Driving Turkish Motorways for the First Time: Rest Areas and Pace

What is driving on Turkish motorways like?

Mostly smooth, well signed and fast, with tolls on the main routes. You pass through HGS lanes without stopping, there are regular rest areas, and traffic is usually heavier near big cities than in between. The bigger risks are tiredness, fog and slower trucks, not the road itself.

This guide is about long-distance driving. For city driving, read our first-time Istanbul driving guide.

How do HGS lanes work?

Tolled motorways use HGS, an electronic system that records your passage without stopping. Use the lanes marked for HGS. How the device is issued and how tolls are billed depends on your rental company, so ask and read the agreement. Our HGS and tolls guide covers it in detail.

Tolls change, so use the current tariff rather than an old number.

Where do you stop?

Motorways have rest areas (dinlenme tesisleri) with fuel, food, toilets and shops, and many include a prayer room. Fuel up before long empty-looking stretches and take a break at least every two hours or when you feel tired. Rest areas can be busy at peak holiday times.

What about pace and lanes?

Keep to the speed limit and stay in the right lane unless overtaking. Trucks often use the right lane, so expect to pass them. Keep your distance, because sudden braking happens. Our speed limits, fines and radar guide covers the limits and enforcement.

How do night, fog and mountain sections change things?

Slow down. On sections such as the Bolu mountain section of the O-4, fog is common in cool months and visibility can fall quickly. Use low beams, keep a longer gap and avoid unfamiliar roads after dark if you can. Read the winter driving guide for cold-season trips.

What are the most common motorway mistakes?

Fuelling too late, stopping on the shoulder, missing the HGS lane, overtaking on the wrong side, following trucks too closely and driving on when tired. Each is avoidable with a plan.

Fuel at the quarter mark, use the marked lanes, keep a longer gap than you think you need and treat rest areas as part of the route. Read our police check guide so you know what to carry.

What should you check before a long drive?

• Fuel, tyres and lights, and the location of the spare and jack.
• The mileage allowance: Auris publishes 150 km per day and 3,500 km per month, so long trips use it fast. See the road trip cost guide.
• A charged phone and a mount for navigation.
• Emergency number 112 and the rental company's support contact.

Our route guides show the same principles in practice: Istanbul to Ankara and Istanbul to Antalya. The rental conditions list current terms, and the Turkey car rental page and support page cover the rest.