Tram İzmir

Tram İzmir

A tram on the Karşıyaka Line approaching Alaybey station on opening day.
Overview
Owner	İzmir Metropolitan Municipality
Area served	Karşıyaka, Çiğli and Konak
Locale	İzmir, Turkey
Transit type	Tram
Number of lines	2
Number of stations	32
Website	Tram İzmir
Operation
Began operation	11 April 2017 (Karşıyaka) 24 March 2018 (Konak)
Operator(s)	İzmir Metro A.Ş.[1]
Number of vehicles	38
Train length	32 m (105 ft)
Headway	10 min - Karsiyaka Line 15 min - Konak Line
Technical
System length	21.6 km (13.4 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	750V DC
Average speed	24 km/h (15 mph)
Top speed	70 km/h (43 mph)

Tram İzmir is a tram network in İzmir, Turkey. Owned by the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and operated by İzmir Metro A.Ş., the system consists of two separate lines: one in Karşıyaka, which opened on April 11, 2017, and the other in Konak, which opened on March 24, 2018.

The operating system length consists of 21.6 km (13.4 mi) and 32 stations. The total cost of these two lines is about ₺450 million (approx. US$120 million).

History

A tram vehicle on display at the 2016 İzmir International Fair.

Bostanli Iskele tram station

Alaybey tram station

The first tram line in İzmir opened in 1890, between Alsancak Terminal and Pasaport pier, along the Kordon (esplanade), to transport freight.^[2] This line also saw horse-drawn trams carry railway passengers from Pasaport (near the city center), to Alsancak station. In 1901, this line was extended to the newly built İzmir Clock Tower in Konak (the city center). The second line to open was in Karşıyaka, in 1906, from the Karşıyaka pier to the Karşıyaka railway station. In 1907, two more lines were completed in Karşıyaka: Karşıyaka pier-Alaybey and Karşıyaka pier-Bostanlı.^[3]

After World War I (1914–1918), the Ottoman Empire collapsed and the Turkish Republic was formed. The trams were electrified in 1927, as well as the opening of the Konak-Reşadiye (Güzelyalı) line. New pink painted trams began service and between 1927 and 1939, İzmir trams were at their peak. With the rise of the automobile, busses were becoming more popular and the inevitable decline of İzmir's trams began. The first lines to be discontinued were the 3 lines in Karşıyaka. On October 1, 1939, the Karşıyaka Municipality took up all tramlines in Karşıyaka.^[3] The Konak-Reşadiye line was abandoned in 1950, leaving the Konak-Alsancak line the last tram line in İzmir. 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.^[4] Within the plan consisted 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.^[5] In 2013, the Municipality secured necessary funding from the Ministry of Development and finalized system plans in 2014.^[6] In the finalized plan, the Buca Tram line was removed due to pressure from the Ministry of Transport.^[7] 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.^[8]

Karşıyaka Tram Line

The Karşıyaka Tram 8.8 km (5.5 mi) long, it has 14 stations and began operation in April 2017. The tram line begins at Alaybey as a single track line with passing loops. After Karşıyaka station the line proceeds with two tracks on the Alaybey bound side of Cemal Gürsel Avenue. Between Yunuslar and Bostanlı the Ataşehir bound track crosses Cemal Gürsel Avenue and the line proceeds on both sides of the road. After crossing Bostanlı Creek the line runs through Cengiz Topel Street, the tramline the continues through the median of Dudayev Blvd. The depot is located next to Çevre Yolu station.

Konak Tram Line

Selçuk Yasar tram station

Göztepe tram station

The Konak Tram is 12.8 km (8.0 mi) 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 Bulavard from Fahrettin Altay station to Sadık Bey Station. Then after Sadık Bey the two lines run next to each other, between the seaside and the west-bound Mustafa Kemal Sahil Bulavard. The Tramline turns inland at Gazi Bulavard 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 run meet up again on Şehitler Street just before arriving at Halkapınar.

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 750V DC overhead wire and consists of Communications-based train control (CBTC) signalling.^[9] 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).

Tram construction in Alsancak

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