Sirkeci station and Sirkeci-Kazlicesme rail system project is unveiled.
New project about renovation of overland railway stretch between Sirkeci and Kazlicesme, which has been staying idle after Marmaray had started, is unveiled.
The project includes reconstruction of current double-track Sirkeci-Kazlicesme railway stretch as single track railway and renovation of stations along the line. By completion, an overground railway service will be given between Sirkeci and Kazlicesme, calling at 8 stations. This line will connect coastline of Old City of Istanbul to Marmaray, metros and trams.
Walking and bike paths will be constructed on the cancelled track. These paths will start at Sirkeci station and will continue along the walls of Old City 9 km long until Kazlicesme without interruption. Thus, the hotel/pension region (Kadirga) and restaurant region (Kumkapi) of Old City will be connected to Sirkeci.
As the line is commissioned, the international trains to Europe may depart from Sirkeci again.
Project is planned to be commissioned in 2023.
Cover photo : Onur Uysal ©
Categories: Urban Transport
Rail Turkey En 
This sounds pretty positive
The Trouble with TCDD and all the projects thy are involved with is that they should concentrate on one project at a time, it seems to be half finished jobs everywhere, for a start Istanbul – Adapazari had a nine coach train every hour on this service, now down to a handfull and the engineering on the Adapazari section has taken longer than building a new line. Maybe they should concentrate on opening lines that have been shut for years, or even get round to building the new promissed ones. I think the top brass at TCDD need a reality check, they are incompetant, no wonder Erdogan sacked the manager.
Dear Onur
Will the stations be built with double tracks? The graph looks as if the line is only built as a single track, I hope you get the international traffic, between the trams, somehow through.
How likely is it that the international traffic will return to Sirkeci?
It’ll be single track. Other track will be replaced with waşking and cycling trails. Transport need is not that much, thus tram is not expected to run frequently. There will surely be space for international trains. So I can say most likely. Though public transport connections are quite strong, Halkali is still not a good point to depart.
It’s a wise idea for Sirkeci to resume being the start of international passenger trains as it is so well located. At first I was dismayed at idea of single tracking from Kazlicesme, but since freight trains apparently no longer need to use those tracks, there likely won’t be a congestion problem. Also, tourists and local people will make a lot of use of the walkway and bike path, enhancing the quality of life and encourage bicycling as a means of pleasure and transport.