Transportation in Istanbul - a guide to transportation in Istanbul
Transportation in Istanbul - a guide to transportation in Istanbul
How do I move around in Istanbul? What are the most famous transportation lines in Istanbul? Is there an application or bus program in Istanbul? These questions are among the most frequently asked questions by Arab travelers in Istanbul. It is natural for the traveler to search for the most comfortable means of transportation in a large city with wide and sprawling areas. Therefore, we place in your hands this article, which is a comprehensive guide to all methods and means of transportation in Istanbul and contains comprehensive information. It is sufficient and enriches any researcher in this aspect.. So continue reading this guide with us.
How do I move around in Istanbul?
There are several ways to move around in Istanbul, which are as follows:
• Metrobus line
• Subway lines
• Tramways
• Vapur ferries
• Regular minibuses
• Inter-neighborhood transportation buses “Dalamish”
• Taxis
• Transportation by your own car
Metrobus line in Istanbul - Metrobüs
A rapid transit line, it is considered the longest and fastest transportation line in Istanbul. Its buses are double in length and spacious. The Metrobus line is considered independent as it is not affected by traffic congestion. It has two return and return lines. Each Metrobus station is also equipped with a machine to fill the Istanbul transportation card card, and we will talk about it in a paragraph. Later in this article. The first station of the Metrobus is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, which is the “SOGUTLUCESME” station, and its last station is in Beylikduzu-Son Durak, which is near the exhibition city in Istanbul, “TUYAP”. Note: There is no bus in the Metrobus that takes you from Beylikduzu to Sugulu Cesme directly except via one bus, and the number of its trips is very small (30 trips on working days, 10 trips on Saturday, and 11 trips on Sunday).
The total number of Metrobus flights daily is more than 4,000 flights on regular working days, more than 2,600 flights on Saturday, and more than 1,700 flights on Sunday.
List of stations through which the Metrobus line passes in Istanbul:
It is also mentioned that your arrival at any Metrobus station clearly means that you can move to any place in Istanbul, as many Metrobus stations intersect with metro and tram stations and important transportation centers and nodes in Istanbul. Also, if you get lost, you can ask anyone to guide you to the means of transportation. It is appropriate to take you to the nearest Metrobus station, and from here you can return to the areas you know or you can be safe until your companion arrives, since all Metrobus stations are known and easy to reach.
Tram lines in Istanbul - Tramvay
A train for transportation in Istanbul, which has its own transportation line in the streets of Istanbul. It differs from the metrobus in that it can sometimes stop at some traffic lights because there are intersections of the tramway with streets designated for traffic and ordinary pedestrians, but in general, transportation on the tram remains faster than buses. Regular. The tram has 4 lines, and it is generally intended to facilitate access to the tourist areas in Istanbul, especially the markets that attract tourists, and these lines are:
• T1: It connects Bagcilar and Kabatas and is the longest tram line, with 31 stations.
• T2: connects Taksim and Sishane
• T3: Connects between Kadikoy and Moda
• T4: Connects Habibler and Topkapi
As we mentioned above, the importance of the tram lies in being a means of transportation between the most famous and important tourist areas in Istanbul. Therefore, we notice that many tourists rely on it in their exploratory and recreational transportation in Istanbul. The T1 line passes through the most lively areas in Istanbul from Bagcilar to Kaptas, where it passes through Zeytinburnu Aksaray, Emino, Sultanahmet, and Beyazit, all of which are centers of attraction for dozens of tourists daily in Istanbul. Also, the T2 line, although its distance is short, passes through Taksim, the city center and the first tourist attraction in Istanbul.
Metro in Istanbul - Metro
A train that travels underground through special tunnels. There are 6 subway lines in Istanbul that connect many of the main neighborhood centers in Istanbul to each other. They are distinguished by their independent railways, which pass most of their movements underground. We separate the six Istanbul metro lines as follows:
- M1:
It is called Aksaray Metro, and it is the longest subway line in Istanbul. It includes 18 stations on the main line and also has a branch line with five stations. It connects Ataturk International Airport to Yenikapi Station. The most important stations that the M1 metro passes through are:
• Emniyet Fatih: This station is required by many foreigners in Turkey because they need to obtain residency permits from the Emniyet Fatih Department in Istanbul.
