Taxi in Istanbul
Answering all the questions a guest of Istanbul may ask about taxis, their rates, and reliable taxi service for your safety and comfortable transportation in our guides.
How to get a taxi in Istanbul: a helpful guide for tourists to navigate the taxi services
Being a large city with a population of over a couple of million people, Istanbul for sure provides its guests with a good transportation network which includes bus lines, metro lines, metro buses, car rentals, and of course, taxis.
It’s almost impossible to go or walk across the city of Istanbul without transportation, and taxis remain among the very convenient options for changing your location in Istanbul. We cannot say that they are among the cheapest transfer options as their fares are often high (yet, considering taxi fees in America, Canada, or the Netherlands, you can call them low). Taxi drivers in Istanbul are tricky enough to try some scams on you to get more money.
There are various types of taxis, and there are different taxi providers available in Istanbul among both local companies and popular international taxi services (like Uber, for example). Navigation in all these peculiarities can be complex for non-Istanbulite tourists, for example for a person from China, Portugal, Italy or Czech Republic, France or Indonesia. Taking into account all these specific features, we created this guide for all Istanbul visitors who want to see how to book a taxi.
*After 5 minutes of wait.
Taxi applications in Turkey
Although locals simply raise their hands to call a taxi, multiple apps can ease taxi booking in Istanbul. The most popular among them are as follows:
- BiTaski which is a local software developed for ordering taxis to various destinations within and beyond Istanbul, for example, to Cappadocia, Izmir, or Antalya. However, you need to verify via your number to use it.
- Uber is everywhere and Turkey is no exception. You can use it the same way as at your home country, i.e., in Miami, Dubai, Argentina, Prague, etc.
- Yandex Taxi provided and set by the main Google competitor also works in Istanbul.
- Taksiyo is a convenient app for a user.
Istanbul’s popular taxi companies
Besides the basic understanding of your rights as a taxi passenger in Istanbul, it’s a must to consider the best agencies you can trust when you need a taxi and where they can be found.
Welcome Pickups: the information about the taxi company
The company offers to book a reliable and trusted driver from Istanbul and to every destination you may need to travel to. Its reps also operate in Greece, Spain, France, and some other countries. The service has its great app, and you can use it in English.
BiTaksi: all you have to know about it
BiTaksi is among online taxi services across Istanbul. Thus, it is well-known as an analog to Uber and Yandex Taxi among travelers whose journey or work flight leads to Istanbul.
iTaksi: let’s discover its best features and consider the rates
iTaksi is a public taxi service in Istanbul. It provides transparent rates and clear distance in km to allow customers to consider the price to pay a driver in advance.
Uber: an international operator with high reliability
If you prefer a taxi operator that has a strong reputation and international recognition, Uber is what you can choose firstly with a clear price and book either in the app or on the website.
How to pay for Istanbul taxi services
It’s bad but most Istanbul taxi drivers accept only cash. Of course, there can be an exception among them, a driver with a payment terminal to pay with your bank card. Yet, it’s rather a miracle in Istanbul’s realities. One more option is to choose an app with integrated payments to get your order paid in advance, or ask your hotel staff to find a taxi which accepts cards or contactless transfers.
Istanbul taxi to and from Istanbul International Airport
The airport is a convenient place to contact various taxi operators right at its facility. Taxi offices are represented throughout the airport’s building, and they offer all ranks of vehicles to people whose trip starts from the Istanbul airport. Yet, the cost is not cheap. For example, the taxi to Sultanahmet will cost you 689 TL, and to Taksim, it is 535 TL. To say confidently, the metro and bus are cheaper.
Istanbul taxi to city centre: let’s visit Sultanahmet and Taksim Square
The price to the city center depends mostly on the point you start from. For example, from Fatih, you’ll pay only 77 TL while the Kadikoy ride costs a minimum of 225 TL.
Istanbul taxi hiring tips for foreign passengers to pick taxis easily
The last but not the less important part of our guide is the section devoted to taxi hiring tips. You are welcome to read them and extract useful info for your successful taxi journeys.
1. Always hire a taxi only in licensed and reputable agencies. Don’t practice street catching, especially, if you do not speak Turkish flawlessly and have no experience in this. 2. Local taxi drivers often trick passengers and make their ride longer to get more money from them. A taximeter is what can save you from extra expenses. 3. Return tolls when you cross bridges or ride Marmaroy won’t be collected from the passenger. 4. If a taxi driver insists on different day and night rates, he scams you. There are no day and night rates.
FAQs
If you still have some questions or an uncertain understanding of Istanbul taxi, let’s unveil them in this section of our guide by answering the general questions usually asked by tourists.
How much are taxi services in Istanbul?
The pricing policy of each taxi company depends on multiple features like the type of car, the distance, the number of bridges they are crossing, and sometimes even on the time of the day (that’s a scam by the way, as day/night tariffs were abolished in Istanbul).
Does Istanbul taxi take credit cards?
Some official operators do accept credit and debit cards and even have POS terminals in the cabin. Yet, a more common situation is when a taxi driver requires liras. Please get a quote for your drive in advance and do not allow taxi drivers to get you scammed.
How to order a taxi in Istanbul?
It’s quite possible to take a taxi right as a pedestrian, but it is better to apply for official taxis. You can find their offices in the new airport, and around the city. Various hotels also provide taxi booking for their customers. Besides, you can order a cab online using one of the taxis’ websites or special applications provided by taxis.
Are taxis safe in Istanbul?
Your safety during taxi transportation will be guaranteed in case if you book an official taxi operator, for example, via a special app. In case you pick up a taxi vehicle on the street, it can be unsafe for you.