This month saw the historic tram of Istanbul mark its 106th anniversary with a celebration tour. The tram is famed for connecting Istanbul’s Tunel Square and Taksim Square and is the only form of transportation allowed on Istiklal Avenue within regular hours besides other vehicles.
Back in 1914 the tram was the form of transportation that replaced horse-drawn carriages. Since the year 1990 the tram has been operating three traditional mortises and two wagons and has made 14,600 trips per year. Istanbul Municipality has reported that the famous tram carried 380,000 passengers in 2019.
Another anniversary was also celebrated. The Karakoy Tunnel marked its 145th anniversary. The tunnel is the second oldest urban rail line after the London Underground. Karakoy Tunnel carried almost 5 million passengers in 2019 from Karakoy to Tunel Square. The journey itself only takes round two minutes.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News
