Private Driver in Istanbul for Russian Travellers: Prices and Payment

A private car with driver in Istanbul costs from $299 per group for an 8-hour day in a Mercedes Vito for up to six guests, and from $60 per group for an airport transfer, and for Russian travellers the part that needs most planning is payment, not the car. Visa and Mastercard cards issued by Russian banks do not work abroad, and Mir cards cannot be relied on in Turkey, so you need to agree in advance how you will pay. This page sets out the prices, the routes that work best with a driver, how arrivals from Moscow usually go, and the payment questions to settle before you land. The day-hire vehicle is shown on our Istanbul private driver tour page.

Prices: what a driver costs per trip and per day

Car-with-driver prices in Istanbul are set per vehicle, not per person. A couple and a family of six pay the same for the same Vito and the same hours. These are our current starting prices:

Extra hours, a second vehicle for a larger family or a long day trip out of the city are quoted on request. The final figure depends on the hours, the route and the time of day, because a 7 am airport run and a Friday evening crossing of the Bosphorus are very different jobs.

Arriving from Moscow: IST or SAW

Istanbul has two airports, and it matters which one your ticket uses. Istanbul Airport (IST) is on the European side, north-west of the city. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is on the Asian side, to the east. Direct flights from Moscow use both: Aeroflot flies into IST, and Pegasus flies between Vnukovo and SAW, among other carriers. Schedules change by season, so check the airport on your booking.

A driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name sign, helps with luggage and takes you straight to the hotel. The drive takes 45 to 90 minutes depending on the airport, your hotel and the traffic. For a family landing late with children and suitcases, a fixed-price private transfer avoids the queue at the taxi rank and any discussion about the route or the fare.

Russian passport holders do not need a visa for a holiday: the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists ordinary passport holders as exempt for tourist and business trips of up to 60 days.

Paying without a working Russian card

Plan payment before you book anything, because it affects the whole trip:

• Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard cards have not worked abroad since the two networks suspended their Russian operations in 2022.
• Mir cards were accepted by some Turkish banks for a time, but the major banks stopped, as reported in January 2025. Do not count on a Mir card for a hotel, a restaurant or a cash machine.
• Cash remains the simplest answer. Many travellers bring US dollars or euros and change them into Turkish lira at exchange offices (döviz) in the city. Shops, taxis and restaurants price in lira.
• A card issued outside Russia, for example by a bank in another country where you hold an account, works normally in Turkey.

For the transfer or the driver day itself, ask the company in writing how it accepts payment, in which currency, and whether a deposit is needed. A licensed operator will put the price, the currency and the payment method on the confirmation. Our own terms are on the terms and conditions page.

Routes that work best with a driver

A driver is most useful on routes where public transport is slow, where you cross between continents, or where you want to stop often. These are the days Russian travellers ask for most:

• The old city and the Golden Horn. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar are close together, so the driver drops you and waits. The car earns its money afterwards, taking you up the Golden Horn to Balat and Fener and to the Pierre Loti hill and Eyüp Sultan Mosque for the view.
• The Bosphorus shore. The road north from Beşiktaş passes Dolmabahçe Palace, Ortaköy, Bebek and the Rumeli Fortress, with stops for coffee and photographs. A driver makes it easy to cross one of the bridges and come back down the Asian shore.
• The Asian side. Çamlıca Hill and Çamlıca Mosque, Beylerbeyi Palace and lunch in Kadıköy and Moda are spread out and awkward by public transport.
• Shopping days. Malls, outlet centres and the bazaars in one day, with the bags left in the car.

For a guided version of any of these, a licensed guide can join the car. See our page on Russian-speaking guides in Istanbul for how that works.

Russian-speaking driver: what to expect

Most Istanbul drivers speak Turkish and some English. A Russian-speaking driver is not part of our standard service: it is arranged on request, subject to availability, and we confirm it in writing before you book. If the language really matters, two arrangements work well. Either book a Russian-speaking guide for the sightseeing part of the day, with the driver handling the road, or keep the driver day and settle the plan in advance by WhatsApp, with the addresses written down so that nothing is lost in translation.

Write the plan in Russian and English if you like, and we will pass the addresses to the driver in Turkish. Hotel names, restaurant addresses and pickup times are what matter on the day.

Day trips out of the city by car

With a private car, several day trips are easier than by bus:

• Sapanca Lake and Maşukiye, about two hours east, with forest restaurants, a cable car and a lakeside walk. Our sister page on the Sapanca day trip from Istanbul describes the day.
• Şile on the Black Sea coast, for the beaches in summer.
• Bursa and Uludağ, the first Ottoman capital and the cable car up the mountain, which has snow in winter.

You can join our group tours to these places, or ask for a private version in your own vehicle, which we quote on request. Longer days need more driver hours, and the return into Istanbul on a Sunday evening is slow on every road.

Booking: what to send and what to check

To get a clear quote, send us by WhatsApp or email:

1. Your flight number, airport and landing time, or the date and hours for a day hire
2. The number of adults, children and suitcases, and whether you need a child seat
3. The hotel name and address
4. The places you want to see or the route you have in mind
5. Whether you want a guide as well as a driver, and in which language

Then check the confirmation. It should show the company's licence number and name, the vehicle, the hours, the price per group, the currency and the payment method. Get Turkey Tours is operated by Viracocha Travel, TÜRSAB licence A-15751. For more on how chauffeur hire works in general, our sister guide to renting a car with driver in Istanbul and our Istanbul private car with driver page cover the formats and vehicles.

Tours that cover this

• Istanbul Private Driver Tour: Mercedes Vito for 8 Hours, 1-6 Guests: from $299 per group.
• Istanbul Airport VIP Transfer: Private Mercedes Vito to Your Hotel: from $60 per group, 45 to 90 minutes.
• Istanbul Layover Tour: Private Guide & Van from IST or SAW: from $550 per person, 6 to 8 hours.
• Private VIP Istanbul Tour: Mercedes S-Class Chauffeur & Luxury Yacht: from $1,800 per group, 7 hours.

All our city options are on the Istanbul tours page, and the Istanbul destination guide covers the rest of the city.

Frequently Asked Questions