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: 18 Total: 36 stations
Operation
Began operation	M1: 1989 T4: 2007
Operator(s)	İstanbul Ulaşım
Number of vehicles	M1: 80 T4: 34 Total: 114 vehicles
Technical
System length	M1: 19.6 km (12.2 mi) T4: 12.4 km (7.7 mi) Total: 32 km (19.9 mi)

Public transport network of Istanbul: Hafif Metro and Metro are shown in blue

This article is about the M1 and T4 lines. For the M2 line, see the article M2.

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 with a total length of 32 km (10.4 km underground.) There are 36 stations, including 12 underground and 3 viaduct stations. The lines are totally segregated from other traffic, without level crossings. 114 train sets transport 320,000 passengers a day. The investment cost US$ 700 million.

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 rate of 0.7 m/sec.

Stations

Aksaray station

• 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
• Otogar/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 tunnel. Construction works are scheduled to be completed in 2009. 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.

As a secondary plan, the line will be connected to another metro line which is heading to the İkitelli industry area and to Başakşehir. The project is still running.

Another metro line is planned to reach Beylükdüzü and TÜYAP, a huge fair site where the annual CeBit Eurasia Informatics Fair takes place.

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
• Bosna/Çukurçeşme
• Ali Fuat Başgil
• Taşköprü
• Karadeniz
• Metris
• Cumhuriyet Mah.
• 50.Yıl/Baştabya
• Hacı Şükrü
• Yeni Mah.
• Sultançiftliği
• Cebeci
• Mescid-i Selam
• Habibler

Note: The first, second, third and fourth stations were opened in March 2009.

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

• Istanbul Metro