Public transportation in Istanbul

Istanbul is one of the most crowded cities in the world, with more than 18 million people living in it and millions of tourists visiting every year. Because of the overpopulation and tourism, transportation in Istanbul is one of the most important challenges facing residents and visitors alike. The means of transportation in Istanbul are diverse and comprehensive, as bus, metro, tramway, metrobus and ferry services are available, and these services are connected to most areas of the city. Despite the availability of services The variety of transportation in Istanbul, the city is known for its traffic congestion and congestion in public transportation, which makes commuting trips more difficult and tiring, and this requires advance planning and patience while using public transportation in Istanbul.

To solve this problem, the authorities in Istanbul are implementing a number of mega projects to improve transportation and ease traffic congestion, such as the Istanbul Metro project, which aims to build a new fully functioning metro system in the city.

In addition, the Istanbul Maritime Express Project was launched, which aims to provide a fast and convenient means of travel between the northern and southern regions of the city. The project includes the construction of new lines for fast ferries that will connect the different areas of the city. In addition to the aforementioned projects, the authorities in Istanbul are constantly working to improve and develop public transport services, by modernizing the fleet and providing free internet services on buses, metro and tramway, and providing a system Electronic payment Turkey smart cards that allow travelers to pay transportation fares by swiping the card over a reader on public transportation.

In general, Istanbul provides comprehensive and diverse public transport services, and although there are some challenges and problems, the authorities are working hard to improve and develop transportation to meet the needs of residents and visitors in the city.

In Istanbul, there are many public transportation means that residents and tourists in Istanbul can travel through, as follows:

Metrobus

The Metrobus line consists of two opposite directions, one to go and the other to return. The length of this line is 52 km, and it is intended for buses only, so that cars on both sides of the line cannot enter the Metrobus track, except for police cars and ambulances sometimes. The Metrobus is the most important means of transportation in Istanbul As it connects all areas of Istanbul to each other, as well as the European section with the Asian part of the city. The Metrobus line is the fastest transportation line in Istanbul, and it is also considered one of the longest and fastest transportation lines in Istanbul, and buses are available in large numbers that pass between stations continuously non-stop around the clock, as Istanbul Municipality owns a large fleet of Metrobus buses estimated at 535 and it intends to This number is raised with the continuous increase in the number of visitors and residents of the region. What distinguishes the metrobus line is that it passes on the E5 highway without being affected by traffic congestion, and it has two lines, a line to go and a line to return. In addition, each Metrobus station has a special machine to fill in the Istanbul Transportation Card, through which you can travel through public transportation.

Subway

The subway is a fast train with underground tracks and stations through special tunnels, used to move around the city. In Istanbul, there are 6 main subway lines that are located in the main areas of the city, and connect many neighborhoods of Istanbul to each other.

Tram Way

Tramway is a modern and fast electric train used for transportation in Istanbul. It differs from the subway in that it has its own rail and runs in the streets of Istanbul. It differs from the Metrobus in that it is a train and not a bus. It also stops at traffic lights due to its intersection with the city streets at some points.It consists Vye Istanbul Tram consists of 4 lines, distinguished by its presence at the important tourist areas and popular markets that attract tourists, so the Vye Tram is considered the most reliable means of transportation for tourists.

Water ferries

Water ferries or Istanbul steamships are considered one of the famous means of transportation, as they connect the Asian and European sections, which are separated by the Bosphorus Strait, and the water transport service is provided by both the Turkish government represented by the Şehiriçi Hatları Company and the private sector in Turkey. In addition to being a means of transportation, however, ship trips are considered one of the recreational and tourist programs in Istanbul. You will have the most enjoyable experience in Istanbul when you take the Bosphorus Strait trip or even when you move normally between Istanbul and Yalova or Istanbul and Bursa and others. Most ferries have a capacity of about 700 to 2100 There are three main ferry ports in Istanbul: Yenikapi Port and Kabatas Port in the European section of Istanbul, and Pendik Port in the Asian section. from Istanbul.

Transport buses

Transport buses are the main means of transportation for many people, and it is a bus completely similar to the metrobus, but it is smaller in size, and runs in the streets and between residential neighborhoods. It has designated stops, and each bus has its own number or symbol, most of which bear the color yellow. There are double-decker buses that go to vital areas To accommodate the largest possible number of passengers, and it is equipped with a payment machine such as the one in the metro and metrobus stations, where the fare for the trip is paid via the Istanbul Card designated for public transportation. There are more than 800 bus lines, and there are more than 6000 buses, reaching all parts And the neighborhoods of the city with each other, and facilitate the movement of residents and access to the desired places. At the top of each bus there is an electronic board, on which the bus number and the areas it passes are usually written, and the schedules of these buses can be known through the Mobiett application in its two versions on the Android system and the iPhone system, the official application for the transportation of Greater Istanbul. These buses connect you to all areas of Istanbul, and these are distinguished The service is comprehensive and the bus can be stopped at any of the designated stations located in most streets.

Dolmesh

This is one of the traditional means of transportation, similar to the Servise service in some of our Arab countries, except that the vehicle is slightly larger, air-conditioned, organized, and even sometimes monitored with cameras. Dolmesh are small buses, which transport passengers within specific routes and short distances, often within residential neighborhoods, and the cost of transporting the passenger is calculated according to the distance and the station he wants to reach, and the payment is in cash, as it is not equipped with a payment device via Istanbul Card.

Taxi cars

Taxi cars in Istanbul are always available on the streets. A taxi can also be ordered through an application iTaksi- Uber- BiTaxi, and it comes in yellow, turquoise and black colors, and these colors indicate the taxi category. Yellow taxi cars in Istanbul are the cheapest local category, as for taxi cars Turquoise in Istanbul is the highest fare category, while black taxis in Istanbul are the VIP category.

How to pay public transportation fees in Istanbul:

Each of the means of public transportation (metrobus, subway, tramway, water ferries, and shuttle buses) the transportation fare is paid by transportation cards in Istanbul (Istanbul Transportation Card), which is a prepaid card that is used to ride public transportation in the city and is On types :

• Ordinary Card: This card can be used for many purposes, and it can be obtained from government or private sales centers, and it is filled with an amount according to your need.
• Monthly subscription card: It is purchased from one of the centers selling cards and with the amount of the monthly subscription prescribed for it. This monthly card is suitable for use about 180 times a month. It is used to ride all public transportation available in Istanbul.
• Discounted Card or Student Card: This discounted card is used in all types of transportation. It is purchased from government kiosks at a 50% discount compared to the regular transportation card in Istanbul. Teachers, students, and elderly people over the age of 60 can get this card.
• Free Istanbul Card: This card is completely free, and it allows users to move around Turkey with ease without paying any fees. The elderly, the military and their families, the handicapped with a disability rate of 40%, the families of martyrs, and athletes receive this free card.