Taxis in Turkey are notorious for cheating and scamming,sometimes they will pretend they got lost, won’t stop just to wrack up the meter. They will turn the meter off quickly so you don’t see the final price. They can pretend to not have change so always carry small bills for taxi rides. Always turn on your GPS so they know that you know where you are going.
It’s easy getting around Turkey. If you’re on a super budget but have lots of time on your hands you can take buses which are about $10-$20 each way. However, if you book ahead of time you can book flights for $20-$60 each way within Turkey. This is likely the best way to travel because you’ll save time and energy.You can also arrange airport shuttles with your hotel/homestay for about $12 USD each way.
A Few Tips to Save Your Money When You Take a Taxi in Turkey
Make sure the taxi driver starts the meter. If the meter does not activate on the first departure, you will likely be charged a higher amount than you should have paid when the route ends. Since taximeters are calibrated periodically, you have a much lower risk of being scammed when the meter is activated. The taxi driver can give a fixed price, do not accept it. The amount on the taximeter will probably be much cheaper.
Double check the taxi driver’s route with navigation, warn him in case of irrelevant situation. Unfortunately, many taxi drivers in Turkey may want to take you through pointless ways to earn more money.
What About Taxi Prices?
For major cities in Turkey, you can find the starting taximeter prices and the Price Per Kilometer (PPK) taxi prices below.
| Istanbul | Start | 4 TL | PPK | 2.5 TL |
| Ankara | Start | 4 TL | PPK | 3 TL |
| Antalya | Start | 3.75 TL | PPK | 3 TL |
| Izmir | Start | 3.9 TL | PPK | 3 TL |
To summarize briefly, one should be careful when using a taxi in Turkey. Keep the above tips in mind if you need to take a taxi. If you have a problem with the taxi driver, do not hesitate to call the police – 155 from any phone.The safest taxi journey you will make in Istanbul will be with the taxis you get from the stops.