• Autogar Istanbul: This is the station where travelers arrive by land to Istanbul, as well as those who want to leave by land to other states.
• Zeytinburnu: It is an important transportation node in Istanbul, and there are many Turkish clothing markets, so it is considered a shopping station for many foreigners in Turkey.
• Istanbul Ataturk Havalimanı Airport: It is considered an important station for travelers through the airport. Although the new Istanbul Airport will reduce the burden of dependence on Ataturk Airport, the region will still have its vitality and importance.
- M2:
It is the old Taksim line, and it has 16 stations, from Haci Osman station to Yenikapı, and it connects very upscale areas and is considered one of the shopping areas for wealthy tourists, as the metro passes through several stations, the most important of which are:
• Taksim Taksim: The center of Istanbul and has the finest vital and tourist facilities, including hotels, restaurants, and tourist apartments, and Istiklal Street, the most famous street in Istanbul.
• Sisli: It has Cevahir Mall directly next to the metro station and is considered the first shopping destination for Arabs in Istanbul.
- M3:
It is called the “Olympic Line”, and it passes through 11 stations, starting from Kirazli to Basaksehir, and its most important stations are:
• Olimpiyat: A metro line branches off from Iktelli Sanayi Station that reaches the Olympics, “Ataturk International Stadium.”
This line is important in reaching the Mall of Istanbul, which is widely famous, as the closest metro station to the mall is İstoc, and perhaps the future projects that will be completed in these areas will increase the importance of the M3.
- M4:
A metro line in the Asian side of Istanbul, connecting Kadikoy and Tavsantepe, and includes 19 stations. This line is considered a good service for moving within vital neighborhoods and neighborhoods in Asian Istanbul. It is planned that Tavsantepe station will be connected to a metro line that is under construction. Currently to the Asian Sabiha Airport, which will increase the importance of this airport later.
- M5:
It is also called the Marmaray Line and is distinguished by its passage under the Bosphorus Strait, making it the first metro in Istanbul to pass under water and the second metro in Istanbul Asia. It represents an important addition to transportation in Istanbul, because it connects its Asian and European sides. It represents an important link to the two largest popular areas in the Asian side of Istanbul, “Umraniye and Uskudar,” as it connects them to the European side, and many residents use it to travel daily between the two sides of Istanbul. It is also planned to extend the line to Sultanbeyli and Kurtkoy.
- M6:
It is the shortest metro line in Istanbul, and it includes only 4 stations. This line gains its importance from reaching Levent station, which is one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Istanbul, and includes many Arab consulates, including: The Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The line also reaches Bogazici Universitesi, and from Levent Station you can transfer to the M2 metro. In addition to these lines that are currently operating, Istanbul awaits in 2019 five new metro lines that will make transportation in Istanbul much easier and easier, and will increase the areas connected by metro lines. Fast, and saves a lot of effort and time spent on the move. These projects are:
• Basaksehir - Kayasehir
• Kirazli -Halkali
• Kaynarca-Pendik
• Cekmekoy - Sultanbeyli
• Umraniye - Goztepe
Water ferries in Istanbul Vapur
Istanbul ships are among the most popular means of transportation between the Asian and European sections, and the ship trip represents part of the recreational and tourist trips, as the ship can accommodate about 700 to 2,100 people depending on the size and type of the ship, and the sea transport stations and ports witness a large demand around the clock. The Vapur ferry passes through 4 stations on the European section: Eminonu, Karakoy, Beşiktaş, Kabatas, and Yenikapi. The ferry also passes through four stations on the Asian section: Kadikoy, Uskudar, Haydarpasa, and Postanci. There are also plans to establish a sea transport port from the Beylikduzu area as well, and it will represent a new and qualitative shift in maritime transportation in Istanbul.
