Photo - Currently, transit passengers are forced to use multiple modes of transportation when transferring between the old and new airports in Istanbul // Photo: internationalairportreview.com .
The line will connect Sabiha Gökçen Airport, located in the Asian part of the city, with Istanbul’s new airport in the European part. The World Bank has allocated €1.67 billion to Turkey for the project within the framework of a concession agreement. The Turkish authorities also intend to attract additional funds from international development institutions. It is expected that the total amount of external financing may reach €6.75 billion.
Five times faster
The arrival of a direct rail link between the two harbors will make the journey much easier for those passengers who need to make a connection. Currently, the route, which is just under 90 kilometers long, can be traveled by road and partly by metro. During peak hours, this can take up to two and a half hours.
When the new rail line is operational, the travel time will be reduced to half an hour, or five times faster than during Istanbul’s busiest traffic times. This infrastructural solution will not only make life easier for transit passengers, but will also reduce pressure on the roads linking both sides of the Bosphorus Strait, which are currently overloaded with traffic.
Strategic decision
The modernization of Istanbul’s airport infrastructure is being carried out as part of plans to strengthen its position as one of the key hubs linking Europe and Asia. Fast and convenient connections between airports is a strategic decision as it will make the city more attractive for international transit flights.
According to preliminary estimates, the project realization will take up to five years.
Earlier this year Logos Press reported that Istanbul Airport was recognized as the busiest in Europe. The average number of flights per day from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1 was 1,147, surpassing Heathrow Airport in London (1,235), Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris (1,167) and Amsterdam Airport (1,151). Last year, Istanbul Airport handled more than 84.4 million passengers and 549,000 flights.
Istanbul’s second airport, Sabiha Gökçen, was recognized as the leader in passenger traffic growth last year. The indicator increased by 16.7% and reached 48.4 million passengers. The airport ranked eighth in Europe in terms of the average number of flights per day (746).
