Istanbul Plans Major Rail Network Expansion

Istanbul is the home to more than 12 million people, with a population growth at about 300,000 a year; it is also the only city in the world to straddle two continents, Europe and Asia. The city presently has an eclectic mix of rail transit, with lines totaling 119 km. This article reviews the major rail network expansion that will add a further 68 km to the system and provide the first rail crossing of the Bosphorus Strait. The Bosphorus rail link will have a capacity of 70,000 passengers/h/direction, and will also carry long distance passenger and freight trains as it becomes a vital link between Europe and Asia and the Middle East. Additional long term plans call for further expansion of the rail network in Istanbul. If they come to fruition, the rail network could reach 386 km by 2023.