Istanbul Taxis
Istanbul has nearly 20,000 yellow taxis that move people around the city throughout the day. Compared to New York City, Istanbul has approximately 7,000 more yellow cabs. Istanbul taxis offer you the chance to move about the city with relative ease and comfort. Taxis journeys in Istanbul can be comfortable and quick.
An Istanbul taxis ride provides you with an air-conditioned break from the city’s hot summertime weather or a dry place during a rainstorm. You will enjoy a stress-free trip riding in one of the city’s many yellow taxis.
While there are advantages to using an Istanbul taxi, there are some disadvantages to the car service. Istanbul has horrendous traffic which can leave you stuck for long periods. In addition, there are unscrupulous taxi drives that scam tourists.
Istanbul Taxis Dilemmas
Traffic congestion is one of the biggest problems tourists face in Istanbul. The traffic around the city causes endless car lines. It is truly a nightmare if you want to get around the city at rush hour times. Every Istanbul taxi is metered. The fare you pay is based on the taxi’s meter which calculates the amount due based on the distance travelled and the journey’s duration.
Many tourists are forced to pay high fees and spend a good chunk of time on the streets stuck in traffic. In addition, Istanbul’s taxi drivers are well-known for overcharging tourists. Many travelers are scammed by drivers who seek to make more money due to being stuck in the congestion.
Of course, being stuck in traffic and overcharged by dodgy taxi drivers are not the rule in Istanbul. It doesn’t always occur and you may have an experience far different than this. Another issue you may find while riding in an Istanbul taxi is the driver’s careless driving. To be honest, most drivers in Istanbul drive rather carelessly.
Despite these disadvantages and dilemmas when using an Istanbul taxi, overall, the city’s cabs provide you with a reliable service. During periods of bad weather or shortages of time for seeing all the sites, Istanbul taxis provide you with a great way to get around the city.
What types of Istanbul taxis are available?
Taxis in Istanbul are separated into three categories: orange taxis, black, and blue/turquoise taxis. The most common taxis in Istanbul are yellow. They have a distinctive “TAXI” sign on the roof of the vehicle. The Yellow “C” taxis are economical cars, so you will ride in vehicles such as a Renault Clio and similar automobiles. The Yellow “C” Istanbul taxis can carry a maximum of four passengers and their luggage. Yellow taxis are the most popular options in Istanbul because they are cheap options.
Blue/turquoise taxis are the next cheapest option in Istanbul. The Blue/turquoise “D” taxis are more expensive vehicles. They afford you a little be more comfort than the economical Yellow taxis. Cars such as Opel Insignia are used as the Blue/turquoise taxis. The taxis have a slightly higher rate than the Yellow cars, which is 15% higher compared to the Yellow taxis.
The Black “E” taxis are the final type of Istanbul taxis. These cars provide more luxury to riders. Black taxis are expensive cars and you will likely ride in a Mercedes or similar vehicle. You will pay for the comfort offered as the price is twice as much as the Yellow taxis.
What is a typical Istanbul taxi fare?
Overall, Istanbul taxi fares are cheap. The fares work on a meter. There aren’t any set prices for your taxi transfer. Istanbul taxis start at a fee of 5₺ (€0.8 / $0.87). The taxis will charge approximately 3.1₺ (€0.48 / 0.53$) per kilometer. For every five minutes of waiting time or waiting on the road, the far will have 0.45₺ (€0.07 / $0.08) added to the total fare.
The minimum cost of riding in an Istanbul taxi is 13₺ (€2 /$2.3). You should note that you will have to pay the fees for all tunnels and tolls during your journey. Keep this in mind when you cross from the European half of Istanbul to the Asian side.
Regardless of the time of day, you will pay the same fee for your Istanbul taxi journey. The city’s taxis no longer charge a nighttime rate and daytime rate. The biggest thing to remember when you using Istanbul taxis is that the final price is heavily affected by the amount of traffic in the city. Rush hour travel may force you to pay a higher fare.
What are the payment methods used by Istanbul taxis?
Cash is king in Istanbul. Despite many major cities around the world accepting credit card when you get into a taxi, you will need cash if you plan to use Istanbul taxis. It is common that taxi drivers in the city won’t have a credit card terminal in their car. Therefore, you will need to pay the fare with cash.
You should always pay your taxi fare with Turkish liras. Taxi drivers could scam you with the exchange rate when paying in euros, pounds, or dollars. If you book your taxi in advance, you may be able to pay with credit card.
Istanbul taxi useful information
- Tipping taxi drivers is not necessary
- Taxi drivers usually round up the final fare
- Use a navigation app to ensure the taxi driver isn’t driving in circles to scam you
- You should have small notes with you as an often taxi drivers’ scam is to change big notes with small ones (for instance you give 50₺ and you are told that you gave 5₺).
- Never agree on a fixed fee unless you are sure of the final cost
- Ensure the taximeter is at zero when you enter the cab
- Never get into cars from individuals with unofficial “taxi” vehicles
- The final fare is calculated per ride, not per person
- Some tourist areas in the city are pedestrian-only, so know your drop-off location ahead of time
- You must pay tolls and fees when you are crossing the Bosphorus bridges from Istanbul’s European side to the city’s Asian portion
- You can hail a taxi from the street, but to avoid scammers, go to a taxi rank to pick up a car
- To pre-book online your Istanbul airport taxi it is always a good idea
To Check price or to Pre-book your Istanbul Airport Taxi please click here