Istanbul Metro: A Comprehensive Guide

Istanbul Metro is one of the most important means of transportation in Istanbul, as it provides fast transportation service at an affordable price to many different places in the city.

The Istanbul metro connects the European side with the Asian side through the Marmaray metro line. In addition to that, the country is working on expanding and establishing many additional lines in the future.

About Istanbul Metro

Istanbul Metro is divided into 10 basic lines in addition to the Marmaray metro line.

Istanbul Metro began operating on September 3, 1989 and has expanded enormously since that time until now. The number of passengers per day is about one and a half million people, and the number of passengers annually is about half a billion people.

Istanbul Metro Map

We offer you the latest Istanbul Metro map for 2024, which shows all metro lines under construction and in service.

Istanbul Metro Lines

The number of metro lines in Istanbul is seven, in addition to 6 other lines under construction.

LineWayOpenedLengthStations
M1AYenikapi ↔ Ataturk Airport198926,8 km18
M1BYenikapi ↔ Kirazlı-Bağcılar198926,8 km13
M2Yenikapi ↔ Seyrantepe-Hacıosman200023,49 km16
M3Kirazlı ↔ Kayaşehir Merkez201315.9 km13
M4Kadıköy ↔ Sabiha Gökçen Airport201233,5 km23
M5Üsküdar ↔ Çekmeköy201720 km16
M6Levent ↔ Boğaziçi Ü./Hisarüstü20153.3 km4
M7Yıldız ↔ Mahmutbey202020 km17
M8Bostancı-Dudullu-Parseller202314,27 km13
M9Bahariye-Olimpiyat20215,9 km5
M11Kâğıthane ↔ Kargo Terminali202334,0 km7

M1 Metro Line in Istanbul

M1A

  • Line Length: 26, 8 Km. (Total km data of the system between Yenikapi-Otogar-Ataturk Airport and Otogar-Kirazli)
  • Number of Stations: 13
  • Number of Vehicles: 105
  • Duration: 25 Min.
  • Operating Hours: 06.00 – 00.00
  • Number of Daily Passengers: 400,000 Passengers
  • Number of Daily Journeys: Yenikapi – Kirazli 168 Journeys / One Way
  • Journey Frequency: 4 Min. (In Peak Hour)

It is the first metro line in Istanbul that connects Yenikapi station and passes through the Bayrampasa district to the Otogar station, “Istanbul Bus Station.”.

All stations feature indoor seating, and there are 61 escalators and 45 elevators.

M1A Metro Stations
  • Yenikapi Station
  • Aksaray Station
  • Emniyet-Fatih Station
  • Topkapi Ulubatli Station
  • Bayrampasa-Maltepe Station
  • Sagmalcilar Station
  • Kocatepe Station
  • Otogar Station
  • Terazidere Station
  • Davutpasa – YTU Station
  • Merter Station
  • Zeytinburnu Station
  • Bakirkoy-Incirli Station
  • Bahcelievler Station
  • Atakoy-Sirinevler Station
  • Yenibosna Station
  • DTM – Istanbul Expo Center Station
  • Ataturk Airport Station
Integration
  • To M2 Yenikapi – Haciosman Metro Line and Marmaray from Yenikapi Station,
  • To BRT (Metrobus) from Aksaray, Merter, Zeytinburnu, Bahcelievler and Atakoy – Sirinevler stations,
  • To T1 Bagcilar – Kabatas Tram Line from Aksaray and Zeytinburnu stations, transfers to the relevant modes can be made from the above mentioned stations.

