 | | Renting a car in Istanbul – Touring Around Like the Turkish | | | Rental companies include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, Nationa, Sixt, Thrifty, and more. Most rental companies have offices at Ataturk International Airport and slightly less have agencies at Sabiha Görkçen International Airport. There are also Hertz Budget and Avis rental locations inside the city in the Bagdat Caddesi neighborhood.
With over 2 million cars on the roads daily, driving in Istanbul means dealing with heavy traffic. It’s a good idea to rent a smaller car as many of the streets are quite narrow and crowded. Most of the speed limits in town are 50 km/h, 90 on the highways and 120 on the expressways.
Serious traffic accidents are a regular occurrence and drivers should take particular care on the roads. Many people do not signal at all when driving, and frequently people run red lights. When your light turns green, make sure to check that you are clear. Also, be aware when driving in the rightmost lane that the emergency lanes are often used by fast drivers. If you happen to get in an accident, do not move the car, even if there was no major damage.
Parking in Istanbul can be a challenge, but many hotels offer a guarded parking area for their guests. “No parking” in Turkish is spelled “Park yapilmaz”. | | | |  | | |
