Konya Airport Car Rental

Konya Airport (KYA) serves Turkey's largest province by area and one of its most visited spiritual centres: the city of Rumi, home of the Mevlana Museum and the whirling dervishes. The airport lies about 18 km north of the centre and shares its site with an air force base, with a civilian terminal handling domestic and international flights. Visitors come for Rumi's tomb, for the Seljuk monuments and for business in the city's large industrial zones.

Konya is spread across a wide, flat plain, and its most interesting sights outside the city are far apart: the Neolithic settlement of Catalhoyuk to the southeast, the lakeside town of Beysehir to the west, and the sinkholes of the Karapinar area to the east. Konya Airport car rental lets you combine these with the city in a single trip, without depending on tours or infrequent regional buses.

Otorento lists cars from independent rental suppliers at Konya Airport side by side, with each supplier's rental terms visible before booking. Prices change with dates, car group and supplier, and demand rises around holidays and events in the city. Every supplier includes free cancellation and 24/7 support.

Because distances on the Konya plain are long and roads are mostly straight, a comfortable mid-size car or saloon suits most visitors. A compact car is fine if you will mostly stay in the city, and larger families can compare minivans. Konya Airport car rental offers manual and automatic cars, and some suppliers allow you to return the car in another city such as Nevsehir or Antalya; change the drop-off location in the search to check.

Location and getting around

The airport road runs south into the city. The intercity bus terminal, the Selcuklu high-speed train station and the historic centre around Alaaddin Hill are all within about 20 km, and none of the routes below uses a toll motorway.

HAVAS coaches and taxis run between the airport and the city; the HAVAS website has current timetables. Konya also has trams and high-speed trains to Ankara and Istanbul, so if you are arriving by rail you can compare cars at the train station instead.

Picking up your car

According to the airport authority, some rental companies have offices on the terminal's lower floor. Other suppliers meet you at the arrivals exit or bring the car to the terminal car park. Where you collect yours depends on the supplier you book, and the meeting point is written in your confirmation.

• Your licence: a driving licence issued abroad is valid in Turkey for up to six months from your entry date. Carry your passport with it, and check your supplier's licence requirements in advance.

• Payment: the deposit is usually blocked on a credit card in the main driver's name; the terms are listed in the car details before you book.

• Flights: give your flight number when booking, so that if your flight is late the supplier can still plan the handover.

• Handover check: mark existing scratches on the form and photograph the fuel gauge and mileage before leaving.

Konya Airport car hire is straightforward, but double-check your return time against your flight. When returning, confirm the drop-off point in advance and allow time for the vehicle check. From Beysehir or Catalhoyuk, add at least an hour and a half to your timing.

Places to visit by car

• Mevlana Museum: the green-tiled tomb of the 13th-century poet and mystic Rumi, Konya's main landmark; approx. 18 km.

• Sille: an old village of stone houses and a Byzantine-era church in a valley just outside the city; approx. 20 km.

• Catalhoyuk: one of the earliest large settlements in the world, a Neolithic town and UNESCO World Heritage Site near Cumra; approx. 57 km.

• Seljuk Konya: around Alaaddin Hill, the Karatay Madrasa with its tile museum and the Ince Minareli Madrasa with its carved stone portal show the city's 13th-century heyday; approx. 17 km.

• Kizoren Obruk: a deep sinkhole lake on the steppe east of the city; approx. 73 km.

• Beysehir: Turkey's largest freshwater lake and the Esrefoglu Mosque, a 13th-century wooden-columned mosque on the UNESCO World Heritage List; approx. 104 km.

Driving and parking tips

• Konya is flat with wide boulevards, making it one of the easier Turkish cities to drive in. Traffic is heaviest around the Mevlana Museum and the bazaar.

• Sille's narrow village lanes are not suited to large cars; park at the village entrance and walk.

• Park in a public car park near Alaaddin Hill or the museum and walk between the central sights. If your hotel is in the old centre, ask in advance whether it has parking for guests.

• Roads across the plain are long and straight, so take breaks and watch for slow farm vehicles, especially around harvest time.

• Winters on the plain can bring fog, frost and occasional snow. Check the forecast before early-morning drives and ask your supplier about winter tyres if you are travelling in mid-winter.

Nearby locations

Arriving by train? Compare Konya YHT Station. For combined trips, see car hire at Nevsehir Airport in Cappadocia and Isparta Airport in the Lakes District.