General Information A-Z

Business Hours

Offices and banks are generally open from 09.00 to 17.00 hours from Mondays to Fridays.

City buses

City buses, which are green or red, and private buses, which are blue, run regular routes from such central areas as Taksim, Mecidiyeköy, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy and Bostancı to many different parts of the city.

At bus stops, you will find a list of the hours of departure for different bus routes. On city buses, you can pay with either a paper ticket or an Akbil; on private buses, you can pay directly with money or with an Akbil.

Buses that cross over the Bosphorus and Fatih Sultan Mehmed Bridge require two tickets (a double payment). Passengers who board the bus after it crosses the Bosphorus only have to pay a single ticket price. The same is true on all other bus routes, regardless of how long your journey lasts. The price of a single ticket is 1,3 YTL; if you use an Akbil, the price falls to 1,25 YTL.

Climate

In June the average temperature is 69 F and the highest temperature is 102,6 F.

Currency and Credit Cards and Exchange

The official currency in Turkey is the Turkish Lira (TL). Major credit cards are accepted by hotels, restaurants and shops.
ATMs can be found in even the smallest Turkish cities.
Banks will exchange foreign currency and traveller's cheques with your passport as a proof of identity.
Exchange offices also offer a fast service and usually do not charge commission.

Customs

Turkey is not a part of the European Union so custom formalities are different from other countries in Europe. Please check the web sites www.gumruk.gov.tr or www.tourismturkey.org before sending anything to Turkey.

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Geography

Turkey borders the Black Sea and Georgia and Armenia to the northeast, Iran to the east, Iraq to the southeast, the Syrian Arab Republic and the Mediterranean to the south, the Aegean Sea to the west and Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest. Asia Minor (or Anatolia) accounts for 97% of the country's area and forms a long, wide peninsula 1,650km (1,025 miles) from east to west and 650km (400 miles) from north to south. Two east-west mountain ranges, the Black Sea Mountains in the north and the Taurus in the south, enclose the central Anatolian plateau, but converge in a vast mountainous region in the far east of the country. It is here that the ancient Tigris and Euphrates rivers rise.

Language

Turkish. (French, German and English are widely spoken in cities and tourist areas).

Location

South-eastern Europe/Asia Minor.

Passport & Visa Requirements

A valid passport with an expiry date of at least 3 months, is required for entry to Turkey. Visa information will be sent separately but information can be obtained from your nearest Turkish Embassy or www.mfa.gov.tr

Population

76.9 million people (July 2009)

Taxi

All of the taxis in Istanbul are yellow, and display signs reading taxi (taksi) on their roofs. It is safer to board taxis at official taxi stops. If you do board at a taxi stop, it will be much easier for you contact the taxi driver later if you forget anything in the cab, or for any other reason. You can also stop taxis while they are driving on the streets. The license plate and stop that the taxi belongs to, should be written on the top of the cab. You can take down this information.

The fee for taxi rides is calculated with a taxi meter. The taxi meter begins at 1,73 YTL and increases by 1,25 YTL for each kilometre travelled. The standing-rate is after five minutes 20 YKr per minute. It is important to have change on you when you board a taxi, as drivers will often not have change for large bills. After midnight a fifty percent increase in the taxi rate comes into effect

Tipping

All restaurant prices and taxi fares include service, but good service in the restaurant can be rewarded with a tip. Tipping is at guest's discretion in hotels.

Time

Time in Istanbul is GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) + 2 hours

Tax

18% applicable for food and beverage.

Visas

Turkish visas are required for all non Turkish citizens and are available in advance or from the airport prior to passport control. The cost of a visa varies depending on citizenship – for UK citizens it is £10.00, for EU citizens the cost varies between €10-€15. Visa officials seem to prefer sterling or Euro although some will accept payment in Turkish Lira.

For further information, please visit http://www.turkishconsulate.org.uk/en/visa.htm