Turkey: Car rental vs. taxis
 

Hello all,

My wife and I are traveling to Turkey and will be visiting Pamukkale and Cappadocia at the end of October (flying into DNZ and ASR airports repectively). We are thinking of renting a car in both locations but am wondering if taxis would be more advisable. I'm comfortable driving internationally, and currently have a U.S. drivers license, but no international license/permit currently. Do you think taxis are more advisable? I'm not so much concerned getting to/from the airport via taxi but once in Pamukkale/Cappadocia I'm not sure how easy it is to get around if you do not have a vehicle to yourself. Additionally, we haven't finalized our hotel plans yet and may look to AirBnb which would mean that we wouldn't have a hotel staff to assist us or help arrange transportation. Any advise provided is much appreciated.

Best,
Voldoo

I can’t speak to Pamukkale, but drove in Cappadocia several years ago. Traffic was light and it was very easy to get around. I wasn’t on the look out for taxis, so I cannot comment on whether they are plentiful. While the sights were that far apart (maybe 15 to 20 minutes, they seemed remote with opportunities to stop for views and hikes off the beaten path. I would think a car would be more convenient, if you are comfortable with it.

Thank you Wboy411a, that information is helpful.

As a Turkish, in Denizli ( Pamukkale ) and Nevşehir ( Cappadoccia ), it would be better for you to have a car as it would offer more flexibility. Most hotels over there would have parking or free street parking and it would be definitely be cheaper than getting a taxi every single time.

By the way, with a car, you would be able to see more sights in the vicinity, such as driving down to the Ihlara Valley from Cappadoccia and driving to the Aphrodisias Antic City from Denizli, etc...

Do you know if Turkey requires an International Drivers Permit in addition to a US license?

I was able to rent a car with just my US drivers license. No questions asked.