Sultanahmet Car Rental

Sultanahmet is the neighbourhood in Istanbul's Fatih district where most visitors spend their first days. Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Hippodrome and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque stand within a few minutes' walk of each other, the Basilica Cistern lies just south-west of Hagia Sophia, and the Grand Bazaar is a short tram ride away. The area is part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985, and its streets are full of small hotels and guesthouses.

A car is no help for sightseeing in Sultanahmet itself: the main monuments are close together, the T1 tram runs through the middle, and parking is scarce. Sultanahmet car rental becomes worthwhile on the day you move on, for a trip to an airport with suitcases, a drive to the Asian side, the Black Sea coast or another city. Many travellers spend their first days here on foot and pick up the car only when they leave the old city.

For Sultanahmet car rental, Otorento lets you compare cars from independent rental suppliers that serve the old city and the surrounding area. Economy, automatic, SUV and family cars can be compared on mileage allowance, fuel policy, deposit and handover method. Prices and availability vary with the dates, the car group and the supplier.

Location and getting around

Approximate road distances from Sultanahmet Square. Drive times are for light traffic; in the old city, real journeys are often slower.

Tram and rail: the T1 tram stops at Gulhane, Sultanahmet, Cemberlitas and Beyazit-Kapalicarsi (for the Grand Bazaar). Heading north it reaches Sirkeci, where you can change to Marmaray, and Eminonu, then crosses the Galata Bridge to Karakoy and Kabatas. Heading west it runs to Aksaray, close to Yenikapi with its M1, M2 and Marmaray connections.

By road: the shore road below Sultanahmet follows the Sea of Marmara from Sarayburnu to Kazlicesme and is the approach to the Eurasia Tunnel, the quickest route to Kadikoy and the Asian side; only cars, minibuses, vans and motorcycles may use it. The same road continues west towards Bakirkoy and the airport roads.

Car ferry: at Sirkeci, a few minutes from Sultanahmet, a car ferry crosses to Harem on the Asian side. Passengers travelling in a car do not pay a separate fare; services can be cancelled in thick fog.

Tolls: the Eurasia Tunnel, the Bosphorus bridges and the motorways use the HGS electronic toll system. Your rental car will normally have an HGS tag, and the supplier settles the tolls with you after the rental.

Picking up your car

Otorento does not have an office in Sultanahmet; the supplier you book decides where the car is handed over, whether at its office, a nearby car park or your hotel. You will find the address and a phone number in the booking confirmation. Many hotels are on narrow streets close to the tram line where a car cannot wait, so arrange a meeting point on a main road if needed.

• Documents: driving licence, passport and a credit card in the main driver's name, normally used for the deposit; the supplier's conditions are shown before you pay.

• Licence rules: visitors can drive on their own foreign licence for up to six months after arrival in Turkey. Some suppliers may also ask for an International Driving Permit, so check the terms.

• One-way rentals: if you will fly out, see whether the supplier lets you return the car at Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen, and whether a fee applies.

Whichever supplier provides your Sultanahmet car rental, the booking includes free cancellation and 24/7 support.

Places to visit by car

• Balat and Fener: colourful houses and churches on the Golden Horn, approx. 5 km.

• Chora (Kariye): the former Byzantine church near the land walls at Edirnekapi, approx. 6 km.

• Yedikule Fortress: a museum at the old Golden Gate in the Theodosian walls, by the Sea of Marmara, approx. 6 km.

• Pierre Loti Hill: a cafe terrace above the Golden Horn in Eyupsultan, approx. 10 km.

• Sile: Black Sea beaches on the Asian side, approx. 80 km.

Driving and parking tips

• Drive on the right and keep clear of the T1 tram tracks, which run along the street through Sultanahmet and Cemberlitas.

• Do not plan to park near the monuments: spaces are rare and the streets are crowded with pedestrians. Leave the car in a paid car park or at your hotel.

• Leave early for the airport; the shore road and the tunnel approach slow down in the evening rush.

• In fog, ferries and the Sirkeci-Harem car ferry may stop, which pushes more traffic onto the tunnel and bridges.

Nearby locations

Compare car hire elsewhere in Fatih, across the Golden Horn in Beyoglu, on the other side of the car ferry at Harem Bus Terminal, or at Istanbul Airport.