Public transport in Istanbul comprises a bus network, various rail systems, funiculars, and maritime services to serve the more than 13 million inhabitants of the city spread over an area of 5712 km².
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Public road transport in Istanbul dates back to August 30, 1869, when a contract to build a tram system in the capital of the Ottoman Empire was signed. With this agreement, Konstantin Krepano Efendi’s "Société des Tramways de Constantinople" obtained the concession to operate public transportation for forty years. The inauguration of four lines of horse-driven trams was in 1871. In the first year, the horsecars transported 4.5 million people on the lines Azapkapi-Galata, Aksaray-Yedikule, Aksaray-Topkapı and Eminönü-Aksaray. More lines were added in the following years. 430 horses were used to draw the 45 carriages, including 15 summer-type and some double-deckers, on meter gauge track. In 1912, the horse-drawn tram had to cease to operate for one year because the Ministry of Defense sent all the horses to the front during the Balkan War. The tram network was electrified by overhead contact wire on February 2, 1914. The tram began to run on the Anatolian part of Istanbul on June 8, 1928 between Üsküdar and Kısıklı. By the 1950s, the length of the tram lines reached 130 km. The trams were on service on the European side of the city until August 12, 1961 and on the Asian side until November 14, 1966.
The same time as the horsecar started to run, construction of the Tünel, a short funicular between Pera and Galata, began on July 30, 1871. The funicular opened to service on December 5, 1874, the second oldest subway in the world after the London underground. In the beginning, only freight and livestock were transported. On January 17, 1875, after completing the test runs, the funicular was opened to the public. It is still in service.
Bus transportation in İstanbul started in 1926 with four Renault-Scania buses between Beyazıt and Karaköy. The fleet grew up from 9 buses in 1942 to 16 in 1955 and to 525 buses in 1960, and then became the backbone of public transport in an ever-enlarging city.
Several British and French companies operated all public transport in İstanbul until June 16, 1939, the date of nationalization. The newly established company İETT (İstanbul Electric Tram and Funicular Company) took over from then on the task of public transport in İstanbul.
On May 27, 1961 trolleybuses were put in service first between Topkapı and Eminönü following the elimination of trams. However, they were taken out of service some time later because they also hindered the growing traffic in the narrow streets of the old city.
A commuter rail line was built on the European side of the city from Sirkeci to Hadımköy in 1872, which was followed in 1873 on the Anatolian part from Haydarpaşa Terminal to İzmit.
The ferry is one of the oldest means of transit in İstanbul, a city with two parts separated by the Bosphorus strait and surrounded by sea. In 1837, British and Russian owned boats started transport on the Bosphorus. The İstanbul Maritime Company was established in 1851 by a decree of Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I. The ferry service began in 1853 with six paddle steamers built in the Robert White shipyard in England. The service was extended in 1859 to places around Golden Horn. After 1903 screw-driven steamboats were put in service. Until 1929 boats were imported; later on the ferries were built in the shipyards in Golden Horn. At its peak the fleet contained 40 boats.
In 1867, the same company started vehicle transport across the Boğaziçi (Bosphorus) between Kabataş and Üsküdar with two ferries purchased from England, as the first scheduled ferry lines in the world.
| Line | Mode | Line Destinations | No. of (Stations |
Length (km) |
Trip Time (End To End) (Mins) |
Average Speed (km/hour) |
Daily Trips | Peak Freq (every x mins) |
Size of Fleet | Passengers / Day |
Daily Capacity |
Average Passengers / Trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 [1] | Light Rail | Aksaray - Atatürk International Airport | 18 | 19.6 | 32 | 36.7 | 416 | 5 | 80 units | 210,000 | 450,000 [2] | 509 |
| M2 [1] | Underground Train | Hacıosman - Şişhane | 12 | 16.5 | 27 | 36.7 | 394 | 4 | 124 carriages | 170,000 | unknown | 431 |
| T1 [1] | Modern Tramway | Kabatas - Bagcilar | 31 | 19.5 | 40 | 29.2 | unknown | 2 | 92 units | 265,000 | 300,000 [2] | unknown |
| T4 [1] | Light Rail | Edirnekapı - Sultançiftliği | 22 | 15.3 | 42 | 21.9 | 380 | 5 | 63 units | 100,000 | unknown | 263 |
| 34 [3] | BRT (Metrobus) | Söğütlüçeşme - Avcılar Campus (Istanbul Uni) | 33 | 43 | 63 | 40.9 | 4000 | 32 seconds [3] | 300 buses | 800,000 [4] | 875,000 [3] | 218 |
| B1 [5] | Suburban Train | Sirkeci to Halkalı | 33 | 25 | 53 | 28.3 | 116 | 15 | unknown | 22,236 | unknown | 192 |
| B2 [5] | Suburban Train | Haydarpaşa - Gebze | 27 | unknown | 65 | 66.5 | 120 | 15 | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
Sources unless otherwise cited
The bus fleet has 2,841 vehicles built by MAN (448), Ikarus (1,291), Mercedes-Benz (988), DAF/Optare (39) and VDL Berkhof (6). The buses run daily about 448,000 km on around 468 lines with 7,889 bus-stops. 435 million people a year were transported in 2003, making a share of 14,2% of all the transportation in Istanbul.
