Istanbul LRT
| Istanbul LRT İstanbul Hafif Metro | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background | |
| Owner | Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality |
| Locale | Istanbul |
| Transit type | Light metro |
| Number of lines | 2 (M1 and T4) |
| Number of stations |
M1: 18 T4: 22 Total: 40 stations |
| Operation | |
| Began operation |
M1: 1989 T4: 2007 |
| Operator(s) | İstanbul Ulaşım AŞ |
| Number of vehicles |
M1: 80 T4: 63 Total: 143 vehicles |
| Technical | |
| System length |
M1: 19.6 km (12.2 mi) T4: 15.3 km (9.5 mi) Total: 32 km (19.9 mi) |
This article is about the M1 and T4 lines. For the lines M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, M7 and MM see: Istanbul Metro
The Istanbul LRT (Hafif raylı sistem or Hafif Metro (Light Metro) in Turkish), which consists of the M1 and T4 lines, is a light metro system in Istanbul, spanning a total length of 32 km (20 miles) with 10.4 km (6 mi) of it underground. There are 40 stations, including 12 underground and 3 viaduct stations.[1] Line M1 is in fact a full metro line and no light metro, because it is totally segregated from other traffic, without level crossings, while line T4 has some level crossings. A total of 163 trainsets transport 220,000[2](M1) and 95,000[3](T4) passengers per day.
M1 (Aksaray - Atatürk International Airport)
History
The first line began service on September 3, 1989, between Aksaray and Kartaltepe. On December 18, 1989, the line was extended to Esenler, but at that time the Otogar (Intercity Bus Station) was omitted. The Otogar station was opened on January 31, 1994. Following this, the Terazidere, Davutpaşa, Merter, Zeytinburnu and Bakırköy stations were opened in the same year. Ataköy (Şirinevler) and Yenibosna stations were opened in 1995, when the length of the line reached approximately 16 km. In 1999, a station between Atatköy and Bakırköy, the Bahçelievler station, was opened. Finally, the line was completed on December 20, 2002, through an extension to the World Trade Center and Atatürk Airport in Yeşilköy.
Vehicles
Since this line is the oldest modern rail line in İstanbul, it has aged vehicles which were produced by ABB in 1988. The vehicles reach a maximum speed of 80 km/h with an acceleration of 0.7 m/s2.
Stations
- Havalimanı (Atatürk International Airport): The station is closer to the International Terminal. Requires a lot of walking way to the Domestic Terminal, but there are travelators.
- Dünya Ticaret Merkezi: EXPO and World Trade Center
- Yenibosna
- Ataköy - Şirinevler
- Bahçelievler
- Bakırköy - İncirli
- Zeytinburnu: This station is an interchange station. Passengers may change the vehicle to T1 (to the Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, Eminönü and Kabataş) and T2 (to Bağcılar).
- Merter: A viaduct station on D-100 transit road. Here passengers may interchange to the Metrobus line (Söğütlüçeşme-Avcılar).
- Davutpaşa
- Terazidere
- Esenler Bus Terminal/Esenler: Intercity Bus Station. Passengers may switch to another destination from Esenler by bus.
- Kartaltepe - Kocatepe - Forum İstanbul
- Sağmalcılar
- Bayrampaşa - Maltepe
- Topkapı - Ulubatlı
- Emniyet - Fatih: Istanbul Central Police Department
- Aksaray: Passengers may interchange to T1 again here as well.
Future extensions
The initial plan is to extend the line from Aksaray to Yenikapı, where it will connect with the Istanbul Metro, the Seabus ferry port, and with the Marmaray. Construction works are scheduled to be completed in 2013. When completed, passengers will be able to take the Seabus to the other ferry ports on the Asian side, like Bostancı, Kadıköy and Kartal; as well as other cities on the Marmara Sea shore such as Bursa, Bandırma, Yalova, etc. When the Marmaray project and the M1 line's extension across the Golden Horn will be completed, passengers will be able to interchange to the north of the Golden Horn and to the Asian side across the Bosporus.
T4 (Edirnekapı - Sultançiftliği)
History
The other line was opened in 2007 between Edirnekapı and Mescid-i Selam. The line was originally planned as a tram line (hence the name T4), but since a 5 km-part of the line had to be built underground, it was later classified as a light rail transit line.
Vehicles
The vehicles are high-floor and bulky tramways which are very similar to M1's vehicles.
Stations
- Topkapı
- Fetihkapı
- Vatan
- Edirnekapı
- Şehitlik
- Demirkapı
- Topçular
- Rami
- Uluyol-Bereç
- Sağmalcılar-Kartaltepe
- Bosna-Çukurçesme
- Ali Fuat Başgil
- Taşkörü
- Karadeniz
- Mertis
- Cumhuriyet Mah.
- 50. Yil-Bastabya
- Hacı Şükrü
- Yeni Mahalle
- Sultançıftliǧi
- Cebeci
- Mescid-i Selam
Future extensions
The completion of the integration works of the Edirnekapı crossroad to D-100 (O-1) provides the continuation of the line. First the line will be integrated to the Ulubatlı station of the M1 line on Vatan Street. Then it will cross through the Topkapı City Park and will be connected to the T1 (Zeytinburnu-Kabataş) line's Topkapı station. On the north side, the line is planned to be expanded to Habibler.
See also
References
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