[Legal] How to drive to Turkey and then fly out of IST
Jan 10, 2010, 1:41 am
#1
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[Legal] How to drive to Turkey and then fly out of IST
Hello,
In February I booked a very nice flight IST-SIN. I live in Bucharest (RO), which is ~8 hours drive from Istanbul, a road I know quite well by now. My plan is to drive, as it's more comfortable, cheaper and fits better with the flight timetables. I have options to leave it with friends in Istanbul, but I'm not sure how legal this is.
The concern and question comes from the fact that in Turkey there is a strange (not very well known) law around driving foreign cars. As far as I know, if you drive your foreign car into Turkey you can't leave Turkey unless at the wheel of your car.
An option I found on the IST airport website (http://www.ataturkairport.com/eng/1.php - "Parking") is to park the car at the airport in the Free Zone with the Customs. They don't provide any legal info or prices, and I don't speak Turkish to call them.
My questions for the more experienced are:
- Any idea if parking the car there for 8 days will cost me the 152YTL, if it's with the Customs?
- Any experience with paperwork required?
- What would be the cheapest way to do this? I don't want to spend money if I can save them with some FT knowledge
In February I booked a very nice flight IST-SIN. I live in Bucharest (RO), which is ~8 hours drive from Istanbul, a road I know quite well by now. My plan is to drive, as it's more comfortable, cheaper and fits better with the flight timetables. I have options to leave it with friends in Istanbul, but I'm not sure how legal this is.
The concern and question comes from the fact that in Turkey there is a strange (not very well known) law around driving foreign cars. As far as I know, if you drive your foreign car into Turkey you can't leave Turkey unless at the wheel of your car.
An option I found on the IST airport website (http://www.ataturkairport.com/eng/1.php - "Parking") is to park the car at the airport in the Free Zone with the Customs. They don't provide any legal info or prices, and I don't speak Turkish to call them.
My questions for the more experienced are:
- Any idea if parking the car there for 8 days will cost me the 152YTL, if it's with the Customs?
- Any experience with paperwork required?
- What would be the cheapest way to do this? I don't want to spend money if I can save them with some FT knowledge
Jan 10, 2010, 12:03 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 7,560
The rule you mention is probably not as strange and unique as you think - the UK used to have a similar law, and possibly still does for cars from non-EU countries, and I believe several other countries do/did too.
The simple rule is that if you temporarily import a car to another country (i.e., by driving across the border) then you have to take it with you when you leave (or import it permanently and pay import tax).
From what I can see from the link you posted Turkey has put in place special provisions to enable people to drive across the border and park their car in a special compound at the airport while they fly off somewhere. That special compound is probably deemed to be outside Turkey for customs purposes.
Although FT is a very large community I don't think it's all that likely that anyone will be able to answer your specific questions - as the chances of something being familiar with this particular scenario are probably quite slim.
Istanbul Airport has an English-language web site on which they publish a telephone number. In my experience, if an airport publishes a telephone number on an English language site then that telephone will be answered by someone who can speak English... so I would suggest that you give them a call (or drop them an email if you can find an email address)
The simple rule is that if you temporarily import a car to another country (i.e., by driving across the border) then you have to take it with you when you leave (or import it permanently and pay import tax).
From what I can see from the link you posted Turkey has put in place special provisions to enable people to drive across the border and park their car in a special compound at the airport while they fly off somewhere. That special compound is probably deemed to be outside Turkey for customs purposes.
Although FT is a very large community I don't think it's all that likely that anyone will be able to answer your specific questions - as the chances of something being familiar with this particular scenario are probably quite slim.
Istanbul Airport has an English-language web site on which they publish a telephone number. In my experience, if an airport publishes a telephone number on an English language site then that telephone will be answered by someone who can speak English... so I would suggest that you give them a call (or drop them an email if you can find an email address)
Jan 10, 2010, 2:26 pm
#3
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Thanks for the message.
I'll give them a call on Monday, but usually state authorities in Turkey do not speak so good English. I hope maybe their German is average.
When I find the answer I'll post it here too, as there might be other ppl in this situation
I'll give them a call on Monday, but usually state authorities in Turkey do not speak so good English. I hope maybe their German is average.