| Bus Fleet of IETT | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus | Number | Passenger capacity (Number of seats) |
Exhaust emission |
| MAN SL202 (solo) | 200 | 30 | ECE-R 49 |
| MAN SL202 (articulated) | 170 | 44 | ECE-R 49 |
| Ikarus 260 (solo) | 1113 | 21 | ECE-R 49 |
| Ikarus 280 (articulated) | 126 | 37 | ECE-R 49 |
| Ikarus 280 (articulated) | 12 | 38 | EURO 1 |
| Mercedes-Benz O345 (solo) | 479 | 36 | EURO 2 |
| Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro (solo) | 394 | 29 | EURO 3 |
| Mercedes-Benz O345G (articulated) | 85 | 49 | EURO 2 |
| Mercedes-Benz O530G Citaro G (articulated) | 100 | 42 | EURO 3 |
| Mercedes-Benz O530GL Citaro GL 'CapaCity' (articulated) | 50/31 | 42/42 | EURO 4/EURO 5 |
| DAF DB250/Optare Spectra (double-decker) | 26 | 62 | EURO 1 |
| DAF DB250/MJT (double-decker) | 52 | 72 | EURO 3 |
| Berkhof (Disabled-people bus) | 3 | 27+2 | EURO 2 |
| Total | 2841 | ||
Since 1985, private owned buses are allowed to operate under the audit of IETT. There are 1,366 private owned public buses, including 89 double-deckers.
Istanbul is served by two underground funicular railways, of very different ages and styles.
The older of these lines is the Tünel. This line is the oldest underground metro line in continental Europe, and the second in the world after London (arguably third in the world, if one counts Brooklyn, New York's abandoned Atlantic Avenue Tunnel). The Tünel is 573 m long with an altitude difference of 60 m and no intermediate stations between Karaköy and Tünel Square. It has been continuously in service since 1875. It was originally steam-powered with two wooden trains serving parallel tracks. It was modernized in 1971. Today the line is single-track with a passing loop, electrically powered and runs on rubber tires with rebuilt ex-RATP MP 55 vehicles. A trip takes approximately 1.5 minutes. About 15,000 people use the line each day. Unlike the modern one below which runs at strictly five minute intervals, this one goes when the driver has finished his tea with the ticket collector.
A second modern funicular, the Kabatas-Taksim Funicular, opened in June 2006, connecting Kabataş and Taksim. This system connects the sea bus station and the tram stop in Kabatas to the metro station on Taksim. It is about 600 meters long and climbs approximately 60 meters in 110 seconds.
The Istanbul LRT is a light rail transit system consisting of 2 lines. The first line (M1) began service on September 3, 1989 between Aksaray and Kartaltepe. The line was further developed step-by-step and reached Atatürk Airport on December 20, 2002. The other line (T4) was opened in 2007 between Edirnekapi and Mescid-i Selam. There are 36 stations, including 12 underground and 3 viaduct stations, on the line's 32 km length. The lines are totally segregated from other traffic without level crossings and run underground for 10.2 km. Service is operated with LRT vehicles built by ABB in 1989.
The construction of the underground railway in Istanbul began in 1992. The first line (M2) between Taksim and 4th Levent went into service on September 16, 2000. This line is 8.5 km long and has 6 stations, which all look similar but are in different colors. Currently there are 8 French built 4-car trains in service, which run every 5 minutes on average and transport 130,000 passengers daily. A trip along the entire line takes 12 minutes. The entire subway was built by the cut-and-cover method to withstand an earthquake of up to 9.0 on the Richter magnitude scale.
A northern extension from 4th Levent to Atatürk Oto Sanayi station in Maslak (Ayazağa) entered service in 2009, as well as a southern extension from Taksim to Şişhane station in Beyoğlu, near the northern entrance of Tünel. The rest of the southern section of the metro, which will run to Yenikapı, across the Golden Horn on a bridge and underground through the old city, is also under construction. The southern extension of M2 from Sishane to Yenikapi over the new Golden Horn Bridge is expected to open in 2014.
