Türkiye 101
The Basics
Türkiye - the 🦃 that we all know very well has changed its official name to Türkiye in June, 2022.
💙Capital: Ankara
💙Country code: +90
💙Time zone: GMT+03:00
💙Language: Turkish
💙Driving side: Driver on the left, keep to right
💙Popular cities for tourists : Istanbul, Izmir, Cappadoccia, Antalya, Bodrum…..etc!
Weather
Since Türkiye is so big, it’s impossible to conclude in a few sentences. But a general rule is, if nearer to the sea, the weather is usually more stable and less difference between day and night. However, if you’re visiting in-land cities (Cappadoccia, Ankara..etc), expect a bigger temperature gap!
Money 💰
Turkish currency: Lira ( ₺)
You can exchange Lira with almost any currency in local "doviz", which means money exchange. They usually don't take commissions. In big cities, they are easy to find and there are usually a few of them in vicinity. But if you are going to smaller towns, make sure to plan ahead.
💱Tip:
I usuallly check a few of them for the rates before I exchange.
How to get around
Buses - In a city
Most cities have their own transport card which are available for that region's buses, metros and ferries, for example:
Istanbul - Istanbulkart
Izmir - Kent kart
Bursa - Bursa kart
You can buy these cards in kiosk or in the metro station. The cards are not refundable so make sure to top up little by little as you go. The top-up machines usually only take maximum 100₺! You can also top up at kiosk or in bus/metro/ferry stations.
Buses - In between cities
Taking the buses in between cities are really common, you can check the time from Obilet. I would suggest downloading their app. Even though it is possible to book tickets online, sometimes the app doesn't accept foreign credit cards. In that case, you can screenshot the time you want and buy it from the bus company you want.
Airplane
Taking domestic airplane in between cities saves a lot of time, but most connections go through Istanbul, so expect a transfer from Istanbul or other major cities. Here are two of the major Turkish companies:
✨Bus or Airplane? ✨
Personally, if the plan is set much earlier beforehand, I would book airplane tickets, but if your plan is much more flexible, or you need to book very close to the traveling date, I suggest you check and compare the prices.
Dolmuş
If you don't want to buy a card, then it's better to take the dolmuş, which you can pay easily with cash. However, it can be a little bit difficult because these kind of minibuses don't have bus stops and you need to ask the locals for help.
Metro
You can find metro in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Adana.
Ferry
For Istanbul, there are two major companies taking you from Europe to Asia and vice versa. You can check the timetables online.
Other than these, there are ferries going to Bursa from Istanbul and through Marmara to Canakkale.....
Helpful Mobile Apps
Mobiett
The App for where to find bus in Istanbul
Trains in Turkiye
Trendyol
One of Turkiye's biggest online shopping platform, particularly useful for those who plan to spent a bit longer time .
Hepsiburda
Another popular online shopping platform. I often compare the prices before I purchase.
Is the water drinkable?
The tap water in Türkiye is hard water, meaning it's rich in minerals, so people usually buy bottled water. But water for showering is fine!
Plugs and Voltage
Generally, they use Type C or Type F plugs, so make sure you have an adapter at hand if you are not from Europe! Standard voltage is 220 V, with a standard frequency of 50 Hz.
Internet
You can purchase SIM card right at the airport or any of the telecommunication companies in any city. Some big companies are Turk Telecom, Turkcell and Vodafone Turkey.
If you want to keep your original number, you can also use e-sim, this is the one I use: Airalo. If it's your first time using this, you can use my code "CHLOE9659" for a $3 discount!
Essential Phrases
Merhaba (mer-ha-ba): Hello
Pardon (par-don) : Excuse me
Özür dilerim: Sorry
Teşekkür ederim: Thank you
Rica ederim: You're welcome
Evet: Yes
Hayır: No
Anlamadım: I don't understand
Hoşçakal: Goodbye (when you’re the person leaving)
Güle güle: Goodbye (when you’re the person sending somebody away)
Tips and Notes
📌When visiting mosques, make sure to dress appropriately. Remove your shoes and women should have a scarf to cover their heads.
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