Tunnels and bridges connecting Asia with Europe

Istanbul (CNN) — With its sloping banks lined with elegant private residences, palace parks and centuries-old groves, the Bosphorus is the epitome of Istanbul.

This 19-mile (30 km) stretch of coastline stretches from the Black Sea in the north to the Sea of ​​Marmara in the south.

Urban sprawl spans Europe to the west and Asia to the east, a geographical reality that romanticises but somewhat Istanbul is a city that straddles two continents.

Technically it does, but the Bosphorus isn’t the city’s only waterway. Just before it meets the Sea of ​​Marmara, the Golden Horn — known locally as Haliz — branches off to the northwest. Unlike the Sea of ​​Marmara, which flows through the narrow Dardanelles Strait into the Aegean Sea, it protrudes inland.

Day and night, tankers and container ships can be seen on the horizon near the Princess Islands, patiently waiting for their turn to pass through the shipping lanes.

Likewise, residents of Istanbul are waiting by car, bus, train and ferry. In the year According to 2021 statistics, just shy of 16 million people will live in Istanbul. Many of them live on one side of the city and work on the other, which means that a large number of people are on the move at any given time.

Navigating the city’s convoluted road map can be chaotic at any time of day and sometimes it seems surprising that no one gets anywhere, but they do – they use roads, trains, ships, bridges and tunnels to cross from one continent to another. other.

Here’s how:

July 15 Martyrs Bridge (July 15 Martyrs Bridge)

Originally Boğaziçi Köprüsü — or Bosphorus Bridge — this beautiful structure was renamed the 15th of July Martyrs’ Bridge after the failed coup in 2016, but locals still fondly call it Boğaziçi Köprüsü, or First Bridge.

Before the opening of the 50th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1973, the only way to cross from Europe to Asia was by boat.

The new 1,560-meter (5,118-foot) steel suspension bridge allows riders to pass high above the fast-moving waters of the Bosphorus and climb up to Topkapi Castle and the Sea of ​​Marmara in the distance.

When the bridge was still in its infancy, it attracted travelers seeking a vantage point to admire the 19th-century Buyuk Mekediyeh Mosque on the Ortakoy waterfront in its white brilliance.

Currently, the bridge is open to pedestrians only one day a year when thousands sign up to run the Istanbul Marathon. The rest of the time, drivers pay less than 50 cents to cross.

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge

The second bridge connecting the two continents was opened on July 3, 1988 and is named for Fatih Sultan Mehmet, Mehmet the Conqueror. In the year

Sometimes called the FSM Köprüsü, it is another gravity-fed steel suspension bridge that is similar to the First Bridge and costs the same toll to use.

It spans the narrowest part of the Bosphorus, where King Darius of Persia is said to have built a floating bridge in 512 BCE.

The modern incarnation of the traffic ferry hangs 200 feet above the water and connects Hisarust in the west with Kavakke in the east.

It offers stunning views over the Bosphorus but no pedestrian access is allowed so only motorists can admire them, a welcome distraction when stuck in weekend midnight traffic.

Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge

In the year In 2016, a third suspension bridge was opened over the Bosphorus near the Black Sea. It was named after Yavuz Sultan Selim, the grandson of Mehmet the Conqueror and a fitting choice given his need for transportation. The 16th century sultan built the Ottoman fleet and the Golden Horn shipyards called Halych Tershanesi.

When completed, the bridge broke many records. With a single deck span of 58.8 meters, it is the world’s widest suspension bridge, capable of carrying eight lanes of traffic and a two-track railway. It is the fifth longest bridge in the world with a height of over 322 meters.

Designed to be used by trucks and long-distance traffic to central Anatolia and beyond, the bridge offers drivers a view of the Black Sea for miles on clear days, and the basic toll drops to $1.

Çannakale 1915 Bridge

The new road that spans the two continents is the magnificent Çannakale 1915 Köprüsü, which runs between Gallipoli through the Dardanelles in Europe to Lapseki in Asia.

Measuring just 2.3 miles, it now holds the record for the longest suspension bridge in the world.

