Istanbul Airport (IST)
On the European side, north of the city, around 40 km from Taksim. The natural choice if you are staying in Taksim, Şişli, Beşiktaş or the old city. Cars are handed over around the clock.
Car rental in Istanbul
Pick up a rental car at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) and compare offers from several rental companies in one list. Prices are shown with compulsory traffic insurance, collision cover with an excess and taxes included; fuel, tolls and extras are not. In Istanbul a car earns its keep on day trips — Sapanca, Bursa, Yalova, the Black Sea coast — far more than in the historic centre, where traffic is heavy and parking scarce.
The driver's age affects the price and which cars are available.
Pick-up points
Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW)
On the Asian side. The quicker start for Sapanca, Kartepe, Bursa and Yalova, because the motorways east and south leave from this side of the city. Cars are handed over around the clock.
City pick-up points
Besides the airports, some suppliers hand over cars at offices in the city. Which points are open depends on the supplier and your dates: type your district (for example Taksim or Kadıköy) into the pick-up box and the results show only the points offered for those dates.
Opening hours and available points vary by supplier; the search lists the points offered for the dates you choose.
Requirements for foreign and Gulf drivers in Istanbul
What the rental desk will ask for at hand-over. Each offer shows its own conditions before you book; the points below are the general framework.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Passport | Bring your original passport to the hand-over. The name on the booking, the licence and the credit card should match the name in the passport. Turkish citizens rent with their national ID number instead. |
| Licence and experience | A valid licence held for 1-3 years depending on the car: one year is usually enough for economy cars, while upper-class and luxury cars ask for two to three. The exact rule is listed in the conditions of each offer. |
| Foreign licence and international permit | Visitors may drive in Turkey on a valid foreign licence for up to six months from their date of entry. If your licence is not in the Latin alphabet, carry an international driving permit (IDP) with it. Many Gulf licences already show the details in English as well as Arabic, but some suppliers and traffic checks may still ask for an IDP, so getting one at home before you travel is a simple precaution. |
| Driver age | Usually 21 for economy and midsize, 25-27 for upper class and luxury. Enter the driver's age in the search and the results list only the cars you can rent. |
| Credit card in the driver's name | The deposit is blocked on a credit card in the main driver's own name. Some offers allow renting with a debit card, or without a deposit, as a paid extra; where that is possible it appears among the offer's extras. |
| Deposit amount | The amount varies by car class and supplier and is shown on every car before you book. It is blocked at hand-over and released after the car is returned; depending on your bank, the block can take several working days to clear. |
| Additional driver | Anyone else who will drive must be added to the booking as an additional driver, and the same age and licence rules apply to them. |
Driving in Istanbul
Traffic and timing
Weekday rush hours (roughly 07:00-10:00 and 17:00-20:00) can double journey times, especially on the Bosphorus crossings. Leave early in the morning for day trips and come back after the evening peak.
Tolls are electronic
The Bosphorus bridges, the Eurasia Tunnel and the motorways are toll roads paid electronically through the car's HGS tag; there are no cash booths. Add an HGS package when booking; otherwise the tolls are charged after the rental.
Crossing between the two sides
The European and Asian sides are linked by three bridges — the 15 July Martyrs, Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Yavuz Sultan Selim bridges — and the Eurasia Tunnel for cars. Plan your days so you change sides as rarely as possible; if you are heading to Sapanca or Bursa, picking up on the Asian side (SAW) saves a crossing.
Parking in the centre
Street parking around Sultanahmet, Taksim and Beşiktaş is scarce. Use the paid municipal car parks (İSPARK) and check whether your hotel has parking before you book it.
Choose an automatic
Stop-start traffic and steep streets make an automatic gearbox the easier choice in Istanbul; use the transmission filter in the results.
Returning before your flight
Most offers are full to full: refuel shortly before the drop-off and keep the receipt. Leave extra time for airport traffic and the return check; planning to hand the car back at least three hours before departure keeps things relaxed.
Routes and driving distances from Istanbul
Distances and times are approximate, one way and in normal traffic; allow more on summer weekends and in rain or snow.
| Destination | From | Distance | Driving time | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapanca Lake and Maşukiye | Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) | 100-115 km | about 1.5 hours | Read the guide |
| Bursa | Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) | ~150 km | about 2 hours via the Osmangazi Bridge | Read the guide |
| Uludağ (winter) | Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) | ~185 km | about 3 hours | Read the guide |
| Yalova Thermal | Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) | ~90 km | about 1.5 hours, or by car ferry | Read the guide |
| Şile and Ağva (Black Sea) | Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) | 65-95 km | 1-1.5 hours | |
| Edirne | Istanbul Airport (IST) | ~220 km | 2.5-3 hours |
Plan your Istanbul trip
Guides worth reading before you pick up the car.
- Istanbul Airport transfer guideTaxi, bus, metro and private transfer options from IST into the city — worth comparing before you rent.
- Sabiha Gökçen transfer guideGetting from the Asian-side airport to both sides of the city, with journey times.
- Complete Istanbul guideDistricts, sights, and which days are easier without a car and which with one.
- Istanbul weather guideTemperature and rainfall by month, to plan your day trips around.
- Would rather not drive?With a fixed-price private transfer, the driver meets you in arrivals with a name board and tracks your flight.
Istanbul car rental: FAQ
The questions we are asked most before a rental.
Choose by where you are going: Istanbul Airport (IST) suits stays on the European side, while Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is the quicker start for Sapanca, Bursa and Yalova. Both airports hand over cars around the clock.
Usually not for the historic centre: traffic is heavy, parking is limited, and the tram, metro and ferries reach the main sights. A car pays off on day trips and when you continue to Bursa, Sapanca or the Black Sea coast.
Electronically, through the car's HGS tag; there are no cash booths. You can add an HGS package when booking; otherwise the tolls are charged after the rental.
A valid licence held for 1-3 years depending on the car, your passport, and a credit card in the driver's name for the deposit. Carry an international driving permit if your licence is not in the Latin alphabet. The usual minimum age is 21 for economy and midsize cars.
Yes. Visitors may drive on a valid foreign licence for up to six months from entering Turkey, and Gulf licences are generally accepted when they meet the experience rule for the car class. If your licence shows your details only in Arabic, carry an international driving permit with it; even with a bilingual licence, having an IDP is a sensible precaution.
There is no single figure: it depends on the car class and the supplier, and the amount is shown on each car before you book. It is blocked on a credit card in the main driver's name at hand-over and released after the car is returned, which can take several working days depending on your bank.
The rental on this page is for self-drive cars. If you'd rather travel with a driver, a fixed point-to-point private transfer can be arranged; it is not a flexible, full-day chauffeur rental. Some Istanbul-based tours keep the same private car and driver with you all day if that's what you're after — check the scope on the tour's own page.
Often, yes: some suppliers also have offices in the city. Type your district into the pick-up box (for example Taksim or Kadıköy) and the results show only the points offered for your dates.
Yes, one-way rentals are available and a one-way fee applies. Choose a different drop-off point in the search to see the price for that route.