Renting a car in Canakkale is a great way to explore the Dardanelles, Gallipoli, and the ancient site of Troy, and driving in Turkey is straightforward, with the main thing to understand being the electronic toll system. Canakkale sits at a famous strait, and a hire car makes it easy to reach the peninsula and the surrounding coast.
Tolls and the HGS system
Turkey collects motorway and bridge tolls electronically through the HGS system; the older OGS system was retired some years ago, and HGS is now the standard. The good news for visitors is that rental cars come with an HGS transponder or a chipped sticker already fitted to the windscreen, so tolls are read automatically as you pass, and the accumulated amount is deducted from your deposit or charged at the end of the rental. You do not need a Turkish bank account. Comparison sites such as DiscoverCars help you check prices and availability in advance.
Licences and driving
Turkey drives on the right. Many visitors can drive on their national licence for a short stay, but an International Driving Permit is recommended alongside it, especially if your licence is not in the Latin alphabet, and rental companies may ask for one. You will also need a passport and a credit card. To reach the Gallipoli peninsula from Canakkale you can cross the strait, either over the Canakkale bridge, part of the motorway network, or by the local ferries that link the two shores.
Booking tips
Toll rates are adjusted periodically, so factor a modest amount for tolls into your budget on longer motorway routes. Read the rental terms for the deposit, fuel policy, insurance, excess, and exactly how the HGS tolls are billed back after you return the car, since a separate charge often appears later. Book ahead in the summer and around major commemoration dates, when demand around Gallipoli is high.