On the Asian side, 26.5 km (16.5 mi) long M4 construction from Kadıköy to Kaynarca continues. The line will open on 31 December up to Kartal which will have a total of 19 stations when Kaynarca opens.
The bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Istanbul is called Metrobüs. The construction of the Metrobüs BRT line began in 2005. The first line runs between Avcılar and Topkapı. This line is 11 km long and has 18 stations, which are located on Istanbul's Main Highway, called the D 100. It is currently operated with Mercedes Capacity, Mercedes Citaro, and DAF double-decker buses.
Extensions are planned at each end of the line. In the first phase, the eastern end of the line will be extended to Esentepe and meet with the current metro system. In the second phase, this line will pass over the Boğaziçi Bridge and end at the Göztepe on the Asia side of Istanbul. Eventually, the western end will be extended up to Beylikdüzü.
Several new lines are also planned, and construction will start in the near future.
Trams in Istanbul returned in 1990.
By the end of 1990, a historic tram was put in service (T5) along Istiklal Avenue between Taksim and Tünel, which is a single 1.6 km-long line.
On November 1, 2003, another nostalgic tram line (T3) was reopened on the Anatolian part of Istanbul between Kadıköy and Moda. It has 10 stations on a 2.6 km long route. The trip takes 21 minutes.
About 641,000 people were transported by the nostalgic trams in 2003.
A fast tram (T1) was put in service in 1992 on standard gauge track with modern cars, connecting Sirkeci with Topkapı. The line was extended on one end from Topkapı to Zeytinburnu in March 1994 and, on the other end from Sirkeci to Eminönü in April 1996. On January 30, 2005 it was extended from Eminönü to Fındıklı, crossing the Golden Horn on the Galata Bridge after 44 years without tram service on the bridge. A final extension to Kabataş opened in June 2006. The line has 24 stations on a length of 14 km. Service was initially operated with 22 LRT vehicles built by ABB, now reassigned to other lines; stations were provided with temporary high platforms. These vehicles were replaced by 55 low-floor Bombardier Flexity Swift trams in 2003. An entire trip takes 42 minutes. The daily transport capacity is 155,000 passengers. The amount of investment totaled US$110 million. At the moment, 30 new Citadis 301 evolution tramcars are on production line for Istanbul T1.
Hızlı Tramway stations are: Zeytinburnu, Mithatpaşa, Akşemsettin, Seyitnizam, Merkezefendi, Cevizlibağ, Topkapı, Pazartekke, Çapa, Fındıkzade, Haseki, Yusufpaşa, Aksaray, Laleli (Üniversite), Beyazıt (Kapalıçarşı), Çemberlitaş, Sultanahmet, Gülhane, Sirkeci, Eminönü (ferryboats), Karaköy, Tophane, Fındıklı, Kabataş.
In June 2006, a modern underground funicular was opened at Kabataş to connect this line to metro in Taksim.
In September 2006, a second tram line (T2) was added running west from Zeytinburnu to Bağcılar. Service on this line is operated with 14 ABB LRT cars. Stations have high platforms at the level of the car floor. Stations are Zeytinburnu (connect to T1 and M1) - Mehmet Akif - Merter Tekstil Sitesi - Güngören - Akıncılar - Soğanlı -Yavuz Selim - Güneştepe - Bağcılar.
This is the nostalgic Moda tramway (T3) re-opened in 2003. This is a single track circle tramway in Kadıköy on the Asian side. Stations are Kadıköy (connect to Ferry) - İskele Camii - Çarşı - Altıyol - Bahariye - Kilise - Moda İlkokulu - Moda - Mühürdar - Damga Sokak and back to Kadiköy.
In 2007 line T4 was opened between Şehitlik and Mescid-i Selam. In 2009 the line was lengthened at both ends to reach Habibler (North) and Topkapi (South). So now Line T4 connects with T1 at the station of Topkapi and goes to Habibler. Stations are Topkapı (connect to T1) - Fetihkapı - Vatan - Edirnekapı - Şehitlik - Demirkapı - Topçular - Rami - Uluyol/Bereç - Sağmalcılar - Bosna/Çukurçeşme - Ali Fuat Başgil - Taşköprü - Karadeniz - Metris - Cumhuriyet Mah. - 50.Yıl/Baştabya - Hacı Şükrü - Yeni Mah. - Sultançiftliği - Cebeci - Mescid-i Selam - Habibler.
