If you want the best taxi app in Turkey and was relying on UBER, you are going to be in for a long wait. In 2019, after a lengthy court battle, Uber was deemed unfair competition, and Turkey banned access to their app. In places like Istanbul, Uber was popular. Still, local taxi drivers were outraged since they had to go through a much lengthier and costly process to register and operate as a driver. At present, there is no sign of Uber coming back, but there is good news.
Throughout Turkey, getting a taxi is as easy as 1,2, 3. In major holiday resorts and big cities, yellow taxis have bases on most major street corners. Your hotel or restaurants will also call one. All taxis have a meter, but in smaller resorts, it is a set price within a specific locality. At present, there is no countrywide app, but if you are headed to Istanbul, there are two to use. There are others listed on Google Play, but their reduced ratings mean they cannot make the list of the best.
Receiving a 4.6 out of 5 ratings on Google Play, BiTaksi uses your GPS to find the nearest taxi to get it as quick as possible. Once confirmed, see the name, picture, and licence plate. On the map function, you can also trace the journey of the taxi and how long it will be before it reaches you. As well as paying with cash, you can use credit cards, and like Uber, get to rate the driver and write a comment at the end of the journey.
BiTaksi also gives the ability to estimate your journey costs, so you can see before booking how much it will cost. On your way to meet friends? Share your map location with them so that they can follow your journey as well. Using their slogan of fast, easy, and secure, you also don’t have to worry about taxi drivers going to the long route or getting lost. The excellent news about BiTaksi is that they also have an English version making it perfect for tourists.
Designed by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM,) iTaksi markets itself as an easy and safe way of transportation. It is much the same as Bitaksi, but they have received a 3.6 rating on Google Play. The significant difference is that you can pay using cash, credit card or the Istanbul Kart system. You get to choose your level of comfort; the classic yellow cab seen throughout Turkey, or turquoise or black taxis for what they say is a more comfortable journey.
Choose the button called “Calculation of trip” to get an estimate of your journey, and pre add your card details if you are on a night out and don’t want to take them with you. The address function allows you to save your most frequent journeys and all iTaksi members have camera footage for your safety.
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Istanbul’s Transport System: The above two are the best taxis apps in Turkey, well only Istanbul, and Ankara but locals and people on a budget often use the local transport. Istanbul has invested millions into upgrading their system and adding additional stops, as well as new, clean vehicles. This article is a helpful guide to getting around in Istanbul using public transport.
Driving in Turkey: Of course, another option is to drive. Usually, we tell people to think twice about driving in big cities like Istanbul. Still, in rural areas and especially along the coastal D400 highway, delightful towns and attractions make this an ideal road trip. We have some helpful tips to get started if you want to rent a car.