The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure announced that Istanbul's Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme rail line has been recognized by Lonely Planet, one of the world's leading travel publications, as one of the six must-see railway routes in Europe.
According to the ministry's statement, the Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme rail line was inaugurated on Feb. 26, 2024, with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.
In the article titled "6 railway routes in Europe you must travel" published on lonelyplanet.com, it was emphasized that nostalgic travelers must use this line, which starts from Sirkeci, one of Europe’s oldest stations, and ends at Kazlıçeşme.
The statement also referred to the article on the site, the article made the following observations about the Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme line:
"Sirkeci Station, located in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district along the Bosporus, is best known as the former terminus of the legendary Orient Express trains. However, Sirkeci Station ceased long-distance services in 2013. While the city bustles around Sirkeci, the underground Marmaray train line transports passengers beneath the old city from Europe to Asia, but there is still life in old Sirkeci. The newly opened 8.3-kilometer (5.16-mile) light rail system to Kazlıçeşme brings trains back to the original train station. Nostalgic travelers should use this line, one of Europe’s oldest stations. In fact, this line might even be an excuse to hop on the train to Kumkapı, one of the new stops, to eat seafood."
According to the statement, the Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme rail line, renovated with a focus on the environment and people, has been used by 800,000 passengers since its opening.
The line, used by an average of 10,000 people daily, was known as the gateway to Europe during the Ottoman era. Additionally, Sirkeci Station, which opened in 1888, served as the terminus of the Orient Express for many years.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, whose views were included in the statement, commented on the works carried out within the scope of the project.
"By completely redesigning the Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme line, which has served as one of the backbones of Istanbul's transportation for over 141 years, we have brought it back to Istanbul with a project focused on both railways and pedestrians and environmentally friendly. The Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme line also stands out socio-culturally, with its 7.3-kilometer pedestrian and bicycle path, 122,550 square meters (1.3 million square feet) of open spaces and recreation area, 6,000 square meters of indoor social-cultural facilities, and 74,000 square meters of new green space."
He also added: "Within the scope of the project, we also restored our registered stops Yedikule, Kocamustafapaşa, Yenikapı and Kumkapı, which are legacies of our ancestors. By making Istanbul's most valuable areas available to citizens, we are making significant contributions to social life. Our Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme Rail System and Pedestrian-Oriented New Generation Transportation Project is one of the most important examples of this approach."
