Frequently Asked Questions - Turkey

What is the time difference?
Turkey is on GMT + 2 (daylight saving = GMT +3 and operates between late March to late September). This means generally that Turkey is 1 hour ahead of European and 2 hours ahead of the UK standard times. Still it is a good idea to check the local time when you arrive in Turkey and adjust your watch accordingly.

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What is the Mains supply voltage – are adaptors needed?

The Turkish mains power supply is 220 Vac 50 Hz. The standard Wall sockets take two round pin plugs, similar to the one used in many European countries. You will need an adapter if you intend to use appliances not fitted with this type of plug; it is a good idea to bring a suitable adaptor with you as this may be difficult to find locally.

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What should I take?
Most goods, including holiday essentials, i.e. sun tan and after sun lotions, insect and mosquito repellents, etc. are available in the larger resorts and supermarkets. Bringing these items with you may not only you save time but it will also ensure that you will have your preferred brands – if you are flying, remember not to pack these in your cabin luggage.
A wide-brimmed sun hat is good to have also it is a good idea to have a photocopy of your passport and if you are driving a copy of your license, keep these on you as a means of ID and leave the originals in a secure place. Losing or having the originals stolen can spoil your holiday experience.

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Will I be able to use my mobile phone in Turkey?
Yes – providing your phone is international roaming enabled.
The 3 main GSM operators in Turkey are Turkcell, Avea and Telsim and all GSM operators have roaming agreements with international operators, but remember to check with your provider regarding the actual roaming costs.

If you intend to stay for a while and / or expect to be making a significant number of calls whilst in Turkey you may consider purchasing a local prepaid line to use during your stay. These can be purchased form one of the many mobile phone shops and “topped up” as required by purchasing credits (Kontor Kart) from newspaper booths, grocery stores and many other outlets, you could make a significant saving.

Generally speaking, mobile phone coverage throughout Turkey is very good – there may be some problems in some of remote or mountainous areas though. Also remember that even though you are dialing a local number from one of the local GSM Networks the number you dial must be in the full international dialing format.
I.e. the number should be prefixed by 00 90 and you should drop the first 0 from the area code of the number you are dialing.

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What is the local currency?
The official currency in Turkey is the New Turkish Lira (YTL – Yeni Turk Lirasi) which is sub divided into New Kurus (Yeni Kurus) 100 YKr = 1 YTL, Images of the Notes and coins can be found here.
http://www.tcmb.gov.tr/ytlkampanya/banknotes/banknotes.htm

The YTL is internationally traded and can be purchased in most countries prior to your visit; although you may need to order this ahead.
Once in Turkey, it's very easy to change all major currencies in Banks, exchange offices, post offices (PTTs) and many Hotels.
Currency can be also obtained from the major debit or cash cards from many ATM machines. (Check the logos on the ATM machines)
However if you do run short of Turkish Lira at any point during your stay all the major foreign currencies, are widely accepted in many shops, hotels and restaurants especially in the tourist areas – be sure you know the exchange rate though.

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Can I use my Credit Card?
Credit cards are accepted in most shops and restaurants in the main Cities or Resorts areas. This may not be the case in smaller villages or remote places so it is generally a good idea to try always to have some cash handy.

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Can I use Travelers Cheques?
Travelers Cheques can be cashed at banks, exchange bureaus and most of the larger hotels.

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Are there insects?
There can be mosquitoes in certain areas so some form of repellant is advisable, especially for those people who are prone to bites, it is also a good idea to take precautions in your bedroom with a mosquito plug, spray etc. Ants are frequent in some rural areas.

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What is driving like in Turkey?
As in the most of the Mediterranean, Turkish Drivers may appear to drive somewhat “unpredictably” Turkish Roads and Highways are generally in good repair but some coastal or mountain roads can be a little narrow and winding.

Bear in mind the following then driving in Turkey:

Traffic drives on the right
Traffic approaching from the right always has right of way
Vehicles joining a roundabout have right of way
The wearing of a seat belt is compulsory.
Don’t drink and drive (Taxis are cheap anyhow)
Random breathalyzer tests are common
Police issue on the spot fines (Carry some cash with you)
If a vehicle flashes its lights, this means I am coming through, not I am giving way to you.
Drive defensively at all times
Take care when driving after dark you may encounter inadequately lit vehicles, slow moving Tractors and Lorries or even animals wandering in the road.

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Do I need a visa to visit Turkey?
This depends on your nationality. At the time of writing the Turkish Ministry of Foreign affairs posts Visa information on their website here:
http://www.mfa.gov.tr/MFA/ConsularInformation/ ForForeigners/VisaInformation/

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Is it safe in Turkey?
Turkey is arguably one of the safest countries in the world to visit and the crime rate is low when compared to many Western European countries. Interpol ranks Turkey as the safest holiday destination in Europe for travelers.
For sure common sense precautions should be taken against petty crimes such as pick pocketing, bag snatching etc. but by and large visitors will find Turks to be friendly and helpful.
The following link may help you to compare the various crime statistics in Turkey against those in other countries.
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_tot_cri_percap-crime- total-crimes-per-capita

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What ID do I need to carry with me when in Turkey?
You are required at all times to carry an official ID with photograph whilst in Turkey.

It is a good practice to have a photocopy of your passport, ticket details, travel insurance, hotel address etc. plus a 24-hour emergency contact number and you should carry these with you at all times.

