Photo: Fatih Yürür / Unsplash
Practical info for Turkey
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British Consulate General IstanbulConsulate
- Address
- Meşrutiyet Caddesi No 42 Tepebaşı Beyoglu, Istanbul, 34435, Turkey
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry go to: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/turkey/british-consulate-general-istanbul
- British Embassy AnkaraEmbassy
- Address
- Şehit Ersan Caddesi 46/A Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry go to: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/turkey/british-embassy-ankara
- British Consulate AntalyaConsulate
- Address
- Sokak No: 6, Konyaaltı, Antalya, Turkey
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry go to: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/turkey/british-vice-consulate-antalya
- British Consulate IzmirConsulate
- Address
- Mahmut Esat Bozkurt CaddesiNo 49Alsancak, Izmir, 35220, Turkey
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry go to: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/turkey/british-consulate-izmir
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 19/10/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country.
Areas where FCDO advises against travel
FCDO advises against all travel to within 10km of the border with Syria due to fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism.
Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: Turkish lira (TRY).
ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 55.6746 TRY.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Local time: UTC+03:00, +3 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “If you hire a moped you need a valid driving licence with at least category A1 - ‘light motorcycle’. You need a 1968 international driving permit (IDP) or a UK driving licence notarised in Turkish to drive in Turkey. The 1949 IDP is not accepted any more.”
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Avea/Türk Telekom (Sirocco); Türk Telekom (Sirocco); Turk Telekom (Avea) (Airalo); Turkcell (Sirocco); Vodafone (Sirocco).
eSIM prices for Turkey
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in Turkey?
Single emergency number: 112 ; Police: 155 ; Medical emergencies: 112 ; Fire brigade: 110 ; Gendarmerie: 156
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in Turkey?
British Consulate General Istanbul, Meşrutiyet Caddesi No 42 Tepebaşı Beyoglu, Istanbul, 34435, Turkey ; British Embassy Ankara, Şehit Ersan Caddesi 46/A Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey ; British Consulate Antalya, Sokak No: 6, Konyaaltı, Antalya, Turkey ; British Consulate Izmir, Mahmut Esat Bozkurt CaddesiNo 49Alsancak, Izmir, 35220, Turkey. Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
What are the entry requirements for Turkey?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 19/10/2026.
What is the travel advice for Turkey?
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country. Areas where FCDO advises against travel FCDO advises against all travel to within 10km of the border with Syria due to fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism. Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
What currency is used in Turkey?
Currency: Turkish lira (TRY). ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 55.6746 TRY.
What is the time difference in Turkey?
Local time: UTC+03:00, +3 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in Turkey?
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “If you hire a moped you need a valid driving licence with at least category A1 - ‘light motorcycle’. You need a 1968 international driving permit (IDP) or a UK driving licence notarised in Turkish to drive in Turkey. The 1949 IDP is not accepted any more.”
Which mobile networks operate in Turkey?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Avea/Türk Telekom (Sirocco); Türk Telekom (Sirocco); Turk Telekom (Avea) (Airalo); Turkcell (Sirocco); Vodafone (Sirocco).
Turkey with the family
From Sirocco, the publisher of eSIMeter
- Documents, money, getting around, Istanbul, Cappadocia, the Turquoise Coast and our unusual places: all you need to plan the trip and enjoy it with the children.
- Valleys of strangely shaped rocks, houses and churches carved into the stone, underground cities to explore and, at sunrise, a sky full of hot-air balloons.
- This guide takes you from departure to coming home: the formalities, Istanbul, Cappadocia and the Turquoise Coast stage by stage, our unusual places, two day trips and three itineraries.