@Gundogan's Moustache
ok, still recieving, has recieved too many questions about TAXIS IN ISTANBUL. let's clarify it...
they accept credit/debit cards, but i ve never tried. why? because i do not use taxis. only public transportation. public transportation is good in istanbul. when i have some urgent issues sometimes i use my car; when i need to carry lots of documents etc. but maybe 2-3 times in a year. since the traffic is terrible.
ok about TAXIS.
we hate them; we have nicknames for them, i dont wanna write those.
why do we hate them
ok,
-----------------------------MY PESIMISTIC/SCAREMONGER MODE ON (FOR THE LAST TIME UNTIL YOU LEAVE ISTANBUL --------------------------------
1- istanbul is a 20 million metropole. how many taxis are there? only 18k
2- taxi licence plates are owned my mafia. it has a market; 1 taxi plate is at the moment above 400k USD something. mafia own the plates, and they hire drivers.
3- since taxi plates has a market (supply/demand) they dont want to increase the number of taxis; that 18k.
4- they are the guys of government. in 2019 istanbul municapility elections, opposition party won istanbul. they try to solve this problem; to increase the number of taxis; but government did not allow that.
5- uber came in 2015 or something; then things get better. but taxi mafia started to beat uber drivers, really. then the government banned uber. so no uber.
6- when it rains, taxis do not take you. when you wanna travel short distances; they do not take you.
7- a very bad story; in 2016 a terrorist attack occured in Istanbul airport (old one). do you know what taxi drivers did there while people trying to get out of airport region. they triplled the prices. that happend. by the way; in 2015-16 there was this terror shit, like any other metropoles on earth. (i send my condolences about 2017 manchester incident). now istanbul is as safe as any other metroploles. dont worry.
8- even kadıkoy taxi drivers are nicer guys; in 2005-2007 for example, i am living in kadıkoy center, my girlfriend was living 30km from kadıkoy center. when we party at weekends, drink, we were taking a taxi from kadıkoy, and i was never leaving my girlfriend alone in the taxi, taking her to her home, and coming back to kadıkoy again, paying lots of money. so thats an issue also. still. at night. for girls.
9- i lived in amsterdam for 5 years. this ''short distance'' shit was an issue there also since in amsterdam taxi drivers are mostly turks/kurds; also some incidents happend there a few years ago because of that. anyway....actually it happened when i was there i think; i was saying the drivers ''ok ill pay 30 euros, please take me to that place etc''
10- SO..... for you: it is easy to find taxis at airports; because they love to travel long distances.
11- for example; matchday, you drink at nevizade and want to go to the stadium by a taxi from taksim: thats an issue. you may not find one. i dont know what will happen that day. thats why i reccommend metros, or use uefa shuttles, i dont know about them, you know better.
i hope taxi mafia is not reading this :))))))) anyway... i cant care less.
------------------------------SCAREMOGNER MODE OFF-------------
sorry if are bore you, but thats important info about taxis
act accordingly
cheers.