Istanbul Metro
The Istanbul Metro (Turkish: İstanbul metrosu) is a rapid transit railway network that serves the city of Istanbul, Turkey. Apart from the M11 line, which is operated by TCDD Taşımacılık, the system is operated by Metro Istanbul, a public enterprise controlled by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The oldest section of the metro is the M1 line, which opened in 1989. As of January 2024, the system now includes 138 stations in service, with 55 more under construction.
| Istanbul Metro | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Two trains waiting at Boğaziçi Üniversitesi on the M6 line | |||
| Overview | |||
| Native name | İstanbul Metrosu | ||
| Owner |
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| Locale | Istanbul, Turkey | ||
| Transit type | Rapid transit | ||
| Number of lines | 11 (3 more under construction) | ||
| Number of stations |
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| Daily ridership | 1.36 million | ||
| Annual ridership | 542 million (2022) | ||
| Website | Metro Istanbul (in English) | ||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | 3 September 1989 | ||
| Operator(s) |
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| Number of vehicles | 727 | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 202.8 km (126.0 mi) | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
| Electrification |
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The system consists of eleven lines: the lines designated M1A, M1B, M2, M3, M6, M7, M9 and M11 are on the European side of the Bosporus, while lines M4, M5 and M8 are on the Asian side. Due to Istanbul's unique geography and the depth of the Bosporus strait which divides the city, the European and Asian metro networks do not connect directly. The two parts of the city are linked through the Marmaray commuter rail line, which is connected to the metro in several places. Three metro lines are under construction on the Asian side: M10 (Pendik Merkez–Fevzi Çakmak), M12 (60. Yıl Parkı–Kazım Karabekir) and M14 (Altunizade–Kazım Karabekir). Additionally, extension works on the M3, M7, M9 and M11 lines (on the European side) and the M4 and M5 lines (on the Asian side) are underway.
In addition to the Marmaray commuter rail, the metro connects to the F1, Tünel (F2), F3 and F4 funicular lines and with the network of the Istanbul Tram, and the cable cars.