M11 (Istanbul Metro)

Line M11, officially referred to as the M11 Gayrettepe–Istanbul New Airport Line (Turkish: Gayrettepe-İstanbul Yeni Havaalanı Metro Hattı), is a rapid transit line of the Istanbul Metro, currently under construction in Istanbul, Turkey. The line is currently planned to open in August 2021.[2]

M11 Gayrettepe–Istanbul New Airport
The northern terminus of the line, the Istanbul New Airport.
Overview
Type	Rapid transit
System	Istanbul Metro
Status	Under construction
Locale	Istanbul, Turkey
Termini	Gayrettepe Istanbul New Airport
Stations	9
Services	1
Line number	M11
Operation
Owner	Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
Operator(s)	Metro Istanbul A.Ş.
Rolling stock	176 CRRC Zhuzhou[1]
Technical
Line length	37.2 km (23.1 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	1,500 V DC Overhead line
Operating speed	120 km/h (75 mph)

The purpose of this line is to provide direct and quick access from the Istanbul New Airport in Arnavutköy to Levent, Istanbul's main commercial center. Unlike other metro lines, the M11 will be a limited stop service, meaning that stations will be spaced further apart. This is most noticeable towards the line's southeastern end, where the M11 will only have only two stations within Istanbul's urban area; Gayrettepe and Kağıthane.

It will have two branches, one from Gayrettepe to Istanbul New Airport line and the second from Halkalı to Istanbul New Airport line. The first leg of the rapid transit line will be 37.2 km (23.1 mi) long with nine stations. The travel time between the end stations will be 30 minutes at a maximum speed of 120 km/h (75 mph).[3] The line will run through three districts of Istanbul, namely Şişli, Eyüp and Arnavutköy. It is expected that both lines will carry annually around 94 million passengers. The M11 line will connect to other rapid transit lines at Gayrettepe station to M2 Yenikapı–Hacıosman and at the airport to the high-speed train line.[4]

The investment budget of the construction is € 999.8 million. The Turkish construction consortium Kolin-Şenbay won the tender for the building of the metro line in December 2016. The line was not scheduled to be completed before the airport's official October 29, 2018 airport opening.[3]