Asia > Türkiye > Antalya (AYT)

The Car or no Car advice for  Antalya can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Antalya ;  is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).

🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Antalya ?

These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.

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💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Antalya?

These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.

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Antalya is one of Türkiye’s biggest holiday destinations, with long beaches, luxury resorts, and a lively old town. The airport sits close to the city, and the AntRay light rail makes travel into Antalya easy. However, most resorts sit well outside the tram route. Buses fill the gaps, and taxis are common. So, should you rent a car in Antalya? The answer depends on whether you plan to stay in a resort, explore the city, or travel to waterfalls, canyons, and ancient ruins. Because the region is large, your choices vary more here than in many Turkish cities.

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🚶 Why You Don’t Always Need a Car

First of all, Antalya city is very accessible. The AntRay tram connects the airport with major stops, including:

• Muratpaşa

• Lara Street connections

• The old town (Kaleiçi)

• Shopping areas and central districts

If your holiday focuses on the city itself, the tram and occasional taxis can cover almost everything.

🌟 Go Car-Free If:

• You’re staying in Kaleiçi, Muratpaşa, or central Antalya

• You want easy access from the airport via light rail

• You plan to enjoy cafés, beaches, museums, and old-town streets

• You prefer using buses and trams instead of navigating Antalya’s traffic

➡ In short: the city of Antalya works very smoothly without a car.

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🚍 Resort Guests Rarely Need a Car

Although the tram serves the city, it does not reach the main resort belts. Resorts lie east toward Lara and west toward Konyaaltı and even farther toward Kemer or Belek.

However, these areas have:

• Very regular resort buses

• Shuttle services

• Tour coaches

• Plenty of taxis

Most guests stay inside their resort, join organised excursions, or take shuttle buses into the city for a day out.

➡ If your plan is a resort holiday, a rental car is unnecessary.

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🚗 When Renting a Car Improves the Trip

However, Antalya Province is huge. Beyond the beaches lies a region packed with ancient cities, mountain roads, and dramatic landscapes.

A car becomes helpful when you want to explore:

• Termessos, one of Türkiye’s most spectacular ruins

• Köprülü Canyon for rafting

• Olympos and Çıralı

• Phaselis and its coastal ruins

• Saklıkent Gorge

• Side, Alanya, or Kemer on your own timetable

Public transport reaches some of these places, but not all, and not always conveniently.

➡ For inland ruins and natural parks, driving gives you complete freedom.

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🚈 How Useful Is the Light Rail for Tourists?

The AntRay tram is excellent for:

• Airport arrivals

• City sightseeing

• Museums and central districts

• Local shopping trips

But it is not useful for:

• Most beach resorts

• All-inclusive hotel belts

• The long coastal sprawl beyond the city

• Day trips to natural sights well inland

➡ It’s a great tool, but only within the city.

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🧭 Quick Decision Table

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🎯 Conclusion: Should You Rent a Car in Antalya?

• 🚫 Skip the car if you’re staying in a resort, relying on buses and shuttles, or focusing on Antalya city with the help of the light rail.

• 🚗 Rent a car if you want to explore ruins, waterfalls, canyons, and the mountains at your own pace, because public transport thins out once you leave the coast.