M1B

  • Line Length: 26, 8 Km
  • Number of Stations: 23
  • Number of Cars: 105
  • Journey Duration: 35 min.
  • Operational Hours: 06.00 – 00.00
  • Daily Ridership: 400.000 Passengers
  • Journey Frequency: 2, 5 min. (during peak hours)
Integration
  • To M2 Yenikapi – Haciosman Metro Line and Marmaray from Yenikapi Station,
  • To T1 Bagcilar – Kabatas Tram Line from Aksaray and Bagcilar Square stations,
  • To M3 Kirazli-Olimpiyat-Basaksehir Metro Line from Kirazli station, transfers to the relevant modes can be made from the above mentioned stations.
M1B Metro Stations
  • Yenikapı
  • Aksaray
  • Emniyet Müdürlüğü
  • Topkapı – Ulubatlı
  • Bayrampaşa
  • Sağmalcılar
  • Kocatepe
  • Esenler Otogarı
  • Esenler
  • Menderes
  • Üçyüzlü
  • Bağcılar Meydan
  • Kirazlı – Bağcılar

M2 Metro Line in Istanbul

The first stage of the line, which began in 1992 to provide service between Yenikapi and Haci Osman, was commissioned on September 16, 2000.

  • Line length: 23,49 km.
  • Number of stations: 16
  • Number of vehicles: 180
  • Journey time: 32 minutes one way
  • Working hours: 06.00 – 00.00
  • Number of daily trips: 219 / one way

M2 Metro Stations

  • Yenikapı
  • Vezneciler
  • Haliç
  • Şişhane
  • Taksim
  • Osmanbey
  • Şişli – Mecidiyeköy
  • Gayrettepe
  • Levent
  • 4. Levent
  • Sanayi Mahallesi
  • Seyrantepe
  • İTÜ – Ayazağa
  • Atatürk Oto Sanayi
  • Darüşşafaka
  • Hacıosman

Integration

  • At Yenikapi Station, you can change for M1A Ataturk Airport, M1B Kirazli Metro Line, and Marmaray.
  • At Vezneciler – Istanbul University Station, you can change for T1 Bagcilar – Kabatas Tram Line.
  • At Sishane Station, you can change for T2 Istiklal Caddesi Tram Line and F2 Karakoy – Beyoglu Historical Tunnel Line.
  • At Taksim Station, you can change for T2 Istiklal Caddesi Tram Line and F1 Kabatas Funicular.
  • At Sisli – Mecidiyekoy and Gayrettepe stations, you can change for Metrobus (BRT) Line.
  • At Levent Station, you can change for M6 Metro Line.
  • At Sanayi Mahallesi Station (without leaving the system, passing to a separate platform area), you can change to Seyrantepe Shuttle Extension.

M3 Metro Line in Istanbul

Construction of the line began in 2006.

  • Line Length: 18 Km
  • Number of Stations: 13
  • Number of Cars: 80 (20 units of 4-car series)
  • Journey Duration: 30 min (One Way)
  • Operational Hours: 06:00 – 00:00
  • Passenger Capacity: 70,000 Passengers/Hour
  • Journey Frequency Design: 120 sec
  • Journey Frequency: 6 min (During Peak Hours)

M3 Metro Stations

  • Kirazlı
  • Yenimahalle
  • Mahmutbey
  • İSTOÇ
  • İkitelli Sanayi
  • Ziya Gökalp Mah.
  • Olimpiyat Stadyumu
  • MASKO
  • Bahariye
  • Turgut Özal
  • Siteler
  • Başak Konutları
  • Başakşehir Metrokent
  • Onurkent
  • Şehir Hastanesi
  • Toplu Konutlar
  • Kayaşehir Merkez

Integration

  • You can change for M9 Bahariye-Olimpiyat Metro Line at İkitelli Sanayi Station, by passing from the turnstile area to the platform area.
  • You can change for M7 Yildiz-Mahmutbey Metro Line at Mahmutbey Station.
  • You can change for M1B Yenikapi-Kirazli Metro Line at Kirazli Station.

M4 Metro Line in Istanbul

The construction of the first phase of the M4 Istanbul metro line was completed in 2012.

