Driving to and in Istanbul is for the brave and adventurous.
There are around 1.5 cars and vehicles driving along the streets of Istanbul and it is not surprising that you will be honked at and cut off during the drive. You will also have to deal with unfamiliar streets, and if you are used to driving on the left, you also have to make adjustments regarding driving on the right.
That said, driving to Istanbul from Europe is much better now that there are two bridges that lead to the Istanbul – Ankara express. There are also multilane highways that connect this city to some of Turkey’s major cities.
If you want to drive in Turkey, you must have an international driving license, passport and Green Card. The Green Card is obtained from insurance companies. You must have these with you when you are driving.
From the European borders, you can use the Trans European Motorway (TEM), the E-80 and the E-90 to head to Turkey. E-80 is the closest to Istanbul, via Edirne.
The distances from some countries going to Istanbul are:
Amsterdam 1806 km
Athens 1136 km
Barcelona 2913 km
Belgrade 839 km
Berlin 2668 km
Bern 2150 km
Bonn 2367 km
Brussels 2608 km
Copenhagen 2887 km
Dublin 3341 km
Helsinki 3631 km
Lisbon 4180 km
London 2912 km
Luxembourg 2391 km
Madrid 3530 km
Marseilles 2412 km
Milan 1874 km
Munich 1806 km
Oslo 3475 km
Paris 2658 km
Rome 1681 km
Stockholm 3466 km
Vienna 1610 km
These distances are based on driving via the motorway and mountain roads. The distance traveled by car ferries where the cars are in transit are not included.
Here are some rules and guidelines:
- Speed limits – towns – 30 miles per hour, main roads – 55 miles per hour and motorways – 70 miles per hour
- Driving is on the right
- Give way to the right
- For breakdowns and emergency assistance, dial 154. There are phone by the motorways.
- Remember to buckle up and drive safely