Buses in Istanbul
Buses in Istanbul connect its lanes, neighborhoods, and regions in a connected and solid manner, and they are of two types:
• Otobus
There are a large number of internal buses and buses in Istanbul, which connect many areas to each other, but the disadvantage of this transportation remains that it is good for traveling within short distances, but for long distances, especially at peak times, congestion in Istanbul greatly affects the movement of buses.
• Mini bus “Dalmas” Mini otobus
They are smaller than regular buses, and the Istanbul Card is not used for transportation. Rather, the passenger must pay the fare in cash, which ranges from two to three liras, depending on the distance of the area.
Taxis and private cars in Istanbul - Taksi
Many Istanbul residents, visitors, and tourists rely on taxis for transportation, especially those carrying belongings, as well as for families, because transportation by taxi saves the effort and time spent on reaching some places. It is also considered faster, but expensive compared to other transportation. Taxis are widespread in the streets of Istanbul, and you can find many of them gathering in front of large shopping centers, modern transportation stations, “Istanbul Garage” cars, and in front of hospitals. Taxis in Istanbul have electronic meters that are used to determine the fare or the cost of the trip. The meter usually starts from 4 liras and approximately charges 2 liras per kilometer. There are applications for ordering taxis, including: iTaksi, BiTaksi, and Uber. These applications help you order a car and know the fare needed for your trip.
Istanbul transportation card - transportation prices in Istanbul
• What is the Istanbul transportation card?
Istanbul Kart “Istanbul Kart” or “Akbil” is the name of the transportation card in Istanbul, and it is used for all means of transportation except for small buses “Dalmus”. Also, some types of taxis can be paid for via Akbil.
How to extract and fill the Istanbul card?
The regular Istanbul card can be obtained and filled from many stores and shops, or from the card filling machines located in the main metro, metrobus and tram stations. These machines are located in front of the stations and you can ask anyone how to use them if you do not improve it yourself, even though it is easy, put The card is in a designated place in the machine, then you enter the amount you want to fill the card with, then after the value of the amount that is on the card appears on the screen, you can take it out, and you can also get an invoice for the amount you paid if you need to. As for the student or disabled card, or the “discounted” blue card, it is obtained from special centers for this purpose, including what is available at Beylikduzu Son Durak, Avcilar, Yeni Bosna, or other stations. These centers are widely distributed in Istanbul, so you can search for the center closest to your address by clicking here. These cards are personal cards, as it is illegal for them to be used by anyone except the person who obtained them from the centers designated for that purpose. If they are lost, you can obtain a lost replacement, and the previous card will be automatically destroyed and it will become useless.
Transportation applications in Istanbul
While traveling in Istanbul, you can rely on several electronic applications that can be downloaded on your mobile device. There are many of them, and we will talk about the most important of them:
• BiTaski application
A very useful application for ordering taxis in Istanbul, where you send your location, and the taxi driver comes to your location, and after the end of your ride, the application gives you the option to “rate the driver.” Payment methods: in cash or via credit cards. There is another application, which is international and available in Istanbul, called Uber
• Trafi application
This application helps you determine the appropriate means of public transportation to take you from your location to the place you want to reach. It also allows you to identify bus routes in Istanbul, view road maps, and identify the closest public transportation stops to your location. This application is the most widely used to identify transportation lines in Istanbul due to its comprehensiveness and simplicity. There are other applications, and the “Get Directions” option in Google Maps enables you to identify appropriate means of transportation for transportation. Other applications include: Metro Istanbul, Moovit. This guide prepared for you by Al-Fanar Real Estate Company represents the most comprehensive guide that contains all the information of interest to Arab and foreign travelers to Istanbul regarding transportation in Istanbul, its types in detail and transportation prices in Istanbul, in addition to transportation applications in Istanbul that help travelers, newcomers, and even residents, so it is not possible It can be dispensed with due to the presence of this wide area and the dense and diverse transportation network.