This is the nostalgic tramway (T5) re-opened in 1990. It is a single track line along Istiklal Avenue between Taksim and Tünel. Stops are at Taksim, Ağa Camii, Galatasaray, Odakule and Tünel. The line connects with the funicular (F2) at Tünel, and with the Metro (M2) and funicular (F1) at Taksim.
The mainline railway between the main train station of the European part, Sirkeci, and Halkalı, supports a suburban trainservice (B1) with 18 stations along its 30 km length. A single trip takes 48 minutes. Another suburban line runs on the Anatolian part from the main train station Haydarpaşa to Gebze. The 44 km long line has 28 stations and the trip takes 65 minutes. For timetables (.pdf) see the (Turkish language) external link for the Turkish State Railways (www.tcdd.gov.tr) - click on "Banliyö Trenleri" (suburban trains) and "Hayderpasa" (for the Asian side) or "Istanbul". Clicking on ">>" will give the timetable(separate .pdf's for each direction). Electrified trains transport 13,000 passengers hourly on each line.
Ferryboats sail on 15 lines serving 27 seaports on the shores of Bosphorus and Sea of Marmara. The 20 older ferryboats carry 61 million passengers yearly. In the 1980s 150 million people were transported. For modernization purposes, the Maritime Co. was handed over in 2005 to İDO, which operates the sea buses in Istanbul.
The first steam ferries appeared on the Bosphorus in 1837 and were operated by private sector companies. On January 1, 1851, the Şirket-i Hayriye (literally The Goodwill Company, as the Istanbul Ferry Company was originally called) was established by the Ottoman state. The Şirket-i Hayriye continued to operate the city's landmark commuter ferries until the early years of the Republican period; when they went under the direction of Türkiye Denizcilik İşletmeleri (Turkish State Maritime Lines). Since March 2006, Istanbul's traditional commuter ferries have been operated by İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri (Istanbul Sea Buses) which also operates the high speed catamaran Seabus.
The current design of the Istanbul ferries, as we know them today, was largely created by the Fairfield Shipbuilders of Glasgow, Scotland, which also built the largest amount of Istanbul ferries since 1851. The companies which designed and built the traditional commuter ferries of Istanbul include the White Shipbuilders of East Cowes, England (models of 1854-1860); the M. Wigram Shipbuilders of London, England (models of 1863-1869); Maudslay & Sons of London, England (models of 1870-1872); R. & H. Green Shipbuilders of London, England (models of 1872-1890 and 1894–1896); J. W. Thames of London, England (models of 1890-1893); Napier, Shanks & Bell of Glasgow, Scotland (models of 1893-1894); Fairfield Shipbuilders of Glasgow, Scotland (models of 1903-1906, 1910–1911, 1914–1929, and 1938–1962); Armstrong Shipbuilders in Newcastle and Glasgow, United Kingdom (models of 1905-1907); Atl. & Chantier de France in Dunkerque, France (models of 1907-1911); Hawthorn Leslie and Company in Newcastle, England (models of 1911); Kinderdijk L. Smith & Zoon Ltd, Holland (models of 1951); Cantieri Navali di Taranto SPA, Taranto, Italy (models of 1952); and Hasköy, Camialtı, and İstinye Shipyards in Istanbul, Turkey (models of 1929-1938 and 1962–1989).
On April 16, 1987 the Municipality of Istanbul established a company to provide fast sea transport with catamaran-type sea buses. With the first ten vessels purchased from Norway, modernization of sea transportation was achieved. Today, the company İDO serves 29 terminals with a fleet of 28 catamarans, including six fast car ferries.
There is a short gondola lift line above the Democracy Park in the valley between Taksim and Maçka built in 1993. It connects the hotels Istanbul Hilton on one side with Parksa Hilton and Swissotel The Bosphorus on the other side. The cable line is 333 m long and transports in two cabins with six seats each around 1,000 passengers daily. The trip takes three minutes.
A second cable car line was opened in 2005 between the historical district of Eyüp and the Pierre Loti cafe on the top of the hill. It was most expensive cable car ( 5.000.000 Euro )in Turkey. Cable car delivered by Leitner-Lift Co.
Istanbul has an integrated electronic ticket system for bus, funiculars, LRT, metro, commuter trains, ferryboats and trams. The system uses Akbil iButtons or smart RFID cards as tickets.
Marmaray is the name of a project to link the European and Anatolian halves of Istanbul by an undersea rail tunnel across the Bosphorus Strait. The name Marmaray (Marmara Rail) comes from combining the name of the Sea of Marmara, which lies just south of the project site, with ray, the Turkish word for rail.
These official websites include timetables and maps
Buses & Funicular
Trains & Trams
Ferry Services
Taxis
Travel Guide
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