Tram İzmir, alternatively known as İzmir Tram (), is a tram network in İzmir, Turkey. Owned by the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and operated by İzmir Metro A.Ş., the system consists of three lines: one in Karşıyaka, which opened on 11 April 2017, one in Konak, which opened on 24 March 2018 and one in Çiğli, which opened on 27 January 2024.
The operating length is and consists of a total 47 stations. The total cost of these two lines is about ₺450 million (approx. US$120 million).
History
The first tram line in İzmir opened in 1890, between Alsancak Terminal and Pasaport pier.Ömer Tolga Sümerli - The history of Alsancak terminal. The Alsancak-Pasaport portion was abandoned in 1956 and the last remaining line in İzmir (Konak-Pasaport) was taken up in the early 1960s. Automobile traffic rose greatly in the decades that followed and in the early 2000s, the city was plagued with congestion in central areas.
In 2009, the Metropolitan Municipality released an overall transportation plan for the city. The plan included the construction of three new tram lines: one in Konak, Karşıyaka and in Buca respectively. These three lines were to be integrated with the city's metro line as well as the two commuter rail lines. Construction was originally expected to start by the end of 2011; however, due to the delayed Environmental Impact Report, this date was pushed back to 2015. In 2013, the municipality secured necessary funding from the Ministry of Development and finalized system plans in 2014. In the finalized plan, the Buca Tram line was removed due to pressure from the Ministry of Transport. Construction began in April 2015 on the Karşıyaka Tram, and in November 2015 on the Konak Tram.
The first tram vehicles were delivered in 2016 and showcased at the İzmir International Fair in August of the same year. The rest of the vehicles were delivered in February 2017.
The general name of the system was branded Tram İzmir by the Metropolitan Municipality.
T1 Karşıyaka Tram Line The Karşıyaka Tram is long. The tram line is operating with 2 lines. The Alaybey – Flamingo line is named the Green Line, and the Mavişehir – Ataşehir line is named the Orange Line. +Karşıyaka Tram Green LineStationPlatformConnectionNotesAlaybey1 island platformİZBAN, busApprox. 0.5 km walk between Tram and IzbanKarşıyaka İskele1 island platformFerry, busNikah Sarayı1 island platformNoneYunuslar1 island platformBusBostanlı İskele2 side platformsFerry, busStaggered platformsÇarşı2 side platformsNoneVilayet Evi2 side platformsNoneSelçuk Yaşar1 island platformNoneAtakent2 side platformsNoneBilim Müzesi1 island platformNoneMustafa Kemal Atatürk Spor Salonu1 island platformBusMavişehir1 island platformT1 Tram (Orange Line) Flamingo1 island platformT3 Tram (Blue Line),<br/ >T3 Tram (Red Line), busKarşıyaka Tram Orange LineStationPlatformConnectionNotesMavişehir1 island platformT1 Tram (Green Line)Çevreyolu2 side platformsNoneAtaşehir1 island platformNoneDepot is located here.
T2 Konak Tram Line
The Konak Tram is long. The line serves 19 stations and began operating on 24 April 2018. The entire line is double track. The Halkapinar and Fahrettin Altay bound tracks run on opposite sides of the Mustafa Kemal Sahil Boulevard from Fahrettin Altay station to Sadık Bey Station. Then after Sadık Bey, the two lines run parallel to each other, between the seaside and the west-bound Mustafa Kemal Sahil Boulevard. The Tramline turns inland at Gazi Boulevard and the track runs through the median. The line then turns onto Şair Eşref Boulevard, where the tracks are laid on the left most lane of each direction. The lines split past the Alsancak Train Station with the Halkapınar bound line taking Şehitler Street and the Fahrettin Altay bound track following Liman Street. The lines meet up again along Şehitler Street just before arriving at Halkapınar.
