The scope, route, stops, statistics and history of Izmir suburban train (Izban):
Project details
Owner: Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and TCDD
Commission date:
- Halkapınar-Cumaovası: 30 August 2010
- Aliağa-Halkapınar: January 2011
- Cumaovası-Tepeköy: February 2016
- Tepeköy-Selcuk: September 2017
Phases
- Aliağa-Cumaovası: 80 km. The existing line was electrified and signalized. The first section Izban service started.
- Cumaovası-Tepeköy: 30 km. The existing line was electrified and signalized. Izban service extende until Tepeköy.
- Tepeköy-Selçuk: 26 km. The existing line was electrified and signalized.
- Aliağa-Bergama: 49 km. The new line going to be constructed for Çandarlı Port will be extended to Bergama for Izban.
Route
Project details
The suburban service passing through Izmir and connecting suburbans. With a well-designed integration with metro, tram and buses, Izban became backbone of urban transport in Izmir and biggest suburban service in Turkey. The line is also used by other passenger trains and freight trains.
Line length: 137 km
Travel time: 125 min (Aliaga-Tepekoy)
Stops/connections
Aliağa – Biçerova – Hatundere – Menemen – Egekent 2 – Ulukent – Egekent – Ata Sanayi – Çiğli – Mavişehir (interchange station for Karşıyaka Tram) – Şemikler – Demirköprü – Nergiz – Karşıyaka – Alaybey (interchange station for Karşıyaka Tram) – Naldöken – Turan – Bayraklı – Salhane – Halkapınar (interchange station for İzmir Metro and Konak Tram) – Hilal (interchange station for İzmir Metro) – Alsancak – Kemer – Şirinyer – Koşu – İnkilap – Semt Garajı – ESBAŞ – Gaziemir – Sarnıç – Adnan Menderes Airport – Cumovası – Develi – Tekeli – Pancar – Kuşçuburun – Torbalı – Tepeköy
Targets
The service is planned to extend till Pergamon in north (49 km). When all completed, suburban line will be 186 km long.
Rolling Stock
33 CAF sets (99 cars) and 40 Hyundai Rotem sets (120 cars)
Ridership
2015: 87 million
2016: 88 million
History
- 3 Mar 2006: Engineering works started.
- 2007: İzban AŞ founded.
- Mar 2008: CAF was awarded the tender for 33 sets.
- 30 Aug 2010: Halkapınar-Cumaovası commercial service started.
- 5 Dec 2010: Çiğli-Cumaovası commercial service started.
- 30 Jan 2011: Aliağa-Cumaovası commercial service started.
- 7 Oct 2011: Tepeköy extension works started.
- Mar 2012: Hyundai Rotem was awarded the tender for 40 sets.
- 6 Feb 2016: Tepeköy extension (30 km) commissioned.
- 8 Sep 2017: Selcuk extension (26 km) commissioned.
Cover Photo: Onur Uysal ©
What has been achieved with the IZBAN system is impressive, but the system is plagued by a problem common to many urban systems: long journeys (Aliağı to Alsancak, for example) are tedious with the many stops. This reminds me of what it is like travelling from Heathrow Airport to central London on the Piccadilly Line. There needs to be consideration for the provision of express/limited stop services and this will certainly be necessary to encourage tourists to use the IZBAN for places such as Selçuk and Bergama. The IZBAN is also a way to access Foca (combined with ESHOT bus services) but would be more attractive with an express service.