General Information

About roads, speed limits, mandatory car equipment, and some traffic rules requirements. In the sections below, you can read more detailed information about toll roads, petrol cost, parking, speed limits, etc.

	payment for roads based on the distance traveled at special control points
	within a settlement - 50 km/h outside settlements - 90 km/h on the highway - 110 km/h on the motorway - 120 km/h low beam headlights are mandatory
	maximum alcohol level 0.5 ‰ talking on the phone while driving - prohibited
	winter tires are not mandatory, chains are allowed if they do not damage the surface, studded tires are prohibited
	mandatory equipment: emergency stop sign, first aid kit, fire extinguisher,
	seat belts are mandatory for all passengers for transporting children - child seat/booster seats are mandatory for children up to 135 cm tall

Toll Roads

Travel on Turkey's highways requires payment based on the distance traveled. The toll amount depends on the vehicle category. Separate payment is required for crossing bridges over the Bosporus.

Cost of passage through certain sections of highways:

Payment using HGS

HGS = Hızlı Geçiş Sistemi "High-Speed Pass System": The high-speed system allows you to pass through the toll road area at highway speeds. The toll is automatically calculated when you pass through the collection points.

OGS = Otomatik Geçiş Sistemi "Automatic Pass System": a slow automatic toll collection system where you pass through the collection points at a slower pace, and your transponder can pay the toll when entering automatic gates.

It is planned that the HGS system will replace the OGS system in the future. Therefore, we recommend using the HGS system.

Practically on all toll highways and toll bridges, such as the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, you cannot pay in cash or by credit card. You must be registered in the automatic toll payment system HGS. This means that the car you are driving must have either a sticker with an electronic chip or a transponder (a small plastic device) installed on the upper part of the windshield in the center. These devices communicate with the toll tracking equipment installed above the roadway, record the passage of your car (via the license plate), and deduct the toll from your car's account.

If you are renting a car, it must be equipped with an HGS sticker or OGS devices. Check for it at the time of rental and clarify which one!

Note that the car rental company may charge a fee for using this toll pass sticker or transponder.

If you are entering Turkey in a car registered in another country with foreign license plates, you can stop at the first PTT office you come across, provide a copy of the vehicle registration document, pay a nominal registration fee for the HGS system, and receive an HGS registration sticker/tag or an HGS registration card. Be sure to attach it to the top center of the windshield, as it identifies you in the HGS system, and keep the other part of the sticker until the end of your trips in Turkey.

Sticker Price (in Turkish Lira TRY): 5 (€ 0.16)
Card Price (in Turkish Lira TRY): 15 (€ 0.48)

After this, you must top up your HGS account with a minimum credit that will be used to pay tolls.

You can also register for HGS at participating Shell gas stations.

Note that you cannot pay the toll amount through any website. It must be paid only at PTT post offices, Shell gas stations, and at Garanti Bank. Websites claiming to credit your HGS account are fake, and you will lose your money.

About the HGS system: https://www.kgm.gov.tr/

How to make sure the payment worked?

When approaching the toll point, you must reduce your speed to 30 km/h and only pass through the lane marked "HGS." If you drive too fast or pass through another lane, the scanner may not work, resulting in a fine. The scanner is located on the left side of the road and looks like a camera.

If the green light flashes, the scanner has recognized the sticker, and the amount to be debited is displayed on the display;

If the yellow or red light comes on, it means the scanner could not recognize the sticker.

Nevertheless, continue driving forward, but at the first opportunity, check your balance. No fine is imposed for 15 days. If you did not have time to pay the toll, you can do it after 15 days on the website of the Turkish Tax Office: https://dijital.gib.gov.tr/hizliOdemeler/yabanciAracOdemeleri

Bosphorus Bridges in Istanbul

The bridges over the Bosphorus – the Bosphorus Bridge (Boğaz Köprüsü) and the Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror Bridge (Fatih Sultan Mehmet Köprüsü) – connect the European and Asian parts of Istanbul. Both bridges are for vehicles.

Bosphorus Bridge on Google Maps
Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror Bridge on Google Maps

Tolls are only collected when traveling from Europe to Asia on both bridges. Cash payment on the Bosphorus Bridge was discontinued in 2006, and on the Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror Bridge in 2008.

Current tariffs for all types of vehicles: https://www.kgm.gov.tr/

Sultan Selim the Grim Bridge

The Sultan Selim the Grim Bridge (Yavuz Sultan Selim Köprüsü) is the third bridge across the Bosphorus, located north of Istanbul. It has 4 lanes for cars in each direction (8 lanes in total) and two railway tracks.

