Phone Information

As it belongs to two continents in Istanbul there are two geographical regions : European and Asian sides. The local telephone code of European side is 212 and the one of the Asian side is 216. The national telephone code of Turkey is 90. All of the telephone numbers consist of 7 digits. For example telephone number of Galatasaray University is 2274480 and the code of the European side is 212. So if you want to call Galatasaray University from Asian side the number transforms into 0212 2274480. If you want to call the same number from abroad it transforms into 00902122274480. There are prepayed telephone cards of Turkish Telecom specially designed for calling abroad.

Practicalities

Currency: The currency in Turkey is New Turkish Lira (TRY). Actually 1 US $ = 1.3 TRY and 1 Euro = 2.03 TRY (April 4, 2008).

Bank Services: In general Banks are open between 8,30 - 17,30 from Monday to Friday.

Electricity: The electricity supply is 220 V, 50 Hz, with the type of sockets which are standard in most European countries.

Shopping: Almost all of the shopping centers are open every day until 22.00 hours.

Drinking water: Although it is safe to drink tap water, it is recommended to buy bottled drink water which can be found almost everywhere at stores. There are several supermarkets in Besiktas which is 15 minutes on walk from GS University. You can safely brush your teeth with tap water.

Time Zone: The time zone is 1 hour later from Central European Time Zone, 2 hours later from the Greenwich Mean Time.

Safety: Beware of dangerous and inconsiderate driving, especially when crossing roads. Even if you are on a pedestrian crossing, look carefully before crossing. Turkey is a comparatively safe country as far as crime is concerned, but it is best to take reasonable precautions against pickpockets in crowded areas.

Language: In Turkey the official language is Turkish. The Turkish language comes from Central Asian Languages Family and very different from the european languages. The Turkish alphabet is based on the latin alphabet. In general, in Istanbul many people talk English and you can easily communicate with other people. As Istanbul is a touristic city you can find many tourism offices.