All About Istanbul
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Let your self experience a great city where the Continents meet.

Latest News

New openings in 2023-2024

The Byzantine cistern (Yerebatan), Blue Mosque, Maiden's Tower (Kizkulesi), Treasury at Topkapi Palace, Anatolian Fortress, and Upper Galleries at Hagia Sophia re-opened after restorations.

Entrance fees in 2024

As of 1st of March 2024, many State museums will charge in Euros, or its equivalent in Turkish Liras.

Museum Pass

You can buy the "Museum Pass" for foreigners which is valid for 5 days in various museums of Istanbul.

Museums open 7 days

Many State museums in Istanbul operate 7 days a week, except Topkapi Palace.


More News

Marmaray Project

Marmaray Project is one of the biggest projects of the Turkish Ministry of Transportation designed to be an important solution for the public transportation in Istanbul.

With this project, an uninterrupted above ground metro line of 76.3 km (47.4 mi) is constructed from Halkali on the European side to Gebze on the Asian side that is modern, high capacity, fast, and integrated with the other transportation systems. It also created a huge network between East and West when it is implemented with the European high speed trains, with Istanbul - Ankara High Speed Train, and Kars - Tbilisi - China rail Projects.

Marmaray Project is planned to decrease the pollution of automobile traffic and dependence of highways and individual transportation, using electric power that is not dependent on foreign resources, and create a contemporary transportation system that forms the basis of a modern civic life.

The Project consists of different contracts such as underwater railways tunnel through the Bosphorus Strait and improvement of 43.4 km (27 mi) long Gebze - Haydarpasa and 19.6 km (12 mi) long Sirkeci - Halkali suburban rail lines.

The railway lines on both sides of Istanbul are connected to each other by a 1400 meters-long underwater tunnel passing 65 meters deep through the Bosphorus which entered into operation in October 2013. Starting from Kazlicesme station, it goes underground in Yedikule neighborhood, continues with Yenikapi and Sirkeci underground stations, connects to Üsküdar underground station by passing through the Bosphorus underwater tunnel and continues above ground to Ayrilikcesmesi station. Trains serve at every 5 - 15 minutes between stations. In 2022, over 160 million passengers were carried on Marmaray.

Marmaray Project is perceived as the backbone of Istanbul's transportation system. Üsküdar station on the Asian side and Yenikapi station on the European side are the transfer hubs. Marmaray Project is integrated with the existing Yenikapi - Taksim - Sisli - 4.Levent - Ayazaga metro and Yenikapi - Yenibosna - Atatürk Airport, Kadiköy - Kartal, Esenler - Mahmutbey, and Üsküdar - Ümraniye - Dudullu light-railway systems.

The construction of the quakeproof 3,5 km tunnel under the Bosphorus has been completed and entered into service as of 29th October 2013. Now it's also integrated with other rail transport systems.

Hope to see you soon in Istanbul.



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