Public transportation got its start in the 1800s with horse-drawn cars and the railway, and for this I am extremely grateful. There is something very satisfying about a good public transportation system that gets you from point A to point B with efficiency and timeliness. But if you want to go where you want to go, when you want to go, and stay for as long as you want to stay, you need your own set of wheels.

Could this have been used for public transportation? Maybe…

Renting a car in Turkey is easy and reasonably priced. If you grew up in a smaller town or city, driving in some of Turkey’s larger cities may be a bit harrowing; however, on the whole, driving in Turkey is fairly straightforward.

If you plan to plant yourself in one place I would recommend just using public transportation. Turkey is full of ancient cities, beautiful beaches and mountains, and historical landmarks that are outside of city limits. If you want to get out of town and explore, renting a car is the way to go. Here are five things to know when renting a car in Turkey.

A car makes visiting the banana fields of Anamur, Anatolia’s southernmost point, a bit easier.

1—Rental Companies

There are two types of rental companies in Turkey, corporate and local. Brand names such as Hertz, Budget, and Avis have all set up shop here and offer top of the line car options with low mileage and that “new car” smell. But you will pay for that. Most local companies offer better rental prices and better prices for the extra amenities like additional drivers than the larger corporate companies. However, the cars probably won’t have that “new car” smell and they might have a little wear and tear. I actually prefer this because if the vehicle gets scratched or dinged, it won’t be the only scratch or ding on the vehicle and the rental company doesn’t care. The local cars are still safe and reliable, so I’m all about saving some money.

The Turkish landscape is dotted with little villages.

2—How I Find a Rental Company

Rental car companies are usually centered around the airport or downtown offices. I’m typically starting my journey at the airport, so I check the airport website to see what rental car companies are available. Sometimes I also do an internet search for rental locations that are near the airport but not on the property. These companies will meet you at the airport and complete all of the paperwork and payment on the spot. Again, you can usually save money going this route.

Getting to this ancient hamam would have been difficult without a car.

3—Fuel

The corporate companies will most likely give you a car with a full tank of fuel and ask you to return it with a full tank of fuel. The local companies typically do empty to empty. This actually works out because Turkey has full-service gas stations, so when you go to fill up with gas at the beginning of your trip, you can ask the gas station attendant to check the fluid levels and the air pressure in the tires. That way you know you are setting off on the right foot.

“But I don’t want to waste money on buying too much gas!” you may be saying to yourself. If you have a lot of road ahead of you, I would fill up the tank. It’s easy because when the gas station attendant asks you how much you would like, you can just say “full.” If your trip is a little shorter than you may want to just ask for 100 Turkish lira of gas. That will be somewhere around a half tank of gas.

You can see a shepherd with his dog and herd while cruising around in a rental car.

4—Automatic vs. ManuAl

Most rental cars in Turkey are manual but they do have automatic options available. You just have to pay more.

The ancient city of Dara was hugely important in history but today is located pretty far from any major cities.

5—HGS/OGS

These are the automatic pass systems in Turkey for toll roads. I can’t remember how the corporate rental companies handle using the toll roads but the local companies will have you pay for whatever toll you used when you return the car.

Getting to the ancient cities scattered all over Turkey can be a bit easier with your own set of wheels.

These are five considerations for renting a car in Turkey. I love exploring this country and I hope you have the opportunity to hit the roads of Turkey as well.