Know before you go: Turkey

As of 2026, ordinary passport holders from the United States, United Kingdom, all EU member states, Canada, Australia and New Zealand enter Türkiye visa-free for tourism for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, according to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This exemption list has kept growing: China joined the exemption list in January 2026, and other large nationalities such as Japan, South Korea and the Gulf states (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain) are also exempt for up to 90 days. One independent tracker counts 88 nationalities that can enter Türkiye without a visa for up to 90 days, and 8 more that can stay visa-free for 30 or 60 days, so coverage is broad but not universal.

Travellers from India and South Africa still need a visa. South Africans must apply for an e‑Visa, and South African passport holders must obtain a Turkey e-Visa before travelling. For Indian citizens, the e-Visa allows up to 30 days of stay within a 180-day validity period, and the fee is shown and paid only through the official portal, evisa.gov.tr.

The 90‑day allowance works like the Schengen rule: it is total presence counted across all entries in a rolling 180‑day window, not a per‑trip allowance that resets when you cross a border and come back. Overstaying has real consequences. Fines are calculated by nationality group and length of overstay, and unpaid fines can block departure and trigger an entry ban of 3 months to 5 years. Even short overstays are penalised, as even 1 day results in a fine, and longer violations scale up sharply, with 3–6 months overstay resulting in a 3-month ban, up to 12 months a 6-month ban, up to 24 months a 1-year ban, up to 36 months a 2-year ban, and over 36 months a 5-year ban.

Important: rules change by nationality and by year, so always confirm your specific requirement before booking. The only official e‑Visa site is evisa.gov.tr; any other domain is a paid intermediary at best, since evisa.gov.tr is the only official site, and any address that does not end in .gov.tr is a reseller or scam. Cross‑check against your own government’s travel advisory and Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs page before you fly.

Istanbul’s public transport network (metro, tram, bus, funicular, Marmaray and ferry) runs on a single reloadable smart card, the Istanbulkart. As of 2026, the price of a blank Istanbulkart is 165 Turkish Lira, which is a non-refundable card fee, separate from any travel credit you load. Istanbul fares rose by about 10% on 20 July 2026, putting a standard full-fare Istanbulkart ride at 46.20 lira, and further rides within about two hours are progressively discounted. Avoid single-use tokens if you can, since a single-use ticket without a card is noticeably more expensive per ride than the card fare.

Buy the card from the yellow Biletmatik machines at the airport or any metro, tram, ferry or major bus station; you don’t need exact change, since inserting more than the card price automatically loads the remainder as travel credit. Contactless bank and credit cards can also be tapped at the gates, but each ride is charged at the price of a single-use BİRgeç ticket, which costs more than the Istanbulkart fare. For inter‑city travel, domestic flights, intercity coaches and high-speed rail (YHT) connect major cities efficiently; taxis and ride-hailing apps are common in Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya, but confirm the meter is running or agree a fare in advance.

The currency is the Turkish lira (TRY); prices at restaurants, shops and on public transport are set in lira, and by law the lira is the only legal tender, even though some tourist-facing businesses quote in euros or dollars. Cards are widely accepted in cities and tourist areas, with Visa and Mastercard the most common and contactless payment increasingly standard, but cash still matters for small roadside cafés, tea houses, street stalls, and much of the Grand Bazaar.

ATMs (“Bankamatik”) are everywhere and dispense only lira; banks typically charge their own handling fee. Always choose to be billed in lira rather than your home currency at ATMs and card terminals, since dynamic currency conversion offers usually carry a hefty markup. A major 2026 change for diners: under a regulation published in the Official Gazette on 30 January 2026, businesses are no longer permitted to charge customers compulsory fees beyond the listed price, eliminating mandatory service charges, table fees, cover charges and similar add-ons. The price shown on the menu is now the final price, and anything beyond it can only be a voluntary tip, so query any “service” line that still appears on your bill. Small cash tips remain customary for porters, taxi drivers and guides.

Turkey’s geography makes “best” itinerary-dependent, but shoulder seasons suit most travellers. High season runs June to August along the coast; April–May and September–October bring the best weather and fewer crowds; November–March is cold in most regions but good for winter sports. For sightseeing, April, May, September and October are pleasantly warm for touring ancient sites, while the hot summer months favour beach time over long days at ruins. Cappadocia balloon rides and Istanbul’s mosques and museums are especially enjoyable in the cooler shoulder months, and winter brings skiing at resorts like Palandöken and Uludağ plus a quieter Istanbul. Whenever you travel, check the Islamic and national holiday calendar, since these are peak domestic travel periods with higher prices and possible closures.

Turkey’s main, unified emergency number is 112, and Turkey has unified its emergency services under this single line, so the same call reaches ambulance, police, fire and other urgent response. Older direct lines still work in most areas and route into the same system, including 155 for police, 110 for fire, 156 for gendarmerie (rural areas), 158 for coast guard and 122 for AFAD disaster response, but 112 is the one number to remember everywhere. The line is free and works even without credit on your phone. Other useful direct lines include the Traffic Hotline (154) and the Family, Women, Children and Disabled Social Services Advice Line (183) for non-emergency welfare concerns.

General safety tips: keep digital and paper copies of your passport and visa/e-Visa, use hotel safes rather than carrying large amounts of cash, and check your own government’s current travel advisory for region-specific warnings, including areas near the Syrian border, before finalising your itinerary.