ON THE GO
Traveling by plane
Turkish Airlines (TK) (Internet: www.thy.com) fly via Istanbul and Ankara to Izmir, Adana, Trabzon, Dalaman, Antalya and all major cities in Turkey.
On the way by car / bus
According to youremailverifier, Turkey has a well-developed road network. The Istanbul expressway leads over the Bosphorus Bridge to Asia and joins the Istanbul – Ankara motorway. The motorways and the two Bosphorus bridges, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in the north and the Bogazici Bridge in the south, are subject to tolls for journeys from Europe to Asia, the reverse direction is free of charge. The toll system is electronic, so stopping at the toll stations is no longer necessary. The new system means that cash payments are no longer possible. The HGS vignette is available in post offices (PTT) and at rest stops along the motorways.
Since October 2013, an S-Bahn has been connecting the Asian part of Istanbul with the European part of the city through the Marmaray Tunnel under the Bosporus.
There are petrol stations on the main roads at regular intervals that are open around the clock. Maintenance, repair shop and restaurant are mostly connected. Unleaded gasoline is available all over Turkey.
Repair workshops are generally located on the outskirts of large cities and on the main roads. In the event of an accident, it is best to contact the ADAC (see below) or the Turkish Automobile Association Turkish Touring and Automobile Club TTOK (Turkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu), which has a branch in all major cities and holiday resorts as well as at border crossings. The head office can be reached at the following address: Oto Sanayii Sitesi Yani, 4th Levent, Istanbul. Tel: (0212) 282 81 40.
An ADAC international emergency call station has been set up (Tel: (0212) 288 71 90. Internet: www.adac.de). It offers ADAC members and holders of ADAC international health and accident insurance assistance with hotels, rental cars, vehicle or patient repatriation. There are
car rental companies all over Turkey. The local tourist offices can provide more information.
Documents:An international driver’s license is required for stays of more than 3 months. The green insurance card is required. Before leaving, you should check whether the green insurance card is also valid for the Asian part of Turkey. Own vehicles may be imported for a period of up to 6 months per year.
Long-distance bus: All cities in the country are connected to each other by a bus system operated by private companies. The buses run at any time of the day in major cities from the bus stations (Otogar or Terminal)and in small towns mostly from the market place. Bus travel is the cheapest way to get around in Turkey and the bus is often faster to get to your destination than the train. Tickets are available in the branches of the various private companies, either at the bus station or in the city offices. It’s worth comparing prices.
Traffic regulations:
– European directives;
– right-hand traffic;
– alcohol limit: 0.5 ‰,
– international signage;
– Yellow signs indicate natural and historical sights.
Speed limits:
in built-up areas: 50 km / h,
on country roads: 90 km / h,
on motorways: 120 km / h.
Traveling in the city
There is an extensive bus network and metro in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. There are also buses in all other larger towns. You are i. General punctual, modern and easy to use. Tickets are bought at the kiosk and thrown into a container next to the driver. Taxis, shared taxis and minibuses are also available. The numerous taxis can be recognized by their yellow color. There are metered taxis in Ankara and Istanbul. Nevertheless, you should negotiate the fare beforehand, especially for longer journeys. A dolmus is a shared taxi (recognizable by the yellow-black checkered band) that drives on certain routes. Fares are based on the distance traveled and are prescribed by local authorities. In large cities, the dolmus drives to the suburbs, airports and neighboring cities. They’re convenient and cheaper than regular taxis. Despite the prescribed fares, you should be wary of the higher “special prices” that are charged for destinations that are off the usual route, night trips and bad weather.
On the go by train
The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) trains run several times a day between all major cities (Internet: www.tcdd.gov.tr). The best connections exist between Istanbul and Ankara (e.g. with the Ankara Ekspresi), as well as on the main lines from east to west and from north to south (free seat reservation required).
There is a high-speed line between Ankara and Istanbul. The travel time between the two cities is 3.5 hours.
High-speed trains also run on the sections between Eskişehir – İnönü, İnönü – Vezirhan, Vezirhan – Köseköy and Köseköy – Gebze.
Another Turkish high-speed line connects Ankara with Konya. There is now a high-speed line from Eskisehir to Konya. A connecting curve at Polath connects the high-speed lines Eskisehir – Ankara and Ankara – Konya.
Only a few trains have sleeping, couchette and dining cars. Trains do not have air conditioning. The Ankara Ekspresi has modern sleeping cars and the Anadolu Ekspresi has sleeping and couchette cars.
A ticket for an express train connection between Istanbul and Ankara is just as expensive as a ticket for a bus journey on this route. The journey time (9 hours 30 minutes) is the same in both modes of transport on this route. East of Ankara, rail travel is slower and less comfortable.
Tickets are available from TCDD counters and TCDD agencies at train stations. Holders of an ISIC card receive discounts.
On the way by ship
A car ferry regularly crosses the Dardanelles from Gelibolu (Gallipoli) and runs from Çanakkale to Eceabat and from Gelibolu to Lapseki.
The Deniz Cruise & Ferry Lines (website: www.denizline.com/) does not operate in 2009 on its regular route Istanbul-Bodrum.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus: Ferries operate between Mersin – Gazimagosa, Tasucu – Girne and Alanya – Girne. A car ferry connects the cities of Mersin and Magosa.
