Marmaray service suspended over technical issue


The Marmaray, Istanbul's only underwater rail system connecting the city's European and Asian sides under the Bosporus, faced a disruption yesterday after experiencing a technical glitch, according to authorities.

A part of the 13.6-kilometer line on land was suspended after a train car derailed. Commuters posted photos showing passengers disembarking the train and walking through a tunnel between the Üsküdar and Ayrılıkçeşme stations on the Asian side of the city. The subterranean part of the Marmaray was not affected while passengers were directed to the Üsküdar station, the first stop for those traveling from the European side.

The Marmaray, opened in 2013, is touted as the world's first underwater railway tunnel connecting two continents and boasts protections against major disasters. Apart from a few glitches causing service disruptions, the subterranean rail system has not experienced any major shutdown in the past three years.