. They like to speed and pass you when possible.
Don't Get Caught Off Guard: Police Checkpoints
There were police checkpoints along many of the roads in the middle of the day. They block off the road and flag over cars. I got stopped once and in my best American accent greeted the officer with a smile. He asked where I was from and for my driver’s license. He checked my license then signaled me to proceed. I’m not sure what they are checking for. I wasn’t speeding or drinking.
Radar Traps and Speeding
There were some radar traps and speed cameras along the way. A couple of times oncoming traffic flashed their headlights to warn us for police presence. The speed limits are not posted very often. The speeds vary from 30 km/h to 140 km/h depending on the road. Police use unmarked black cars on the motorways and pull cars over for speeding. We also saw empty speed camera cars that were white and parked on the side of the road.
EDS System
There is also another traffic control system called EDS. It’s a electronic surveillance system. These are automated traffic monitoring systems along the on streets and highways to dectect traffic violations.
Apparently, it snoops on everything and even checks to see if you’re wearing a seatbelt! When you get near a EDS camera, sign shows a picture of a an old fashion box camera with EDS written on it. I have no idea of how the system works. Just beware when entering a surveillance zone.
Flat Tires (!!)
There is no spare tire in the rental car. The car comes equipped with a mandatory emergency kit and a tire repair kit that includes an inflator and some form of tire sealer liquid. The instructions were in Turkish so I just prayed for no flats along the way. You can also call the rental agency and they are supposed to come and save you. One of the reasons why you need a phone that works in Turkey.
Toll System
The main Turkish roads are modern and in very good condition but use a toll system called HGS which is automatic and works with a RFID windshield sticker in your car.
The rental cars come with the HGS sticker already installed.
The rental car agency bill you later and take a $100 deposit at time of rental. All you need to do is drive to the toll both with the green HGS sign and wait for the gate to open. I didn’t see any options to pay cash or use a credit card.
The tolls are expensive! I got a bill for $463 in tolls for our trip - yikes.
Pro Tip: Do not take any side roads to avoid the tolls. Many of the smaller roads are dirt, unimproved and rural. A lot of city roads were under construction that slow you down. My advice is to pay the tolls. It's not worth the aggravation or added risk driving in city traffic.
The Gas Station Head-Scratcher
Sooner or later you are going to need to stop and get gas. Gas stations and rest stops are plentiful throughout Turkey and no gas shortages noticed.
Regular gasoline is called BENZIN 95 or 98 for premium and has a green handle on the pump.
Diesel is called Motorin and sometime Dizel or Mazot. It has a yellow handle on the pump. BENZIN 95 was 68 Turkish Liar per liter avg or $5.30 per gal.
No Self Service Gas
There are no self-service gas stations. An attendant will pump for you and even wash your windshield if you want.
Just say the word “full”, point to the gas pump and they get the message or waive the cash you want to spend. Be sure to fill your car up with the right fuel.
After the car is full, they usually will give you a receipt that you pay inside the shop.
Most newer gas station have a 7-11 type store attached where you can buy coffee, drinks, snacks and use the restroom. Give the gas receipt to the cashier, pay your bill (I always used Visa) and the cashier will give you a paid receipt to give back to the outside attendant.
A couple of times, the attendant took the card payment right at the pump. They’ll gesture to you on where they want you to pay.
Booking Hotels for a Road Trip in Turkey
Before leaving home, you need to book your hotels in advance. There are many great and inexpensive places to stay. Treat yourself and include a full Turkish breakfast when you can. It’s an amazing experience not found elsewhere.
Be sure your hotel offers parking which is hard to find in most cities.
Good to Note: For last minute changes or bookings we found out that Booking.com isn’t allow to operate from inside Turkey. You can use this popular booking tool from home but you can't book or make any changes from inside Turkey.
We ended up calling my daughter in Florida to book us a room for an unplanned stop. There may also be other websites that are blocked so plan your stops ahead.
Language Challenges
Spoken Language didn’t seem to be a problem. Turkey is very acquainted with tourists from all over the world speaking many different languages.
Most restaurant menus come in English or have a QR code (use your smart phone) to scan for another language.
Hotel and service staff spoke very good English.
However, signs along the road are written in Turkish and mostly unreadable. The word on a stop sign is DUR. Turkey also uses most of the accepted International road signs you find in Europe. I suggest you familiarize yourself the international road signs before you leave home.
Money
Bring some Turkish money from home (here's more on currency exchange questions).
Turkey uses the Lira which today is 46 Lira to a dollar. There are ATMs and money changers on the street that offer competitive exchange rates.
Surprisingly, many places even accept Euros and US dollars.
Credit cards are welcomed in most places, with Visa and MasterCard being the preferred choices. AMEX is also accepted at some hotels and restaurants.
Cash sometimes gets you a small discount. You should use cash with street vendors, at flea markets and for small purchases.
Credit Card Cheats
Be very careful when paying with a credit card. Never let go of your credit card. They will bring a credit card machine to you and type in the amount to be charged. Double check the amount they type into the machine. More than once, it was the wrong amount on the high side and I politely asked them to correct the amount.
I never pulled my credit card out of my wallet. I used my Apple watch or iPhone wallet and tapped to machine to pay.
Smoking
One last observation is that 90% of the adults in Turkey smoke. They allow smoking in public buildings and restaurants. If you can't stand smoking, try to sit upwind or outside in a restaurant.
Turkish Food
Food choices in Turkey are very similar across the restaurants. I suggest you go to a Turkish restaurant near your home and try some of the food offerings before the trip.
I like Turkish food. It’s not spicy and always full of fresh ingredients and vegetables. A full Turkish breakfast is not to be missed.
For those missing home or in the need for a quick lunch, McDonalds, Burger King and Popeyes are easily found along the roads and at rest stops. The McDonalds coffee was excellent for a togo cup in the car.
Top TakeawaysMy motto is that you can’t have an adventure if you don’t do something adventurous. A road trip throughout Turkey certainly counts as an adventure. Do your internet research on things to do and sights to see, map out a route, hit the road and enjoy your adventure. Don't Forget To Book:
Read Up On These Tips Before You Go: |
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