Does Uber Work in Istanbul? (+My Personal Experience)

A million dollar question: Does Uber work in Istanbul? To be honest, I was also confused prior to travelling to Istanbul and didn’t really fully understand what exactly is the problem with Uber there, until I experienced it on my own.

So, in this blog post I will explain to you how exactly Uber works in Istanbul and why it is different from Uber rides in other locations. Additionally, I will also share with you my personal experience, which happens to be common among many other travellers.

And lastly, I will mention better alternatives to Uber because my quick answer to your question would be: no, Uber does not really work in Istanbul (at least not how we are used to it in other locations).

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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📖 Read my 4 Days in Istanbul Itinerary: See the Best of Istanbul blog post.

Does Uber Exist in Istanbul

The first question that comes to everyone’s mind is does Uber even exist in Istanbul. And yes, Uber does officially exist in Istanbul, but there’s more caveat to that.

Uber was initially introduced in Turkey in 2014, but the taxi drivers were complaining all the time that Uber drivers had an unfair advantage over them, which eventually led to the lawsuit against Uber in 2019 by Turkey’s United Taxi Drivers Association and the shutting down of Uber.

However, in 2021 the Istanbul Court removed the ban and Uber could resume its service, proving it operates in conjunction with the yellow taxis, which is what the current situation is.

My Experience of Using Uber in Istanbul

I will share with you 2 instances when I used Uber (or tried to) and how it went.

Using Uber at the Airport

When I arrive at the airport, I either take public transport or Uber to my hotel (depending on how easy it is to use the public transport, how many luggages I have and the cost of transport).

For Istanbul I knew I would use Uber, especially as I landed on the Asian side, which makes arriving in the city centre a tiny bit more complicated. Plus, Turkey is a relatively affordable country, so it was a no-brainer that it made more sense to me to get Uber.

As I’m always travelling with my husband, he usually orders drives and he did it this time too. Everything went smoothly and quite similar to Uber in other locations.

The first difference was that we were picked up by a yellow taxi because no private cars do Uber in Istanbul. But, we didn’t mind it because we knew the price beforehand. The ride went smoothly and then we arrived at the hotel. We started getting out of the car, but the driver said that the payment didn’t go through, which was unusual, and asked us to pay the amount in cash.

Unfortunately, we had issues with the internet connection and my husband couldn’t check on the app if the payment went through nor did he get any bank notification of the credit card transaction. He doubted it, but in the end we ended up paying the amount in cash.

As soon as the driver left, we got charged on the app too, so obviously we got scammed.

📖 Read my 19 Amazing Things to Do in Istanbul on Your Visit blog post.

Using Uber in the City Centre

Despite the negative first experience, which we blamed mostly on us, we still tried to use Uber on one more occasion.

The plan for the 2nd day of our 4 days itinerary was to visit the Balat neighbourhood and because our hotel was about 45 min away and we had an anniversary dinner reservation afterwards, we knew we have no time to walk, especially as we were sightseeing other locations before we wanted to go to Balat.

So, we tried to order an Uber. Firstly, we saw that there were multiple drivers nearby, but no one wanted to accept the ride. And then finally when one wanted, he said that due to heavy traffic he would charge us double than what Uber app was showing.

In the end, we ended up cancelling the ride and gave up on visiting Balat.

📖 Read my 7 Days in Turkey Itinerary: Istanbul & Aegean Region blog post.

The Biggest Problems With Using Uber in Istanbul

One of the biggest problems of Uber in Istanbul is that it’s not really an Uber. You’re basically booking a regular local taxi through the app.

The main reason why I love and use Uber worldwide is because of the upfront fixed price. But, as you can see the drivers here are willy-nilly with the prices and can often ask for more for some “made up” reason, like in our case with the heavy traffic.

If it’s your first time in Istanbul, using Uber can feel more stressful than helpful.

Better Alternatives to Uber in Istanbul

In my honest opinion, it is better to avoid using Uber in Istanbul altogether.

While there’s an alternative app called Bitaksi, it’s basically just a Turkish version of Uber, so you are most likely to come across the same problems as with Uber. We didn’t even bother with installing it, but some users reported issues with even setting up an account if you don’t have a Turkish phone number.

Anyways, we opted for walking as much as possible, but if you don’t feel like taking 20k steps daily, you can still use the public transportation system. We used only the local ferry when we crossed on the Asian side to explore that side of Istanbul.

The return ride from the hotel to the airport we have arranged through our hotel for the upfront price, but you can also book the private transfer through GetYourGuide (that’s what I would do the next time I visit).

✅ P. S. If you get Istanbul City Pass, they offer airport shuttle services too, plus you can save up money on main attractions.

Where to Stay in Istanbul

Firstly, I recommend you to stay on the European side because most of your time you’ll spend there.

In terms of the best neighbourhood, I personally loved staying in Sultanahmet, which is the historic centre of the city where Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace are located.

Karakoy is a great choice too, especially if you love going out at night.

📖 Check my 10 Best Istanbul Hotels with Hagia Sophia View & 11 Best Istanbul Hotels with Beautiful Bosphorus View blog posts for more.

💡Hagia Sophia is currently undergoing restoration works and is covered in scaffolding. There is no known timetable when the work may end, so double check before your trip.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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