Tips

    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.

    Public transportation:

    Istanbul has an integrated electronic ticket system for bus, funiculars, LRT, metro, commuter trains, ferryboats and trams. The system uses Istanbulkart , as tickets. The easiest way to get the Istanbul Kart is at major transit stops such as the airport, Sultanahmet, and Eminönü. To buy an Istanbul Kart, you need to pay a non-refundable 10 TL fee (for the actual card and the service), and of course an amount of your choice to load onto the card.

    Practicalities:

    Currency : The currency in Turkey is Turkish Lira (TRY). Currently 1 US $ = 2.97 TRY and 1 Euro = 3.36 TRY.

    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 mn walking distance 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 the Central Asian Languages Family and is very different from the European languages. The Turkish alphabet is based on the latin alphabet. In general, in Istanbul many people speak English and you can easily communicate with other people. As Istanbul is a touristic city you can find many tourism offices.