T1 (Tramvay Istanbul)
The T1 line is a tram line on the European side of the Bosphorus metropolis . The first construction phase was opened in 1992. Since then, the line has been steadily expanded and stops and vehicles have been continuously modernized. Together with the lines of the Istanbul Metro and the suburban trains (Banliyö), the T1 is part of the backbone of rail-based local public transport in Istanbul.
Development of the tram project
history
The tram did not only experience a renaissance in Istanbul in the 1990s . For many years, Istanbul's city administration had relied entirely on individual transport , which was regarded as a sign of modernity, and tried to make the city car- friendly, so that nothing was left of the tram network, which had consisted of 19 lines, when the last line was closed in 1966 . However, city buses and minibuses alone were not an alternative to the steadily growing car traffic at the end of the 1980s, which - accelerated by rapid population growth - brought the urban streets to the brink of traffic congestion .
Construction of the T1
In 1992, the first section of the new tram line was opened between the Sirkeci and Topkapı stations. This was gradually extended at both ends: In the west, first to Zeytinburnu, in order to reach a transfer station to the M1 underground line . With the extension of the line in the east to Kabataş across the Golden Horn , a useful connection has been created between the modern city center and the western suburbs, which complements the metro.
Merging of lines T1 and T2
In 2011, the T2, which also ended in Zeytinburnu, was connected to the T1, which means that the T1 now runs from Kabataş to Bağcilar and covers the former route of the T2. This section of the route is partly built similar to a tram, i.e. the T1 runs here on a track that is separated from road traffic in places.
vehicles
At times the same types of trains ran on the M1 as on the T1: Light rail vehicles from the manufacturer SGP built in Graz . However, low-floor vehicles were gradually used on the T1. Today run light rail vehicles of the model Flexity Swift of Bombardier and the model Citadis of Alstom , which are the latest types of cars on the T1.
Bombardier T1 "Flexity Swift" car near Sirkeci station
Alstom "Citadis" Tram on T1
Line course
meaning
In addition to the feeder function for commuters to the metro , the light rail and the historic peninsula south of the Golden Horn , the T1 is also very important for tourists, as its route leads to well-known sights of the city, such as the Hagia Sophia , the Blue Mosque , the Great Bazaar , Yerebatan Sarnıcı and Topkapı Palace ; on the other hand, T1, with its stops at Sirkeci station , the former terminus of the Orient Express , and at the Eminönü ferry terminal, is an important link between the historic peninsula and the modern center of Beyoğlu . In Sirkeci you can change to the Eurasian S-Bahn line Marmaray . Until the opening of the subway area in the Yenikapı S-Bahn station (metro lines M1 A / B and M2), the T1 remains the most important link between the Marmaray system and the rest of the rail network on the European side of the city.
| The T1 in data | |
|---|---|
| length | 18.2 km |
| Stations | 31 |
| Access | Barrier |
| operator | Istanbul Ulasim |
| Installation | 1992 |
| Terminals | Bağcilar - Kabataş |
| Low-floor operation | Yes |
| 24 hour operation | no (6:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.) |
Tariff system
The T1 is integrated into the Istanbul public transport tariff system of the Istanbul Ulasim and İETT network, which means that payments are made electronically - as on metro , metrobus , suburban train , bus and ferry lines with the Istanbulkart and the Akbil system can. The tram stops of the T1 line are provided with barriers. It is not possible to redeem or validate tickets on the trains.
Gauge and power supply
Like all trains in the metro, light rail and tram in Istanbul (except for the meter-gauge T3), the T1 runs on tracks with a standard gauge of 1435 mm. Power is supplied via an overhead line .