Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

Money ATMs

ATMs are everywhere in İstanbul. Virtually all of them offer instructions in English, French and German and will pay out Turkish liras when you insert your bank debit (cash) card. They will also pay cash advances on Visa and MasterCard. The limit on cash withdrawals is generally ₺ 600 to ₺ 800 per day, though this varies from bank to bank. Changing Money A The 24-hour döviz bürosu s (exchange bureaux) in the arrivals halls of the international airports usually offer competitive rates. A US dollars and euros are easily changed at exchange bureaux. They are sometimes accepted in carpet shops and hotels. A Turkish liras are fully convertible, so there is no black market. Credit Cards Most hotels, car-hire agencies, shops, pharmacies, entertainment venues and restaurants will accept Visa and MasterCard; Amex isn’t as widely accepted and Diner’s is often not accepted. Inexpensive eateries usually accept cash only. Currency Türk Lirası (Turkish lira; ₺ ). Coins come in amounts of one, five, 10, 25 and 50 kuruş and one lira; notes come in five, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 lira. Opening Hours Opening hours vary wildly across businesses and services in İstanbul. The following is a very general guide. Bars Afternoon to early morning Nightclubs 11pm till late Post Offices & Banks 8.30am–5pm Monday to Friday Restaurants & Cafes Breakfast 7.30am–10.30am, lunch noon–2.30pm, dinner 6.30pm– 10pm