  • Line Length: 33, 5 Km.
  • Number of Stations: 23
  • Number of Cars: 144 (36 units of 4-car series)
  • Journey Duration: 52 min.
  • Operational Hours: 06.00 – 00.00
  • Passenger Capacity: 70.000 Passengers/Hour
  • Projected Journey Frequency: 90 Sn. (Ideal), 120 Sn. (Actual)
  • Journey Frequency: 5 min. (during peak hours)

M4 Metro Stations

  • Kadıköy
  • Ayrılık Çeşmesi
  • Acıbadem
  • Ünalan
  • Göztepe
  • Yenisahra
  • Kozyatağı
  • Bostancı
  • Küçükyalı
  • Maltepe
  • Huzurevi
  • Gülsuyu
  • Esenkent
  • Hastane – Anadolu Adliyesi
  • Soğanlık
  • Kartal
  • Yakacık – Adnan Kahveci
  • Pendik
  • Tavşantepe
  • Fevzi Çakmak – Hastane
  • Yayalar – Şeyhli
  • Kurtköy
  • Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı

Integration

  • You can change for T3 Kadikoy – Moda Tram Line, sea lines, sea buses, and motorboats at Kadikoy Station.
  • You can change for Marmaray at Ayrilik Cesmesi station.
  • You can change for Metrobus (BRT) Line at Unalan station.
  • You can change for M8 Bostanci-Parseller Metro Line at Kozyatagi station.
  • You can change for Pendik High-Speed Train Station using IETT buses at Pendik station.

M5 Metro Line in Istanbul

The M5 is the second metro line on the Anatolia side, and it is the first driverless metro line in Turkey. The line starts at Uskudar Square, then passes through the center of Umraniye district and ends at Cekmekoy.

  • Line Length: 20 Km
  • Number of Stations: 16
  • Number of Cars: 126
  • Journey Duration: 32 min (One direction)
  • Operational Hours: 06:00 – 24:00
  • Daily Ridership: 220,000 (Average)
  • Journey Frequency: 4 min 40 sec (During peak hours)

M5 Metro Stations

  • Üsküdar
  • Fıstıkağacı
  • Bağlarbaşı
  • Altunizade
  • Kısıklı
  • Bulgurlu
  • Ümraniye
  • Çarşı
  • Yamanevler
  • Çakmak
  • Ihlamurkuyu
  • Altınşehir
  • İmam Hatip Lisesi
  • Dudullu
  • Necip Fazıl
  • Çekmeköy

Integration

  • You can change for Marmaray, IETT and piers at Uskudar station,
  • You can change for Metrobus (BRT) line at Altunizade station.
  • You can change for M8 Bostanci-Parseller Metro Line at Dudullu station.

M6 Metro Line in Istanbul

The M6 ​​metro line connects the M2 metro line to the Bosphorus University and the Hisarustu area. The M6 ​​metro line is built using the new Austrian tunneling method (NATM) as a single tube, and it differs from other metro lines in this respect.

  • Line Length: 3, 3 Km.
  • Number of Stations: 4
  • Number of Cars: 12
  • Journey Duration: 7 minute in one way
  • Operational Hours: 06.00 – 00.00
  • Daily Ridership: 20.000 (Average)
  • Number of Daily Journeys: 156 Journeys/One Way
  • Journey Frequency: 5 min. (during peak hours between 07:00-10:00 and 16:00-20:00)

M6 ​​Metro Stations

  • Levent
  • Nispetiye
  • Etiler
  • Boğaziçi Ü.-Hisarüstü

Integration

You can change for M2 Yenikapi – Haciosman Metro Line at Levent Station.

M7 Metro Line in Istanbul

The M7 Mecidiyekoy-Mahmutbey metro line has been in operation as the first fully automatic driverless metro line in the European side of Istanbul.

  • Line Length: 20 km
  • Number of Stations: 17
  • Number of Vehicles: 80
  • One Way Travel Time: 32 minutes
  • Operating Hours: 06:00 – 00:00
  • Travel Frequency (at opening): 6 minutes (at peak hour)
  • Vehicle Passenger Capacity: 2,160 (1 set)
  • Hourly Passenger Transport Capacity in One Direction: 70,000

M7 Metro Stations

  • Mecidiyeköy
  • Çağlayan
  • Kağıthane
  • Nurtepe
  • Alibeyköy
  • Çırçır
  • Veysel Karani – Akşemsettin
  • Yeşilpınar
  • Kazım Karabekir
  • Yenimahalle
  • Karadeniz Mahallesi
  • Tekstilkent – Giyimkent
  • Oruç Reis
  • Göztepe Mahallesi
  • Mahmutbey

Integration

  • M2 Yenikapi-Haciosman Metro Line and BRT (Metrobus) operation at Mecidiyekoy Station
  • T4 Topkapi-Mescid-i Selam Tram Line at Karadeniz Mahallesi Station
  • M3 Kirazli-Olimpiyat-Basaksehir Metro Line at Mahmutbey Station
  • T5 Eminonu-Alibeykoy Cep Otogari Tram Line at Alibeykoy Station
  • M11 Gayrettepe-Istanbul Airport Metro Line at Kagithane Station

M8 Metro Line in Istanbul

IMM began construction on the line in February 2016 with the purpose of connecting the east-west lines on the Anatolian Side in a north-south direction. The construction was carried out as planned.

  • Line Length: 14.27 Km
  • Number of Stations: 13
  • Number of Cars: 40 (10 4-car trains)
  • Journey Duration: 25 Min (in one direction)
  • Operating Hours: 06:00 – 23:00
  • Number of Daily Passengers: 43,280 Passengers/Hour
  • Journey Frequency: 8 minutes 40 seconds

M8 Metro Stations

  • Bostancı
  • Emin Ali Paşa
  • Ayşekadın
  • Kozyatağı
  • Küçükbakkalköy
  • İçerenköy
  • Kayışdağı
  • Mevlana
  • İmes
  • Modoko-Keyap
  • Dudullu
  • Huzur
  • Parseller

Integration

  • You can change for Marmaray, high speed train station, sea lines and seabuses at Bostanci station.
  • You can change for M4 Kadikoy-Sabiha Gokcen Airport metro line at Kozyatagi station.
  • You can change for M5 Uskudar-Cekmekoy metro line at Dudullu station.

M9 Metro Line in Istanbul

The Bahariye and Masko stations of the M9 Atakoy-Olimpiyat Metro Line will start operating on May 29th, 2021.

M9 Metro Stations

  • Olimpiyat
  • Ziya Gökalp Mahallesi
  • İkitelli Sanayi
  • Masko
  • Bahariye

Integration

M3 Kirazli-Basaksehir/Metrokent Metro Line at İkitelli Sanayi Station

M11 Metro Line in Istanbul

  • Line length: 34 kilometers
  • Number of stations: 7
  • Number of cars: 80 (176 cars in the future)
  • Train set: 20 sets of 4-car trains (3 trains are currently in operation)
  • Travel time: Kağıthane – Cargo Terminal: 24 minutes
  • Operating hours: 06:00 – 00:40
  • Daily number of passengers transported: 12,785 passengers
  • Daily passenger carrying capacity: 800,000 passengers
  • Frequency of trips: Every 20 minutes

M11 Metro Stations

  1. Gayrettepe
  2. Kâğıthane
  3. Hasdal
  4. Kemerburgaz
  5. Göktürk
  6. İhsaniye
  7. Terminal 2
  8. İstanbul Airport
  9. Kargo Terminali
  10. Taşoluk
  11. Arnavutköy
  12. Fenertepe
  13. Kayaşehir Merkez
  14. Olimpiyat
  15. Halkalı Stadı
  16. Halkalı

Integration

You can transfer to the M7 line by walking about 230 meters from Kağıthane station.

Marmaray Metro

Marmaray Metro is one of the most important infrastructure projects that connects the European and Asian sides of Istanbul.

The Marmaray metro line starts from Gebze on the Asian side and ends at Halkali on the European side, passing through Uskudar, Sirkeci, and Yenikapı.