Can I use a foreign bank card in Antalya, and where can I withdraw cash?
Based on 1 discussion with 4 participants · Last activity: today
Based on 1 discussion with 4 participants · Last activity: today
TL;DR
Traveler reports suggest foreign cards can be unreliable for shop payments, buses and vending machines in Antalya. For an RSHB card, cash withdrawal may be necessary; it is fee-based and reportedly available at only two ATMs, though the banks were not named.
One workaround for getting cash: send yourself a money transfer via Korona (Zolotaya Korona) in Turkish lira and pick it up at an office (e.g., in Alanya); the app has a map of office locations.
For cash withdrawals in Antalya, ATMs of Vakıfbank and İş Bankası are recommended — these banks reportedly charge no withdrawal fee of their own (unlike many other ATMs).
Card acceptance is very inconsistent: it works in museums and at bus stations, and in large non-grocery stores, but fails at Migros and A101 supermarket chains; small cafes and shops are 50/50. Tip: always try chip-and-PIN payment, since contactless (NFC) frequently fails.
In Faselis (a popular day-trip spot near Antalya), only Turkish lira is accepted for payment: dollars are refused, and foreign bank cards do not work there.
For an RSHB card in Antalya, carry cash because direct card acceptance is reportedly limited. Withdrawals are said to work at only two ATMs and incur a fee, but the ATM banks were not specified.
Do not rely on a foreign card for public transport fares in Antalya: one traveler reported that transit payment did not work. Acceptance is not universal, and cash withdrawals carry a fee.
A Freedom Bank card holder reported failed payments both for bottled water in a shop and on a bus in Antalya. Bring cash or a backup payment method.
A traveler asked whether Letim plastic cards could still withdraw cash from Antalya ATMs, but the discussion provided no confirmed evidence of a total withdrawal ban. Check Letim’s current supported-ATM list before travel and do not arrive without cash.