Bursa Car Rental

Bursa is Turkey's fourth-largest city, spread along the foot of Mount Uludag south of the Sea of Marmara. It was the first capital of the Ottoman state in the 14th century, and its historic core, together with the village of Cumalikizik, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as "Bursa and Cumalikizik: the Birth of the Ottoman Empire". It is also a major industrial and business centre, so visitors range from families and tourists to engineers visiting factories and suppliers.

Inside the city the Bursaray light metro, trams and buses cover the main corridors, and in the old town you are better off on foot. Bursa car rental pays off once you leave the centre: a day on Uludag, a lunch in Golyazi, a trip to Iznik or a run between factories in the industrial zones. It is also practical if you arrive by sea at Mudanya or fly into Bursa Yenisehir Airport, both some distance from the city.

Otorento lets you compare cars from independent rental suppliers serving Bursa in one search, from economy hatchbacks and automatics to saloons, SUVs and minivans. Each offer shows the fuel policy, mileage allowance and deposit conditions. Prices and availability depend on your dates, the car group and the supplier, and every supplier offers free cancellation and 24/7 support.

Location and getting around

Distances below are approximate road distances from the Heykel area in the city centre; drive times are traffic permitting and grow at rush hour and on summer and ski-season weekends.

The city stretches east to west for many kilometres, from Kestel and Yildirim through Osmangazi to Nilufer and the Uludag University campus. Choose a pick-up point on the side of town where you are staying to avoid crossing the centre at peak hours. The quickest road link to Istanbul is the O-5 motorway via the Osmangazi Bridge over the Gulf of Izmit; both the motorway and the bridge are tolled and paid electronically through HGS. Rental cars normally carry an HGS tag, and the supplier charges the tolls you used afterwards. Passenger sea buses and fast ferries from Istanbul arrive at Mudanya and Guzelyali, about half an hour north of the centre.

Picking up your car

For Bursa car rental, where you collect the car depends on the supplier: a city office, an agreed meeting point or delivery to your hotel. The exact address and the supplier's phone number are in your booking confirmation.

• Documents: bring your driving licence, passport and the card used for the booking. A foreign licence can be used in Turkey for up to six months from your date of entry; some suppliers ask for an International Driving Permit, so check the licence requirements on your offer.

• Deposit: normally blocked on a credit card in the main driver's name; the amount, minimum age and years of licence held vary by supplier and are shown before you book.

• Arrival details: if you are coming by train, bus or sea bus, add your arrival time to the booking so the supplier knows about any delay.

• Return: returning at Yenisehir Airport or in another city is possible with some suppliers; check the one-way conditions before you pay.

Places to visit by car

• Old Bursa: the Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), the Koza Han silk market and the covered bazaars, plus the city's best-known dish, Iskender kebab, which originated here; park once and walk.

• Cumalikizik: an Ottoman-era village of timber-framed houses on the slopes of Uludag, part of the UNESCO listing; approx. 13 km.

• Uludag: Bursa's mountain, with a ski resort in winter and walking in summer. A gondola also runs up from the city if you prefer not to drive the mountain road; hotel area approx. 34 km.

• Golyazi: a lakeside village on a small peninsula in Lake Uluabat, the ancient Apollonia, known for its storks and boat trips; approx. 40 km.

• Iznik: ancient Nicaea at the eastern end of Lake Iznik, with Byzantine walls, the Hagia Sophia mosque and a long tradition of Iznik tiles; approx. 77 km.

• Mudanya and Tirilye: a seaside town on the Marmara coast with the Armistice House museum, and the stone village of Tirilye a short drive west; approx. 31 km.

Driving and parking tips

• Streets around the Grand Mosque, Koza Han and the bazaars are narrow and busy; use a paid car park and explore the historic centre on foot.

• The ring road and the main east-west avenues get congested in the morning and early evening, especially around the industrial zones; allow extra time for meetings.

• In winter the Uludag road can be snowy or icy. Ask your supplier whether winter tyres or snow chains are fitted and whether mountain driving is allowed under the rental terms.

• On summer Fridays and Sundays traffic builds on the O-5 towards Istanbul and on the road to Mudanya; travel early or late if you can.

Bursa car hire also works well as the start of a longer Marmara trip, combining the city with Iznik, the coast and Istanbul.

Nearby locations

You can also compare offers at Bursa Yenisehir Airport, on the coast at Mudanya, in Eskisehir and at Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul.