Istanbul: Private Car Hire with Driver & Flexible Pickup

4.82

(194 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

He’s tapping the steering wheel when we step outside — I guess our driver’s been waiting a few minutes already, but he just smiles and waves us over like old friends. The van smells faintly of lemon (maybe the cleaner?) and there are bottles of water tucked into the cupholders. It’s weirdly comforting. We pile in, and he checks if we want to start with the Grand Bazaar or somewhere quieter. His English is basic, but honestly, gestures and that patient grin do most of the work. The city feels huge from inside a car — so many domes and minarets sliding past the window.

We booked this private car hire in Istanbul mostly because I didn’t want to wrangle taxis all day or get lost on public transport with my parents. Our driver knows every shortcut (or maybe just has strong opinions about traffic), and he lets us linger at each stop as long as we want — he just waits in the van, scrolling his phone or chatting with other drivers parked nearby. At one point I tried to thank him in Turkish; he laughed and corrected me gently (“teşekkürler,” not “teşekkur” — I still mess it up). There’s WiFi in the van, which saved us when my sister needed to check directions for a café she’d seen on Instagram.

By afternoon, I’m half asleep against the window while my dad points out old Ottoman buildings he remembers from some documentary. The city is loud outside but so quiet inside here — only muffled horns and that soft hum of air conditioning. We could’ve added a guide but honestly, today felt right just drifting between places at our own pace. When we finally get dropped off near Galata Bridge instead of our hotel (no problem changing drop-off), it’s almost sunset and everything looks gold through the haze. I keep thinking about how easy it felt — not rushed or forced, just… Istanbul unfolding around us.