Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu highlighted that Marmaray, a vital transport lifeline for individuals caught in adverse weather conditions impacting Bosporus traffic, accommodated an additional 392,000 passengers during the period from Nov. 27 to Dec. 3.
Uraloğlu emphasized the significant impact of foggy weather on transportation, especially in Istanbul, which resulted in the cancellation of some ferry services. As a consequence, travelers navigating through the Bosporus turned to Marmaray for their commute.
He noted that Marmaray typically offers 287 train services between Gebze and Halkalı on weekdays, increasing to 297 on weekends. During the specified period, extra train services were incorporated, facilitating the transport of an additional 392,000 passengers. Uraloğlu highlighted that Marmaray's average daily passenger count is 565,000, which surged to 621,000 due to these additional journeys.
Underlining the travel time of 108 minutes between Halkalı-Gebze, Uraloğlu stressed Marmaray's connectivity to various transportation modes, including Metrobus, ferry, tram, YHT (High-Speed Train) and metro stations. He also highlighted the 15-minute intervals between Gebze and Halkalı and the eight-minute intervals between Ataköy and Pendik for train services.
Uraloğlu commemorated Marmaray's 10th anniversary on the republic's 100th anniversary, revealing that over 1 billion passengers have traveled on this transport network. He also expressed pride in breaking daily passenger records, with daily numbers reaching 710,000.
Highlighting Marmaray's role in facilitating both passenger and freight transport, Uraloğlu emphasized its significance in uninterrupted railway transport spanning from London to Beijing. He underscored that Marmaray caters not only to urban passenger transit but also handles mainline and freight transportation seamlessly.
Concluding his statements, Uraloğlu accentuated the pivotal role of Marmaray's stations – Gebze, Pendik, Bostancı, Söğütlüçeşme, Bakırköy and Halkalı – in serving YHT and mainline trains, affirming the network's multifaceted contribution to transportation.