Travelling soon and looking for best ATMs in Turkey that work well with foreign debit/credit cards and dont charge crazy fees. Any recos will be highly appreciated.
I used my Wise Visa and Revolut Mastercard across Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Antalya in May, and the most consistent ATM was from PTT. No local withdrawal fee and a fair exchange rate. The machine at Istiklal Street near Taksim Square worked perfectly. Just make sure to decline the currency conversion when prompted. I tried a Anadolubank ATM too, but it wanted to charge me 750 TRY just to withdraw 5000 TRY so I backed out immediately.
In Bodrum and Fethiye, I used Yapi Kredi often.. I withdrew with a Chase Sapphire Visa and there was a local fee (around 454.50 TRY), but the transaction was smooth and the machine allowed higher limits. Ziraat Bank ATMs worked as well but had lower withdrawal limits per transaction and i saw some machines forced conversion of like 8%. Best was PTT, Kuveyt Turk - no fees but ensure to decline conversion.
While travelling through Izmir and Bursa, I relied mostly on PPT ATMs. They accepted both my Canadian debit card and Monzo without a hitch. The fees were zero and the machines gave you the option to withdraw in Turkish lira or convert to your home currency. Always choose to be charged in lira. I also noticed Kuveyt Türk machines had zero fee twice in a row, though I can’t confirm if that’s consistent across Turkey.
Just last month in Ankara, I used a Nova credit card issued in Europe and had success with TEB ATMs. The one in Kızılay Metro station was modern, fast, and didn’t push DCC too aggressively. It charged around 400 TRY flat, which was lower than other banks I tried. I’d recommend sticking to Kuveyt, PTT and ING if you're trying to avoid drama and high fees. B
From my experience:
Best: PTT Bank (no fees, high limits)
Good: Is Bank (reliable but sometimes lower limits)
Okay: VakıfBank (works but slower processing)
Avoid: QNB Finansbank and any ATM in airports
Always withdraw larger amounts less frequently to minimize fees. Most bank ATMs allow 5,000-15,000 TL per withdrawal for foreign cards. Remember to decline currency conversion at the machine!
I exclusively avoid Yapi Kredi (9%), TEB (8%), Garanti (7.99%) and QNB Finans Bank (8%) for use with my Canadian cards. ING and HSBC are good and so is halkbank - they have the most reliable English interface and don't charge extra fees beyond what your home bank might charge. Their ATMs clearly show the withdrawal amount in both TL and your home currency before confirming. Avoid standalone ATMs in convenience stores - they often have lower limits and higher fees.
My go-to ATMs in Turkey:
Akbank - Never had a foreign card rejection
Garanti BBVA - Offers clear fee disclosures
Halkbank - Good exchange rates
All three allow withdrawals up to 10,000 TL per transaction (about $300). Watch out for DenizBank ATMs - they've given me trouble with US-issued cards before. Stick to ATMs attached to actual bank branches for best results.
After living here for 2 years, I've found Turkey ATMs to charge some of the most ridiculous fees. Fibabanka charges 8% atm fees, Ziraat Bank will force an 8% currency conversion fee, anadolu bank charges flat fee of 750 lira. Halfbank and ING I have found to be the best without any fees and allow 5000 and 10000 lira withdrawal limits. Always select "Continue Without Conversion" when withdrawing Turkish Lira.Travelling soon and looking for best ATMs in Turkey that work well with foreign debit/credit cards and dont charge crazy fees. Any recos will be highly appreciated.