An additional payment option appeared just a few days ago among Russians living in Turkey.
Recall that Turkish establishments have recently stopped accepting Russian MIR cards for payment, and ATMs for servicing. Despite the fact that it was the MIR maps that were a lifesaver for Russian immigrants and tourists for several months.
However, apparently, the story of the rejection of the Russian payment system in Turkey will drag on for a long time: the MIR sticker is even removed from ATMs.
However, Turkey is not going to lose income from the flow of Russians who have arrived in the country: emergency measures to get out of this situation are already being discussed at the «top».
What has already been implemented: the opportunity to get Turkish TROY cards and pay with them. Let's clarify that TROY is a Turkish payment system; bank cards work in the usual way.
However, it is too early for tourists to rejoice: despite the fact that it is not difficult to issue a card (a minimum of documents and obtaining a tax number on the territory of the Republic of Turkey, which can be done in a few minutes and for free), at the moment, TROY cards are issued only to persons who are in Turkey for a long time. That is, Russians with a residence permit.
This information was confirmed by the head of the Federal Tourism Agency. So, if the situation has become easier for «local residents» to pay for goods, services and withdraw cash from ATMs, tourists will still have to travel in cash for some time. Alternatively, come with rubles: they can be exchanged in almost any exchanger, although not at the most favorable rate.
There are chances that some other options will appear soon; after all, Russians have especially high hopes in terms of demand for goods and services. So many of our compatriots have arrived that Antalya is overcrowded: there are no places left in apartment hotels. In addition, it is the Russians who buy the most housing in Turkey for many months in a row, in particular, all on the same Antalya coast.