Sultan Selim the Grim Bridge on Google Maps

Current tariffs for all types of vehicles: https://www.kgm.gov.tr/

Osman Gazi Bridge

The Osman Gazi Bridge (Osman Gazi Köprüsü) is a suspension bridge across the Gulf of Izmit in the eastern part of the Sea of Marmara. It is located approximately 50 km southeast of Istanbul. The bridge has 3 lanes for vehicles in each direction (6 lanes in total).

Osman Gazi Bridge on Google Maps

Current tariffs for all types of vehicles: https://www.kgm.gov.tr/

Çanakkale 1915 Bridge

The Çanakkale 1915 Bridge (1915 Çanakkale Köprüsü) is a suspension bridge in northwestern Turkey. Located south of the towns of Lapseki and Gelibolu, the bridge crosses the Dardanelles Strait approximately 10 km south of the Sea of Marmara.

Current tariffs for all types of vehicles: https://www.kgm.gov.tr/

Eurasia Tunnel

The Eurasia Tunnel (Avrasya Tüneli) is an underwater road tunnel in Istanbul that crosses the Bosphorus Strait, connecting the Asian and European sides of the city. It has 2 lanes for vehicles in each direction at different levels.

Tolls for passage through the Eurasia Tunnel in Turkish Lira (TRY)

Payment for passage through the Eurasia Tunnel is made using the modern free flow system. HGS systems can be used at toll collection points; to ensure a seamless journey, the system does not offer alternatives such as cash or credit card.

Passage through the tunnel with vehicles with trailers is prohibited!

Current toll rates for the tunnel: https://www.avrasyatuneli.com/en/tolls/

Speed Limits

Standard speed limits in Turkey (unless otherwise indicated on road signs).

Cars, Motorcycles:

• Within urban areas – 50 km/h
• Outside urban areas – 90 km/h
• On highways – 110 km/h
• On motorways – 140 km/h

Cars with Trailers:

• Within urban areas – 50 km/h
• Outside urban areas – 80 km/h
• On highways – 85 km/h
• On motorways – 90 km/h

Motorcycles:

• Within urban areas – 50 km/h
• Outside urban areas – 80 km/h
• On highways – 90 km/h
• On motorways – 100 km/h

Minimum speed on motorways is 40 km/h

Dipped Headlights

Dipped headlights are mandatory during the day only in conditions of poor visibility (snow, heavy rain, fog) and when passing through tunnels.

Cost of Petrol in Turkey

Parking in Turkey

In Turkey, there are no time-limited parking zones. Inspectors patrol the streets and collect parking fees on the street. Most cities have garages and public parking lots. In central areas of large cities such as Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara, there is a shortage of parking spaces.

Parking in Istanbul is very diverse, ranging from open parking lots to open-air parking spaces and street parking. In areas like Sultanahmet, parking is usually free (but hard to find), while in business and entertainment districts such as Taksim, Beşiktaş, Nişantaşı, Mecidiyeköy, there are various options at different prices.
The cost of parking in Istanbul is generally much lower than in many Western countries, averaging around 5 lira (0.16 euros) per hour with a discount for longer stays.

Parking fines for unauthorized parking - TRY 436 (€14).
Violation of parking rules in spaces designated for disabled vehicles - TRY 873 (€28).

Insurance

For traveling abroad, a Green Card insurance policy is mandatory. Policies are valid for 15 days, 1 month, 2 months, etc. monthly up to 1 year.
We also recommend having a medical insurance policy insurance abroad.
And to drive on the territory of Ukraine, you need to have a valid motor vehicle policy.

Calculation of insurance cost

Stay abroad:

15 days 1 month 2 months 3 months 6 months 9 months 12 months

Green Card Price:

1002 UAH

Order a policy

You can check the validity of the Green Card policy through the service of the Motor and Transport Bureau of Ukraine:
Checking the validity of the policy Green card

Mandatory Equipment

Equipment required to have in the car:

	Emergency stop sign
	First aid kit
	Fire extinguisher

Winter Tires, Studded Tires, Chains

	Winter tires are not mandatory. It is recommended to use winter tires when traveling to mountainous regions and in the eastern part of the country. Turkish legislation requires vehicles to be prepared for winter weather conditions (presence of a continuous layer of snow or ice on the road). In this case, the use of winter tires is mandatory.
	Use of chains is allowed where their use does not damage the road surface.
	Studded tires are prohibited.