Sirkeci-Kazlicesme rail line features in Lonely Planet’s top train routes

Sirkeci-Kazlicesme rail line was ranked among the 6 must-see routes in Europe by Lonely Planet, one of the world’s leading travel websites

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure announced that the Sirkeci-Kazlicesme rail line in Istanbul has been ranked among the top six European train routes for summer by Lonely Planet, one of the world’s leading travel websites.

According to the ministry’s statement, the Sirkeci-Kazlicesme rail line was opened on Feb. 26, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu participating.

In the article “6 of the best European train routes for summer 2024” published on lonelyplanet.com, one of the world’s leading travel websites, nostalgic travelers should definitely use this line starting from Sirkeci, one of the oldest stations in Europe, and ending at Kazlicesme.

The article made the following observations regarding the Sirkeci-Kazlicesme line:

“Scoot along İstanbul’s Sirkeci seafront line – If ever a station was a shadow of its former self, it’s Sirkeci, sitting on the shores of the Bosphorus in İstanbul’s Sultanahmet district. Best known as the one-time terminus for the fabled Orient Express trains, Sirkeci lost its long-distance services in 2013. While the city bustles around Sirkeci, the ground-level platforms have sat unused since, while the underground Marmaray railway flashes underneath the old city bearing travelers from Europe to Asia. There’s life in old Sirkeci yet though. The opening of the new 5.2-mile light rail service to Kazlicesme restores trains to the original trainshed. In time, these renewed tracks may even see a return of Sofia and Bucharest bound services to the banks of the Bosphorus rather than their less convenient departure point at Halkalı, the western end of the Marmaray line. For now, this is an excuse for nostalgically-minded travelers to hop on a train from one of Europe’s most storied stations, perhaps for a seafood meal in lively Kumkapi, one of the stops on the new line.”

800,000 passengers have used it so far

According to the statement, the Sirkeci-Kazlicesme rail line, which was renewed to provide the best possible experience to travelers, has been used by 800,000 passengers since its opening.

The line on which an average of 10,000 people travel daily was called the gateway of the Ottoman Empire to Europe. In addition, Sirkeci Station opened in 1888 and served as the last stop of the Orient Express for many years.

Socio-cultural aspect

Uraloglu said in the statement: “We have rebuilt the Sirkeci-Kazlicesme line, which served as one of the backbones of Istanbul transportation for more than 141 years, and brought it back to Istanbul with a railway and pedestrian-oriented and environmentally friendly project.

The Sirkeci-Kazlicesme line also stands out in terms of its socio-cultural aspect with its 7.3 kilometers of pedestrian and bicycle paths, 122,550 square meters of square and recreation area, 6,000 square meters of indoor social-cultural facilities and 74,000 square meters of new green area. Within the scope of the project, we have also restored our Yedikule, Kocamustafapasa, Yenikapı and Kumkapi registered stations, which are relics of ancestors.

We make an important contribution to social life by bringing the most valuable areas of Istanbul to the use of citizens. Our Sirkeci-Kazlicesme Rail System and Pedestrian Oriented New Generation Transportation Project is one of the most important examples of this approach.”

Source: Newsroom