Taxis are pretty cheap and easy to find in Turkey as they are all bright yellow in color and have a sign on the top that reads Taksi.
Their identification numbers are printed on the front and back license plates as well as on the sides and on the roof.
Besides simply walking up to a parked taxi or waiving one down, you can also call the local taxi stand and have a taxi come to you. You may also find taxi buttons placed near popular locations, just press and wait.
The vast majority of taxi drivers in Turkey are honest, hard working people who won’t cheat you. Some are extremely helpful and will go out of their way to help you.
Taxi rides in Turkey however, can sometimes border on scary with some drivers driving fast and generally thinking that the roads belong to them, they tend to weave in and out, and sometimes, this can be a little hair-raising for some foreign passengers. This is just the way it is though, but, if you are uncomfortable you can say ‘Yavas’ to the driver and hopefully he will slow down a bit.
All taxis in Turkey are required to have a digital meter. Always make sure this is used and is started at the beginning of your journey. The exception is for inter-city travel when a set fee is given. This fee is usually posted or printed somewhere.
As of 2021 the starting fare can be between 5TL- 8TL depending on the province and this fare goes up by each kilometer travelled.
Taxis also travel between cities and from airports to resort towns. For these trips of say 10 – 20km (6- 8 miles) or more, set rates may have been established. If not, you can haggle for an agreeable price before you set off on your journey.
The Turkish people don’t tend to tip taxi drivers, normally they will just round up the fare. If it’s say, 9.00TL they will give 10TL. As a foreigner, your driver may automatically expect a tip, but unless they have helped you with heavy luggage or given a special service, there is no need to tip.
Turkish drivers in resort areas will often know enough English to understand your requests. Some taxis have air conditioning and some have seat belts but don’t bet on them working.
Also, in resort areas or cities, a much cheaper alternative is the local bus or ‘Dolmus’ in Turkish. These are pretty much a shared mini bus that has a specific route but will happily drop you off at an available and safe place.