+StationPlatformConnectionNotesHalkapınar1 island platformİZBAN, Metro, busDepot is located here.Üniversite1 side platformNoneOnly Halkapınar bound trams stop here.Havagazı1 side platformNoneOnly Fahrettin Altay bound trams stop here currently.Alsancak Stadyumu1 side platformNoneOnly Halkapınar bound trams stop here.Alsancak Gar1 island platformİZBAN, busAtatürk Spor Salonu2 side platformsNoneHocazade Camii1 island platformBusKültürpark - Atatürk Lisesi1 island platformBusGazi Bulvarı2 side platformsMetro, busKonak İskele2 side platformsFerry, Metro, busKarataş2 side platformsNoneKarantina2 side platformsFerryKöprü2 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsSadıkbey2 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsGöztepe2 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsGüzelyalı2 side platformsFerryStaggered platformsAhmed Adnan Saygun Sanat Merkezi2 side platformsBusStaggered platformsÜçkuyular2 side platformsFerry, busFahrettin Altay1 island platformMetro, bus
T3 Çiğli Tram Line (ring) The Çiğli Tram is long and serves 14 stations. The tram line operates with the lines, the Red (Outer) Line, and the Blue (Inner) Line. The line opened on 27 January, 2024
+Çiğli Tram Red LineStationPlatformConnectionNotes Flamingo1 island platformT1 Tram (Green Line), busSemra Aksu1 island platformİZBAN, busEski Havaalanı1 island platformNoneYenimahalle1 island platformBusÇiğli Bölge Hastanesi1 island platformBusAta Sanayi1 island platformNoneEvka 52 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsKatip Çelebi Üniversitesi1 island platformNoneOnly Red Line trams stop here.İAOSB Nedim Uysal Lisesi2 side platformsBusStaggered platformsMustafa Kemal Atatürk Bulvarı2 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsİAOSB Müdürlüğü2 side platformsBusStaggered platformsKemal Baysak2 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsNihat Karakartal2 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsNazım Hikmet Ran1 island platformNone Flamingo1 island platformT1 Tram (Green Line), busÇiğli Tram Blue LineStationPlatformConnectionNotes Flamingo1 island platformT1 Tram (Green Line), busNazım Hikmet Ran1 island platformNoneNihat Karakartal2 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsKemal Baysak2 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsİAOSB Müdürlüğü2 side platformsBusStaggered platformsMustafa Kemal Atatürk Bulvarı2 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsİAOSB Nedim Uysal Lisesi2 side platformsBusStaggered platformsEvka 52 side platformsNoneStaggered platformsAta Sanayi1 island platformNoneÇiğli Bölge Hastanesi1 island platformBusYenimahalle1 island platformBusEski Havaalanı1 island platformNoneSemra Aksu1 island platformİZBAN, Train, bus Flamingo1 island platformT1 Tram (Green Line), bus
Service
The system operates 24/7 with a varying headway. On the Karşıyaka and Çiğli line, there is a ten-minute headway. On the Konak line, Monday through Saturday, there is a six/seven and a half-minute headway. On Sunday, there is a seven and a half/ten-minute headway. In 2018, İzmir Tram transported 110,000 passengers per day.
Future developments
A new line from Yeni Girne to Örnekköy is in its tender phase. Construction was set to begin in early 2024.
Infrastructure
The system operates on its own right of way as well as automobile lanes, despite the latter utilized less so, and is electrified with 750 V DC overhead wire and consists of Communications-based train control (CBTC) signalling. Most of the network is double-tracked, except for a short portion between Karşıyaka pier and Alaybey. The tracks are standard track gauge at 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in).Both lines will have their own storage and maintenance depots, in Mavişehir and Halkapınar respectively. The tramcars are produced by Hyundai Rotem plant in Adapazarı. The double-ended 32 m (105 ft)-long five-module tramcars are each 43.1 t heavy. They have 48 seating capacity, and can carry up to 285 passengers each. Service speed is 24 km/h (15 mph), and top speed is 70 km/h (43 mph).
Each station is wheelchair-accessible and consists of its own platform, segregated from any sidewalk or street. Information panels showing the real-time status of the next tram are installed in all operating stations.
See also Transport in Izmir Rail transport in Izmir Izmir Metro Trams in Izmir
References