The oriental bazaar, the smell of spices and freshly painted skin, the sounds of light music and the loud voice of the market shouted ... What else pops up before your eyes when you mention Istanbul? Perhaps amazing temples and the Bosphorus Strait. But many tourists do not even realize that the Istanbul metro is one of the most striking sights of this city. If you plan to relax in Turkey and want to quickly see the beauty that Istanbul is rich in, the metro scheme will clearly not become superfluous for you.
Istanbul Metro: a history of construction
Istanbul is a multi-million city. It is hard to imagine how residents would move along the roads of this city without a subway. To the delight of locals and tourists, the metro in Istanbul is the most popular mode of transport.
The first line of the metro began to operate in the late nineteenth century. This small line consisted of two stations and had a length of just over five hundred meters. This subway in Istanbul was the first in Europe and is operational to this day. True, now it is called a funicular and is used to familiarize yourself with the history of the city.
At the end of the twentieth century, the construction of two full-fledged metro lines began. One of these lines is a monorail, the second refers to the classical railway.
Millionth Istanbul: Metro Map
The peculiarity of the Istanbul Metro is that none of the lines intersect with each other. This creates certain difficulties for tourists who do not know Istanbul well. The metro scheme as a whole looks quite simple and clear. The main thing is to clearly understand which end of the city you need to get to.
The monorail railway has a length of just over twenty kilometers. On the branch there are eighteen stations that do not stand out with aesthetically valuable design. This is a hallmark of the metro. In Istanbul, Ataturk Airport can only be reached from the city center via the monorail. It is the terminal metro station.
The most modern branch, opened at the beginning of the 2000s, was built using new technologies and is earthquake-resistant. There are six stations on the line, and its total length is about eight kilometers. A trip from the beginning of the line to the end will take no more than twelve minutes. All stations are adapted for disabled people and decorated in different colors.
Istanbul: metro scheme in detail
With the growth of the city, the need for branched metro lines increases. At the moment, the subway consists of five lines, including an ancient funicular. Each branch has its own characteristics, which we will discuss in more detail:
1. Red metro line
The metro line in Istanbul from the airport going to the city center is marked in red on the metro map. This line provides access to Turkey's largest bus station and historical city center. Trains run very often, the interval does not exceed three minutes.
2. Green metro line
This color on the diagram highlights the line along which you can travel from the city center to its outskirts. The movement from the beginning of the route to its end is thirty minutes.
3. Blue subway line
This branch is mainly used by locals. After it, they get after work to their homes located in the suburbs of Istanbul.
4. The pink line
Tourists sometimes use this branch. It connects one of the largest marinas in Istanbul with the Asian districts of the city.
Now work is underway to build a new metro line, but its opening is delayed indefinitely.
Metro fare
The cost of the Istanbul metro is low, for one trip you need to buy a token for four lira. But in case of transfer to another line, you will have to pay for the fare again. Some stations sell cards that are suitable for all types of public transport. Their purchase significantly reduces the cost of one trip in the subway. Therefore, if you plan to actively move around Istanbul, it is better to get this card. It will help to save money on urban travel.
Istanbul metro schedule
How late does the subway run? This question always worries tourists walking around Istanbul on their own. When viewing the sights of the city, do not get too carried away. The main metro lines run until midnight, but the underground funicular closes its doors at nine in the evening.
The beginning of the subway also varies. The old subway line starts functioning at seven in the morning, while the main lines start working half an hour earlier.
Istanbul is a beautiful old city, in which a huge number of amazingly beautiful sights. You can walk around the city endlessly, but only the metro will help make travel around Istanbul quick and safe.