For many families visiting Istanbul, the biggest worry isn't the hotel or the food. It's getting around. The city is huge, the traffic is real, and a regular taxi doesn't work well when you have children, suitcases and a stroller. That's why many families book a private car with a driver from day one.
But not every offer is the same. This guide shows you what to ask before you pay anything.
1. Hourly driver or a driver for your whole stay?
- By the hour or by the day: fine for a single transfer or one day out, but you may get a different driver and a different car each day.
- For your whole stay: one booking, with your plan written in advance. The driver knows your schedule each day, which is far more relaxing for a family.
2. Questions to ask before you book
- How many hours a day is the driver with us? Some offers say "full day" without a number. Ask for the hours in writing, and the price of an extra hour.
- Is the car just for us? Make sure it isn't shared with another family.
- What kind of car is it, and how many seats? A family of 4 to 7 people with luggage needs a roomy family van.
- Are child seats available? Safety requires them for young children. Ask how many, and request them in advance.
- Is airport pickup included? And how long will the driver wait if your flight is late?
- What does the price include? Ask for the final price in writing, with what it includes (fuel, road and bridge tolls) and what it doesn't.
- Is the company registered, and does it issue an official invoice and a written contract? This protects you if any dispute comes up.
- How do we reach you during the trip? Ask for the support number, its hours, and which languages the team answers in.
3. Red flags
- The price changes after you arrive.
- The driver steers you to particular restaurants or shops and pressures you to buy.
- There's no company name or address, just a WhatsApp number.
- They ask for full payment upfront with no written price, no clear terms and no invoice.
4. How it works with PARELO
With PARELO packages, your family gets a private car with a driver for your family only: 10 hours on every full day, plus airport pick-up and drop-off on arrival and departure days, with fuel, road and bridge tolls, and a child seat on request. The full price is written before you book, and there is no payment before you arrive: half at hotel check-in, the rest one day before you leave. Prices and booking confirmations: 10:00–22:00 Istanbul time.
PARELO is a registered company in Istanbul (PARELO Turizm Teknoloji Sanayi Ticaret Limited Şirketi) and issues official invoices.