The structure rises along the coast and replaces a one-hour ferry crossing (which in reality can take up to five hours with waiting time) for a six-minute drive at 50 miles per hour.

Designed for speed rather than looks, it costs around $11 a car and is less popular with locals.

The bridge was opened in In 1915, Turkey’s victory over the United Nations was commemorated in 1915. March 18, 2022 in a battle to control this vital waterway.

Eurasia Tunnel

The 5.3 kilometer (3.3 mi) underwater section of the Eurasia Tunnel (Avrasya Tunnel in Turkish) is a big draw for engineering enthusiasts, but the tunnel’s main appeal is that it’s the fastest way to get to the other side of Istanbul.

With a speed limit of 70 kilometers per hour, it is functional rather than aesthetic. A nine-mile long road link connecting Kazilese in Europe to Goztepe in Asia cut travel time from 100 minutes to 15 when it was completed in December 2016.

The tunnel, which costs about $2.85 per car, became the most functional link between the city’s two airports, Ataturk and Sabiha Gokcen, until commercial flights were diverted from Ataturk Airport to Mammoth Istanbul Airport. Istanbul Taksim Square.

At around $2.85 per car, the Eurasia Tunnel is the most expensive way to cross the Bosphorus.

As with bridge crossings, tolls are collected through Hizli Geciş Sistemi. Called HGS for short, the system uses special windscreen stickers that automatically scan vehicles as they pass through toll gates.

It’s important to have enough credit in your account to cover payments, especially if you plan to drive across borders. Unpaid fines do not pass! Don’t worry though. There is a handy app you can download to track credit and usage.

Marmari

This underground, transcontinental train service was long overdue. In 1860, Sultan Abdul Mesid I came up with the idea to cross the sea, but he died without doing anything.

Another Sultan, Abdulhamid II, was interested when French engineers presented him in 1892, but no progress was made.

A century later, interest resurfaced and construction on the 13.6 km tunnel began in 2004.

Despite the good intentions, the train service did not open until October 29, 2013. Almost every meter that was excavated, the timelines were pushed back as archeological findings from 8,000 years ago were revealed.

It was another six years before all the stations on the line were ready for service.

The tunnel descends up to 200 feet below sea level at its lowest point, connecting Kazhlyce on the European side with the Irylic Cheshmesis on the Asian side, making it the world’s deepest tunnel.

Travelers only need an Istanbul Card to visit Marmaris. Available at all major public transport hubs and small kiosks in the city, it allows the bearer to hop on and off all public transport routes at will.

Boats

They’re not the fastest way to travel between continents, but there are few better travel experiences than a ferry crossing on the Bosphorus.

With the rails on your feet and the breeze on your feet, watch Istanbul’s skyline glide by as you sip a hot Turkish tea and a bite of simit, a sesame seed-covered pickled ring.

Clear sky.

Şehir Hatlar Vapuları (city line ferries) were established in 1844 during the Ottoman Empire. As well as crossing and running the length of the Bosphorus, their yachts travel to the Sea of ​​Marmara, the Golden Horn and the Prince’s Islands.

They also carry cars and passengers on short journeys between Sirkeci and Harem and on long journeys to Bursa, Yalova and Mudanya.

Unlike buses, ferries are the epitome of atmosphere and style when it comes to public transportation in Istanbul.

Sure, buses go everywhere, including one route that covers more than 63 miles with 78 stops, but they’re often uncomfortably crowded and often stuck in traffic.

However, they have one thing in common with the boats – none of them keep going all night. If you’re looking for a quick, economical way to get from one side of the Bosphorus to the other in the wee hours, night minibuses are the way to go.

Shared minibuses in the evening

Shared minibuses in Istanbul are a close relative of the dolmush, small private buses that travel the same route as regular buses, but accommodate passengers on demand.

Both operate in cash. Dolmush derives its name from a Turkish word with a full meaning. How many passengers they carry depends on the amount of stuff they squeeze in (a lot, mind you) Yellow minibuses only hold as many seats as there are.

After a night in a European city, partygoers head to the minibus stop at Taksim Square. Most drivers seem to have Formula One ambitions, so as soon as they fill up, it’s metal to metal to speed home.