Bosphorus Tube Crossing Project
The Marmaray Tunnel is one of the key projects defined in the 2023 Master Plan - Turkey's long-term development strategy culminating in the centenary of the Republic - and also a major factor in helping Istanbul overcome the transport problems identified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in its Evaluation Commission if the city is awarded the Games.
The train driver for the maiden journey under the Bosphorus was Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, accompanied by a number of senior national and Municipal Government figures, including Minister for Transport, Binali Yıldırım, and Istanbul Mayor, Kadir Topbaş. The ride from Üsküdar on the Asian side to Sirkeci on the European side of the Bosphorus strait took just six minutes. As well as being the world's first subway connecting two continents, the Marmaray Tunnel is also the world's deepest immersed tube tunnel, with sections up to 60 metres below sea level. In addition to the 13.6 kilometres Bosphorus crossing, the project will also see a further 63km of suburban train lines upgraded, creating a new high-capacity rail line which will carry up to 75,000 passengers per hour in both directions.
Başakşehir Metrosu Açıldı
Constructed to serve between Basaksehir, Kirazli and Olympic Village, the M3 line has 11 stations and a total length of 16 km. Furthermore, it also includes a depot area and workshop building in the Olympic Village.
Kirazli station is the transport hub providing interchange between the Otogar-Kirazli line designed as the extension of the existing M1 line. With the transfer to take place in the hub, commuters will be able to travel from Basaksehir to Aksaray.
Stations:
Metrokent, Basak Konutlari, Siteler, Turgut Ozal, Ikitelli Sanayi, Olimpiyat, Ziya Gokalp Mah., Istoc, Mahmutbey, Yeni Mahalle, Kirazli
Basaksehir-Olimpiyatköy hattı için alınan yeni trenlerin görseli
Timeline of Important Dates:
Contract Date: May 2006
Finish of Tunnel Boring Works: March 2009
Arrival of the trains at the depot: January 2010
First trial run on the tracks: December 2010
First trial run by the Lord Mayor: January 2011
Takeover of the project by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) from IETT: June 2011
Commissioning of the signaling system in the whole line: March 2012
Start of the trial runs: June 2012
Operational Data
Line Length: 15.9 km
Number of Stations: 11
Number of Cars: 80 (20 trains in 4-car formation)
Trip Duration: 20 minutes
Operational hours : 06:00/00:00
Passenger capacity :70.000 passengers / hour
Minimum headway: 90 sec (theoretical) 120 sec (practical)
Frequency: 5 minutes during peak hours
Operations Control Center: at Metrokent station
Line voltage: 1500 V DC
Driving mode: ATO