Whenever it is practical though, try to avoid carrying your original travel documents with you, simply in case of loss or theft. If possible leave them in a Hotel Safety Deposit Box or keep them very securely about your person. As previously mentioned, you should carry some form “official Photo ID” with you, as you may be asked to show this. Normally a driver’s license or similar ID (with photo) will suffice and this has the added advantage that if lost or stolen it is reasonably easy to replace when you get back home.

One more “Passport safety tip:” There is a legal requirement for Hotels in Turkey to keep a nightly register of all their guests, often Hotel Receptionist will ask you to leave your passport with them to complete this register. Unfortunately there have been isolated instances of passports being misplaced or worse, stolen whilst in the care of hotel. Logically it is unreasonable to expect a hotel or receptionist to treat your passport with the same respect as you do yourself. (The safest thing here is to leave them with a Photocopy)

The point here is to remember, your passport is your property, your responsibility and nobody takes care of it better than you do.

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What are the shop opening times?
During the summer season, and especially in the resort areas, supermarkets, mini-markets and shops are open everyday, often until late night and in many cases all night.

As a general guideline opening days and times are as follows:

Banks: 09.00 - 12.00 and 13.30 - 17.00 Monday to Friday.
Post Offices: (identified by yellow PTT signs) 08.00 - 20.00 Monday to Saturday, and 09.00 - 19.00 on Sundays.
Chemists (Eczane) - 09.00-19.00 Monday to Saturday: 24 Hour Duty chemists are open on a rota basis and their details are posted in all chemists’ window. Look for the “Nobetci Eczani” sign.
Museums - 09.00 - 17.00 Tuesday to Sunday.

Cafes and restaurants tend not to close until the last customer has left and often stay open until very late in the evening or early morning some restaurants, especially the soup kitchens, stay open 24 hours.

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How should visitors dress in Turkey?
To avoid potential problems, should you be traveling around the countryside be a little “conservative” in your attire. Ladies should wear pants or skirts and when visiting a mosque it is recommended that a scarf is worn on the head, both sexes should avoid wearing shorts out of respect of local religious customs.

In any of the major resorts or on the beach you will be hard pressed to miss scantily clad holiday makers working on their sun tans, indeed on many beaches topless bathing is quite acceptable and almost the norm, the choice is yours.
Do however be aware that outside resort areas local residents may not take such a liberal attitude towards dress code and you may embarrass or even offend the locals should you be “under dressed”

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Is it safe to drink tap water in Turkey?
Turkey has an abundance of Natural Springs and water sources and the sanitation standards are quite good.
As a “general rule” tap water is suitable for bathing and regular tasks such as brushing teeth etc. However, it is recommended that visitors drink bottled water (there is a good selection and it is cheap) in general and with meals, as is customary in most Mediterranean countries.

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Are any vaccinations required for tourists entering Turkey?
Currently there are no vaccination requirements for any international traveler to enter Turkey.
Please check at The World Health Organization web site,
http://www.who.org
For more country specific details

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What should I do if my Passport is lost or stolen?
This is a tourist’s biggest nightmare, replacing a passport is very serious business and requires all manner of bureaucratic hoops to be jumped through before travel documents can be issued or re-issued. (The very best thing to do is not to lose it!)

In the event of a loss, it is advisable to contact your countries nearest Embassy, Consulate or Mission and learn the specific documentation requirements for re-issue as these may vary country to country. However should your discovery be out of office hours the following information will help you to at least get started on the way to getting replacement travel documents.

The very first thing you must do having discovered your passport is missing is to “immediately and without delay” report the theft or loss to the local police. You will need to take from them an “official police report” of the loss, including as many details regarding time, place and circumstance as possible.

The next phase is to make contact with the Travel agency, Tour operator, Airline and or Shipping agency (whoever carried you to and who intend to carry you from Turkey). Here you need from them a statement detailing your entire itinerary but with special regard to your arrival and departure information. (Dates, Times, Flight Number, Carrier Name, traveling from where, to where +etc)

Armed with take these documents and a few passport photographs (minimum 3, national requirements may vary) head off to your nearest Consulate or Mission, who will then be able to assist you in obtaining the necessary travel document that you will need to get back home.

Disclaimer: Please note these “tips” are only a guide to the minimum documentation requirements, anything else you can provide (Photocopy of your lost passport, a Drivers License, other Photo ID +etc) will only assist the process, also there could be additional requirements according to your nationality.

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How can I get around by myself?
Compared to most places in Europe, Turkey is big; about 300,000 Square Miles (780,580 sq km) and remembering that the region has been inhabited for the last 2,500 years or so there are plenty historical places to visit, if you do intend to tour the country bear this in mind and do plenty of planning before you strike out.

The most common form of transport in Turkey is the bus and Turkey has a very comprehensive, efficient and reasonably priced luxury coach service reaching every corner of the country.

Journeys can take a long time though and so many companies offer overnight services for journeys over 8 hours or so. This can be useful to know if you are traveling on a limited budget because you can save on Hotel expenses.

All coaches have reclining seats with sufficient leg room, in addition the long haul coaches offer on board entertainment, a steward service, refreshments and Toilet facilities plus there are regular stops along the way so you can get to stretch your legs and perhaps have a hot snack or glass of tea. Smoking is not allowed on board.

Journeys normally begin at the “Otogar” (Bus Station) and in the big cities, with the aim of minimizing inner city congestion; the Otogar is located on the outskirts of the city close to the highway. The major operators usually have central offices and often offer shuttle services from various points around the city taking you to the Otogar so you can catch your service.

For the less adventurous many tour operators and Travel Agents will be happy to arrange personal bus tours for you.

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