Car with Driver in Istanbul: Hourly, Full-Day and Airport Hire

You can hire a car with driver in Istanbul by the trip, by the half-day or by the full day: with us, an airport transfer in a private Mercedes Vito starts from $60 per group, and a full 8-hour day with a Vito and driver for up to six guests from $299 per group. The price is per vehicle, not per person, so it gets better value the more of you there are. Our Istanbul private car with driver page shows the vehicles, and this guide explains how chauffeur hire works, what a day looks like and what to ask before you book.

If you want to drive yourself instead, our guide to Istanbul Airport car rental covers self-drive hire, documents and tolls.

What "car with driver" means in Istanbul

A car with driver is a private vehicle and a professional driver at your disposal for an agreed time. It sits between a taxi and a guided tour:

• Unlike a taxi, the price is agreed in advance, the driver waits for you, your shopping can stay in the car, and you do not need to explain the next address in Turkish.
• Unlike a transfer, you are not paying for one journey from A to B but for the car's time, with as many stops as you like within the hours booked.
• Unlike a guided tour, the driver drives. In Türkiye, guiding at museums and historic sites is the job of licensed tour guides, so the driver takes you to the entrance and waits, but does not guide you inside. If you want explanations at Hagia Sophia or Topkapı, add a private tour guide.

Most of our guests use a driver for three reasons: arrival and departure with luggage, a day that covers both the old city and the Bosphorus shore, and day trips out of the city.

Hire formats and prices

The quote depends on the vehicle, the hours, the route and the time of day. Ask what it includes: the driver's time, fuel, tolls and parking are the usual points to confirm, while museum tickets, meals and a guide's fee are normally separate unless the tour says otherwise. For a full breakdown of what a trip here costs, see our Istanbul tour prices page.

Which vehicle to choose

• Mercedes Vito or similar minivan. The workhorse of Istanbul private transport, with room for up to six guests and their luggage on an airport run, and space to spread out on a city day. It is what most families and small groups book.
• Mercedes S-Class. For couples and business travellers who want a quieter, more formal car. Our VIP Istanbul tour with a Mercedes S-Class and private yacht pairs the car with a Bosphorus cruise.
• Larger minibus. For bigger groups, we use larger vehicles on request; send the number of guests and bags.

Tell us early if you need child seats, with the children's ages, or if anyone uses a wheelchair or walks with difficulty, so we can choose the right vehicle.

A sample 8-hour day with a driver

A car makes most sense for the parts of Istanbul that are far apart or uphill. The walkable heart of Sultanahmet is better on foot. Here is a route we often suggest for a full day:

1. 09:00, Sultanahmet. Pickup at your hotel. If you want to see the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, start here before the crowds; the driver waits nearby.
2. 11:00, Süleymaniye. A short drive to the Süleymaniye Mosque and its terrace over the Golden Horn.
3. 12:00, Balat and Fener. Colourful streets, churches and cafés in Balat and Fener. Lunch here.
4. 14:00, Pierre Loti Hill. The view over the Golden Horn from Pierre Loti and Eyüp, a place that is awkward to reach without a car.
5. 15:00, the Bosphorus shore road. Past Dolmabahçe Palace and Ortaköy Mosque, to Bebek and Rumeli Fortress.
6. 16:30, the Asian side. Across the bridge to Çamlıca Hill for the view back over both continents, then back to your hotel.

Two scheduling notes: Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays and Dolmabahçe Palace on Mondays, so plan those days accordingly. Bosphorus traffic is heavy in the late afternoon on weekdays, so we put the Asian side last and leave the crossing time flexible.

Day trips with a driver

A driver also works well for trips beyond the city, where public transport means early buses and changes:

• Sapanca and Maşukiye: a lake and forest area east of Istanbul. Our group Sapanca and Maşukiye day trip includes pickup, or book a private car for your own pace.
• Şile and the Black Sea: a summer beach day on the coast north-east of the city.
• Bursa: the first Ottoman capital, with the Uludağ cable car. See our guide to Bursa.

More options are on our Istanbul day trips page. For longer trips, such as Cappadocia, a flight is usually better than a long drive; see our Cappadocia tour from Istanbul.

What to check before you book

A few questions sort out most problems in advance:

1. What exactly is included? Driver's time, fuel and tolls on the agreed route, and parking are the usual points to confirm.
2. What happens if we run over time? Ask how extra hours are charged.
3. Is the driver licensed for passenger transport, and is the vehicle insured for it? A licensed operator will say yes without hesitation. We are a licensed Turkish tour operator, TÜRSAB A-15751.
4. Does the driver speak English? Many do at a practical level. For detailed explanations at sites, you need a guide rather than a driver.
5. How do we stay in touch? We give you a WhatsApp number and the driver's details before the day.

When you book, send the hotel name, the pickup time, the number of guests and bags, any flight numbers, and a rough list of the places you want to see. The more we know, the better the route.

Car with driver or self-drive?

For a city stay, the driver usually wins on time and stress. If you plan a week on the road, a rental may suit you better, and our Istanbul Airport car rental page explains how to collect and return a car. If you are comparing operators, our sister site Get Istanbul Tours also lists private tours in the city.

Tours that cover this

• Istanbul private driver tour, Mercedes Vito for 8 hours: from $299 per group, 1-6 guests.
• Istanbul Airport VIP transfer, private Mercedes Vito to your hotel: from $60 per group, 45-90 minutes.
• Private VIP Istanbul tour, Mercedes S-Class chauffeur and luxury yacht: from $1,800 per group, 7 hours.
• Istanbul layover tour with private guide and van from IST or SAW: from $550 per person, 6-8 hours.

See all our luxury Istanbul tours or browse Istanbul tours.

Frequently Asked Questions