By Ayse Humeyra Atilgan
ISTANBUL
Istanbul's transportation is among the best compared to metropolises worldwide, with its variety of buses, trams, subway lines, metrobus lines and ferries as well as the recent inclusion of "Marmaray," an undersea rail tunnel under the Bosphorus strait, Director-General of Istanbul Electric Tram and Tunnel Company (IETT) Hayri Baracli told Anadolu Agency.
Public transport in Istanbul serves more than 13 million inhabitants of the city, Baracli said, stressing that around 3.5 million people were carried daily in road transportation which made up 30 percent of the city's total daily transportation.
The bus fleet in Istanbul has more than 5,000 vehicles including private owned buses, called OHO, which have been allowed to operate under IETT since 1985.
Despite not being the quickest option, buses seem to be the most popular means of public transport, running from early in the morning to late evening on routes across the city.
High-quality railway experience for passengers
Pointing to the oldest underground urban rail line in Istanbul called "Tunel", which entered service on January 17, 1875, Baracli underlined that Istanbul had the world's second-oldest subterranean urban rail line after the London Underground.
The underground railway network 'Istanbul Metro', operated by 'Istanbul Transport,' includes over 60 stations and consists of four lines named M1, M2, M3 and M4, with more lines currently under construction or planned.
Istanbul Transport offers safe and comfortable public transport services to more than 1 million passengers every day with nine different urban railway lines in operation, amounting to a length of over 120 km as of 2012.
Beyond simply fulfilling the task of passenger transportation, Istanbul Transport ensures a high-quality experience for its passengers, offering them social facilities with cafes, ATMs, kiosks, childcare and exhibition/art galleries located at its stations.
- More than 800,000 people carried daily by metrobus
Apart from railway lines, the city also hosts 'Metrobus', a 52-km bus rapid transit route with over 40 stations.
"More than 800,000 people are carried daily by metrobus," Baracli said, stressing the metrobus was a leading project among its other versions across the world.
"Many foreign transportation companies visiting Istanbul are impressed by the 52-km uninterrupted metrobus line," he noted.
The busway was opened in 2007 and later extended in a direction from Topkapi to Zincirlikuyu, and then from Zincirlikuyu to Sogutlucesme, located on the Asian side of Istanbul.
- 'Ferry' as one of the oldest means of transportation
The ferry is also one of the oldest means of transportation in Istanbul as the city is naturally separated by the Bosphorus strait and surrounded by sea.
Today, there are three types of ferries in Istanbul: Sea Buses (IDO), commuter ferries and private motorboats, with a wide range of lines between the city's coastal districts.
In March 2005, five new passenger ferries whose designs were selected in a referendum of people living in Istanbul, and three new Golden Horn ferries with panoramic views began to serve the passengers.
In the new generation passenger ferries (produced in 2008-2009), passengers with disabilities can travel without the need of a companion.
Ferries also offer Bosphorus Tours everyday with a sailing time of approximately two hours.
"Our main goal is to encourage the public transport in Istanbul by improving the quality of service and offering a safe and comfortable travelling to the passengers," IETT Director-General Baracli said, adding it would also help deal with traffic jams.
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