When I find the answer I'll post it here too, as there might be other ppl in this situation
Jan 18, 2010, 12:57 am
#4
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Called the 2 embassies and then the Customs Office in IST. They unfortunately confirmed that I need to park my car at the airport, in a special parking on the Customs Office. The cost is 8 YTL/day, which is quite bearable.
They will stamp my passport to show that I will pick up my car when I come back, and forbidding anybody else while I am outside the country to make use of the vehicle.
They will stamp my passport to show that I will pick up my car when I come back, and forbidding anybody else while I am outside the country to make use of the vehicle.
Feb 13, 2010, 9:28 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: FB Gold Privilege
Posts: 413
Since you are from Romania you should be familiar with the driving habits of local drivers along the way from Bucharest to Istanbul. That would be my biggest worry if you weren't from Eastern Europe.
Feb 13, 2010, 10:07 pm
#6
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Thanks for the tip. Some Europeans say in Rome they drive like crazy; then they come to Bucharest and discover true crazy-style drivers; but it's only when they go to Istanbul they discover true madness This being said, let me share my experience 2 days ago:
10.00 - entering Bulgaria
16.00 - leaving Bulgaria. Worst roads I seen in my life, and I drove in Romania for 12 years until now. It could be the snow, but simply I hope my car will be still Ok after the return trip. We lost one hour in Ruse trying to buy their worthless road-tax vignette, as the roads were unbearable.
19.30 - arrive in IST airport area and start looking for the special car-parking area.
First hit - nobody knows it exists. Second hit - we spent ~30 miutes on the phone with various airport people and they were giving us wrong information, sending us to wrong location. In the end as our flight time was approaching we asked a Police car to escort us there, which they did (very kind of them). Third and biggest hit - the carpark is openeed ONLY MON-FRI 9.00 - 16.00
After negotiating with them, after visiting the Chief of Customs, CHief of Police, we were told there si no way to leave the car there on Friday evening and fly out, only possible on Monday. Imagine the stress, we had non-flexible tickets in J to Singapore in less than 2 hours!
Eventually what we did was to leave the car in the airport parking, take all our staff and attempt to cross the border and hope that they will not notice the big black stamp on my passport. Ripping off the page from the passport was an option, but much easier to be noticed. If they would have caught us, they would have cancelled my passport on the spot and escorted us to the Bulgarian border asap. God of luck was on our side that day, as the Policeman only looked at the page with the entry stamp, and we were allowed to board the airplane. We did not look back and at 23:15 we took our great seat in J.
16:00 next day - landing in sunny Singapore
Morale 1: Don't ever trust any information coming from Turkish officials
Morale 2: Don't drive in Turkey and then fly unless you have time to spare and nerves to kill
Morale 3: Always hope for the best, as it might just happen
This being said, let me share my experience 2 days ago:10.00 - entering Bulgaria
16.00 - leaving Bulgaria. Worst roads I seen in my life, and I drove in Romania for 12 years until now. It could be the snow, but simply I hope my car will be still Ok after the return trip. We lost one hour in Ruse trying to buy their worthless road-tax vignette, as the roads were unbearable.
19.30 - arrive in IST airport area and start looking for the special car-parking area.
First hit - nobody knows it exists. Second hit - we spent ~30 miutes on the phone with various airport people and they were giving us wrong information, sending us to wrong location. In the end as our flight time was approaching we asked a Police car to escort us there, which they did (very kind of them). Third and biggest hit - the carpark is openeed ONLY MON-FRI 9.00 - 16.00
After negotiating with them, after visiting the Chief of Customs, CHief of Police, we were told there si no way to leave the car there on Friday evening and fly out, only possible on Monday. Imagine the stress, we had non-flexible tickets in J to Singapore in less than 2 hours!
Eventually what we did was to leave the car in the airport parking, take all our staff and attempt to cross the border and hope that they will not notice the big black stamp on my passport. Ripping off the page from the passport was an option, but much easier to be noticed. If they would have caught us, they would have cancelled my passport on the spot and escorted us to the Bulgarian border asap. God of luck was on our side that day, as the Policeman only looked at the page with the entry stamp, and we were allowed to board the airplane. We did not look back and at 23:15 we took our great seat in J.
16:00 next day - landing in sunny Singapore
Morale 1: Don't ever trust any information coming from Turkish officials
Morale 2: Don't drive in Turkey and then fly unless you have time to spare and nerves to kill
Morale 3: Always hope for the best, as it might just happen
Jun 4, 2014, 10:26 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 1
Istanbul Parking
Hello Calex,
I'm from Bulgaria.
