The third tunnel connecting the European and Asian sides of Istanbul, officially named the "Great Istanbul Tunnel" by the government, will be put into service in 2028, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu said Wednesday.
"We foresee that the tunnel planned to be opened in 2028 for service will have the capacity of serving 1.3 million passengers on a daily basis," the minister noted, highlighting the project will be one of the symbols of the "Century of Türkiye" vision presented by the government last October.
The minister emphasized the importance of the project, stating that following the construction of the Marmaray and Eurasia Tunnel, the "Great Istanbul Tunnel" will mark the third crossing under the Bosporus.
In addition, Karaismailoğlu said that in accordance with the data calculations made in line with the main Istanbul transportation plan, it is predicted that the number of crossings between the European and Asian sides, which currently exceeds the figure of 2 million on a daily basis, would exceed 3 million per day in the future.
"As always, we are proactively developing plans now to prevent any future issues arising from the growing traffic," he emphasized.
In addition to the crossing between the two sides, there will be a high-capacity rail system that will serve from west to east of Istanbul, the minister pointed out, noting that the new Bosporus tunnel planned as Söğütlüçeşme-Incirli metro line would stretch from Kadıköy district on the Asian side to Bakırköy district on the European side of Istanbul.
"The 'Great Istanbul Tunnel' will span a total length of 28 kilometers (17.7 miles) and will consist of 13 stations. (Our) the metro project, which will serve a total of 1.3 million passengers daily when put into service in 2028, will have a capacity of serving 70,000 passengers per hour in one direction," Karaismailoğlu explained.
Adding that the total travel time on the new route will be 42 minutes, he said that it will integrate with 11 other railways, and would also enable the Metrobus line, which is considered a backbone of the transportation system in Istanbul, to operate at optimal capacity.