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The typical Turkish
taxi is a
five-seat car.
In the largest cities, many taxis
run on clean-burning natural
gas.
All taxis are required to have
digital meters (taksimetre), and
to run them. This doesn't mean they
always do. If your driver doesn't
start the taksimetre,
or tries to haggle at the start of
the trip instead of running it, just point
to the meter emphatically and
say Taksimetre! (TAHK-see-MEH-treh).
It'll probably be cheaper.
(The exception is
for inter-city trips, when
a set fee—usually posted
or printed somewhere—is the rule
and ends up being cheaper.)
The starting fare ("drop
rate") in daytime (usually 7 or
8 am to 10 pm, 11 pm or midnight) is
usually about YTL1.25,
and a trip of several kilometers or
miles may
cost YTL6
to YTL10. At night the
rate is usually 50% higher.
Taxis may also travel between cities or
from cities or airports to resort
towns. For these longer trips of,
say, 10 or 20 km (6 to 12 miles) or
more, set rates may have been established.
If not, you may want to haggle for
an agreeable rate before you begin
your journey.
Turks don't tip taxi drivers,
they round up the fare. If it
ends up being, say, YTL8.75,
a Turk will just round it up to YTL9.
In many cases if the fare is YTL9.25,
the driver will require only YTL9.
As a foreigner,
your driver may assume you'll give
a tip, but you needn't
unless the driver provides some special
service, such
as helping with lots of heavy luggage.
Some taxis are air-conditioned.
Some have safety belts, and
some even have safety belts in working
condition, but don't bet on it.
A useful, cheaper alternative to the
taxi in some situations is the dolmush (shared
taxi or minibus).
To reserve an airport taxi in Turkey,
click here.
About Airport Transfers
Airport
Taxi Reservations
Transport
in Turkey
Travel
Details
Turkey
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