Sorry for the bad roads in Bulgaria. But the road from Ruse to the border is not really good.
I want to travel by car to Istanbul and then by plane.
Can you tell me where is this parking.
Do you have GPS log
Maybe you have a phone at customs
I'm from Bulgaria.
Sorry for the bad roads in Bulgaria. But the road from Ruse to the border is not really good.
I want to travel by car to Istanbul and then by plane.
Can you tell me where is this parking.
Do you have GPS log
Maybe you have a phone at customs
Last edited by karbon; Jun 4, 2014 at 10:32 am
Jan 28, 2015, 4:22 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1
Free zone and stamped car in Attaturk - Turkey
Hi all,
I've been passing through this
Actually there IS NO need to park into the free zone parking which is at 2km out from the airport, eventhough your car is stamped in your passport.
I entered with a french car, im french, from bulgaria. After 1 month, i flew to Iran from Attaturk. I was crazy, trying to get the information to be sure to park it well and be allowed to go out of the country (i got turkish mates and they called - no one relevant information). I went the morning, my flight was at midnight, on a sunday, and obviously the parking was closed. A simple guy from the customs (GUMRUK) explained me (in turkish) that there was no way to park my car in this free zone stuff. At the end, i went inside the airport, where you first show your passport to the customs, and I asked how to work it out, I could not miss my flight. They said : we dont care about your car's stamp, it's about the road, we are sky customs.
And it was true. I passed the customs at the night, the custom guy was not the same i saw at the morning time, and he did pay attention or give a .... ..... fu*k
So : too many bullsh*t for nothing. YOU CAN definitely take your flight (and I was not having a way back to turkey evenmore) and let your car wherever you want. I ve let it in the city for 2 month. ALL GOOD
hope it helps some travellers ..
I've been passing through this
Actually there IS NO need to park into the free zone parking which is at 2km out from the airport, eventhough your car is stamped in your passport.
I entered with a french car, im french, from bulgaria. After 1 month, i flew to Iran from Attaturk. I was crazy, trying to get the information to be sure to park it well and be allowed to go out of the country (i got turkish mates and they called - no one relevant information). I went the morning, my flight was at midnight, on a sunday, and obviously the parking was closed. A simple guy from the customs (GUMRUK) explained me (in turkish) that there was no way to park my car in this free zone stuff. At the end, i went inside the airport, where you first show your passport to the customs, and I asked how to work it out, I could not miss my flight. They said : we dont care about your car's stamp, it's about the road, we are sky customs.
And it was true. I passed the customs at the night, the custom guy was not the same i saw at the morning time, and he did pay attention or give a .... ..... fu*k
So : too many bullsh*t for nothing. YOU CAN definitely take your flight (and I was not having a way back to turkey evenmore) and let your car wherever you want. I ve let it in the city for 2 month. ALL GOOD
hope it helps some travellers ..
Jan 28, 2015, 10:55 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,565
Feb 10, 2015, 12:05 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 704
The Turkish law abouth this i very,very clear,you cannot leave a foreign car in Turkey,it can be subject to confiscation if you do so,the fact that laws are not always adhered to in Turkey is an entirely different matter.This law is a matter of fairly grave concern to expats in Turkey,as car prices(not to talk of road taxes) in Turkey are crazy and import procedures are complicated.
Last edited by geirfugl; Feb 10, 2015 at 12:15 pm
Sep 2, 2019, 5:42 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 1
penalty
I'm from Russia
arrived to turkey from Georgia by car in may 2019
left turkey 2 times by plane summary about 45 days, didn't know this law, car stayed at usual parking (not customs)
result: 1200 TL penalty while trying to leave Turkey by car.. Problem not only money.. I wasted 1 day to push customs to pay one and make my car free (customs blocked it at the border until penalty not paid)
arrived to turkey from Georgia by car in may 2019
left turkey 2 times by plane summary about 45 days, didn't know this law, car stayed at usual parking (not customs)
result: 1200 TL penalty while trying to leave Turkey by car.. Problem not only money.. I wasted 1 day to push customs to pay one and make my car free (customs blocked it at the border until penalty not paid)