Driving and Transport

Importing your car
Unless you plan to bring your vehicle out of Turkey again within 6 months, taking your own transport with you is not recommended. UK vehicles can only be kept in Turkey for up to 6 months, after which time you will need to re-register it which is expensive and time-consuming. If you hold a resident’s permit it is far better to buy a Turkish-registered vehicle.

Registering your vehicle
There are several documents you will need if you want to import any vehicle including: cars, vans, minibuses, station wagons, motorcycles, sidecars, buses, motor coaches, trailers or caravans. These documents are:

Passport

International driving license

Car license (a document where all details relating to the car and the owner’s name are registered). If it is someone else’s vehicle a power of attorney must be provided.

International green card (Insurance card). The TR sign should be visible.

Transit book ‘Carnet de passage’ (for anyone wishing to go on to the Middle East)

These documents entitle you to use your vehicle in Turkey for up to 6 months. You must declare your date of departure at the border gate and leave Turkey by that date. If you have to extend your stay, you must apply before the end of your declared period to:

The Turkish Touring and Automobile Club (Turkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu)
1. Sanayi Sitesi Yani
4. Levent
Istanbul
Tel 090 (212) 282 81 40 (7 lines)
The General Directorate of Customs (Gumrukler Genel Mudurlugu)
Ulus/Ankara
Tel 090 (312) 310 38 80
Fax 090 (312) 31113 46 
 

Documents

Drivers should always carry their vehicle registration, insurance policy and national or international driver’s license (or copies). If you have an accident you will need to produce all three along with your passport or national identity card.

Other forms of travel

Bus – Turkey has an excellent network of bus routes with modern, luxury vehicles. Departures are frequent and you don’t need to reserve seats in advance on most routes.

Train – Most of Turkey’s trains are a good network and are cheap to use.

Plane – internal flights connect major cities and are relatively inexpensive.

Ship – local ferries offer a good service in major locations.