Mecidiyeköy-Mahmutbey metro, which is expected to be the busiest line of Istanbul, will be commissioned within this month.

Line no: M7

Line no M7 is the Kabataş-Mecidiyeköy-Mahmutbey-Esenyurt metro line. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is the owner of the project. Engineering works continue on 2nd phase (Kabataş-Mecidiyeköy). This part is expected to open next year. 3rd phase (Mahmutbey-Esenyurt) has not started yet. Project of that part may change.

Opening on Oct 29

Tender opened in 2013. Contract signed in late 2013. Construction works started in Feb 2014. In 2015 a tender was opened both for elecromechanic of whole line and also construction of Kabataş extension. 3 TBMs were used in this project. Test runs started in early 2020. Signalization tests were postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions for Spanish team. Finally the opening date was announced as 29th of October, 2020.

Travel in 26 minutes

Mecidiyeköy-Mahmutbey part is 18 km long. Travel time is 26 minutes. When Kabataş extension opened, total distance will reach to 24.5 km and travel time to 33 minutes.

Driverless cars

Full automatic driverless cars will run in line. However, drivers will stay in cabin in the beginning. 75 sets (each with 4 cars) are being produced by Hyundai Rotem. 20 sets were ordered for Mahmutbey-Esenyurt, which will be shifted to this line.

Cost is €1 billion

Construction works of Mecidiyeköy-Mahmutbey was about €300 mn. Electromechanic works cost €369 mn. Metro cars cost €280 mn.

15 stations, 6 interchange

Mecidiyeköy-Mahmutbey metro has 15 stations. On 5 stations, there’ll be chance to interchange to 6 mass transit services. Yenikapı-Hacıosman metro (M2) and metrobus at Mecidiyeköy, Gayrettepe-İstanbul Airport (M11) at Kağıthane (M11 is planned to open next year), Golden Horn tram (T5) at Alibeyköy (T5 is planned to open by the end of this year), Topkapı-Sultançiftliği tram (T4) at Karadeniz and Kirazlı-Başakşehir metro (M3) at Mahmutbey.

As Kabataş extension is completed, interchange to Kabataş-Bağcılar tram (T1), Kabataş-Taksim funicular (F1) and ferries will be possible.

86k pax per hour

Full automatic driverless cars will make possible to carry 86k pax per hour per direction. Supported with connected services, this line is expected to be the busiest line in İstanbul. Daily ridership is expected to reach to 1 mn.

Cover photo: İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality ©