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Ferries in Istanbul

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Ferries have been operating on the Bosphorus since 1851.[1]

Ferries in Istanbul are a mode of public transportation within and surrounding the city of Istanbul, Turkey. There are three major ferry operators in the city: the municipally owned Şehir Hatları ("City Lines"), which operates traditional vapurs; the privately operated İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri (İDO) ("İstanbul Sea Busses"), which operates high-speed urban and intercity services, and the privately owned Turyol which operates mostly urban services.

Ferry operators

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Şehir Hatları

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The city's largest and oldest ferry operator is the municipally owned Şehir Hatları ("City Lines"). Founded in 1851 as the Şirket-i Hayriye (“The Goodwill Company”),[2] Şehir Hatları operates the city's iconic white and orange ferries (vapurs). Şehir Hatları currently operates 30 ferries between 53 piers on 32 lines, serving both sides of the Bosphorus as well as the Princes' Islands. In 2023 Şehir Hatları transported 40 million passengers.[3]

Istanbul Sea Buses (İDO)

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Main article: İDO

İdo 'Sea Bus' crossing the Bosphorus

Istanbul Sea Buses (İstanbul Deniz Otobusleri, İDO) runs a combination of catamaran-type high-speed ferries and vehicle ferries within Istanbul and across the Sea of Marmara to provinces such as Bursa and Yalova.[4] Ido was established in 1987 by the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and was privatized in April 2011.[5] Today, İDO, maintains a fleet of 26 high-speed passenger ferries and 22 vehicle ferries serving 21 piers across the Marmara Region.[6]

Turyol

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Another smaller private ferry company, Turyol, provides frequent services on routes from Eminönü, Kabataş, Beyoğlu and Karaköy to piers at Üsküdar, Haydarpaşa and Kadıköy, among others.

History

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Boats have traversed the waters of the Bosphorus for millennia and until the opening of the first Bosphorus bridge in 1973, were the only mode of transport between the European and Asian halves of Istanbul. They continue to serve as a key public transport link for many thousands of commuters, tourists and vehicles every day.

Şehir Hatları ferries c. 1950

The first private steam ferries (called vapur in Turkish[7]), crossed the Bosphorus in 1837. The first ferries were wooden paddle boats and were later replaced by iron and steel screw ships. In 1851, the Şirket-i Hayriye [tr] (literally “The Goodwill Company”, as the Istanbul Ferry Company was originally called) was established by the Ottoman state. The Şirket-i Hayriye, renamed Şehir Hatları in the early republican period. In 1937, Şehir Hatları was nationilized and came under the control of the state-owned Türkiye Denizcilik İşletmeleri (TDİ) (“Turkish Maritime Lines ”). The TDİ was largely privatized in the late 90s and early 2000s and ownership of the Şehir Hatları was transferred to the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality in March 2006.

Several generations of ferries have served the city and many of the earlier ferries were built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Glasgow, Scotland. These white, black and yellow boats have gone on to become iconic in the modern popular culture of the city. One was featured in the James Bond film From Russia with Love, while more recently a new-generation and therefore historically inaccurate ferry appeared momentarily in the 2012 film Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which was set in the 1970s. The last steam-powered ferry ran until 2003. A new generation of boats, designed by Fairfield but built in Istanbul, came into operation in the 2000s, enhancing the historic fleet.

Lines operated by Şehir Hatları

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Bostancı Pier at night

Inner Istanbul Lines[8]

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  • Kadıköy - Karaköy - Eminönü
  • Kadıköy - Beşiktaş
  • Kadıköy - Karaköy - Beşiktaş (Only operates on Friday and Saturday nights)
  • Kadıköy - Kabataş
  • Üsküdar - Karaköy - Eminönü
  • Bostancı - Karaköy - Kabataş
  • Golden Horn Line (Üsküdar - Karaköy - Kasımpaşa - Fener - Balat - Hasköy - Ayvansaray - Sütlüce - Eyüpsultan)
  • Aşiyan - Anadolu Hisarı - Küçüksu (Ring)
  • Aşiyan - Üsküdar
  • Kadıköy - Kasımpaşa - Fener - Hasköy - Sütlüce - Eyüpsultan
  • Beşiktaş - Kabataş - Karaköy - Kasımpaşa - Sütlüce - Eyüpsultan
  • Çengelköy - Kabataş
  • Bostancı - Moda - Kadıköy - Kabataş
  • Avcılar - Bakırköy - Yenikapı - Kadıköy (Operated by IDO for Şehir Hatları)
  • Avcılar - Bostancı (Operated by IDO for Şehir Hatları)

Bosphorus Lines[9]

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  • Sarıyer - Rumeli Kavağı - Anadolu Kavağı (Stops at 'Poyraz' pier during the summer season)
  • Sarıyer - Beykoz
  • Küçüksu - Beşiktaş - Kabataş
  • Çengelköy - İstinye
  • Küçüksu - İstinye
  • Anadolu Kavağı - Üsküdar
  • Rumeli Kavağı - Eminönü
  • Bebek - Emirgan
  • Kadıköy - Sarıyer
  • Ortaköy - Üsküdar - Kadıköy
  • Ortaköy - Beşiktaş - Eminönü

Princes' Islands Lines[10]

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  • Beşiktaş - Adalar - Kadıköy
  • Bostancı - Adalar (Ring)
  • Bostancı - Büyükada - Sedef Adası (Only during the summer season)
  • Kabataş - Kadıköy - Adalar
  • Maltepe - Adalar (Büyükada - Heybeliada - Burgazada - Kınalıada)

Bosphorus tours[11]

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  • Long Bosphorus Tour
  • Short Bosphorus Tour

Vehicle ferry line[12]

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  • İstinye - Çubuklu


Fleet

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Şehir Hatları Fleet[13][14]

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Class Ship Name Capacity (Summer/Winter) Type Commission Date Builder Notes
M/S Prof. Dr. Aykurt Barka 2100/1684 Vapur 1973 İstanbul Formerly known as "Sedefadası"
M/S Barış Manço 2100/1684 Vapur 1973 İstanbul Formerly known as "İnciburnu"
M/S Ahmet H. Yıldırım 2100/1797 Vapur 1974 İstanbul Formerly known as "Bostancı"
M/S Fahri S. Korutürk 2100/1470 Vapur 1989 İstanbul
M/S Emin Kul 2100/1470 Vapur 1989 İstanbul Formerly known as "Bahçekapı"
Fatih M/S Sarıyer 1800/900 Vapur 2010 İstanbul
M/S Kadıköy 1800/900 Vapur 2009 İstanbul
M/S Fatih 1800/900 Vapur 2008 İstanbul
M/S Beyoğlu 1800/900 Vapur 2009 Çeliktrans Shipyard
M/S Beykoz 1800/900 Vapur 2009 Çeliktrans Shipyard
Bahçe M/S Paşabahçe 1700/1700 Vapur 1952 Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto Decommissioned in 2010. Recommissioned in 2022 after significant renovations at the Haliç Shipyard. Oldest active vessel in the Şehir Hatları fleet.[15]
M/S Fenerbahçe N/A Vapur 1952 William Denny & Brothers Decommissioned in 2009. On loan to the Rahmi M. Koç Museum.[14]
Köy M/S Şehit Sami Akbulut 1450/1340 Vapur 1985 Haliç Shipyard Formerly known as "Sarayburnu"
M/S Şehit Metin Sülüş 1450/1340 Vapur 1986 Haliç Shipyard
M/S Prof. Dr. Alaeddin Yavaşça 1512/1259 Vapur 1987 Haliç Shipyard Formerly known as "Kalamış"
M/S Nurettin Alptoğan 1450/1340 Vapur 1985 Haliç Shipyard Formerly known as "Bayraklı"
M/S Moda 1519/1266 Vapur 1986 Haliç Shipyard
M/S İ. Hakkı Durusu 1450/1340 Vapur 1985 Haliç Shipyard Formerly known as "Karşıyaka"
M/S Prof. Dr. Fuat Sezgin 1500/1259 Vapur 1987 Haliç Shipyard Formerly known as "Caddebostan"
M/S Beşiktaş I 1450/1340 Vapur 1986 Haliç Shipyard
M/S Kızıltoprak 1450/1340 Vapur 1988 İstinye Shipyard
Şüheda M/S Şehit Mustafa Aydoğdu 1450/1340 Vapur 1981 Haliç Shipyard
M/S Şehit İlker Karter 1450/1340 Vapur 1980 Haliç Shipyard
M/S İstanbul-9 1450/1340 Vapur 1977 Haliç Shipyard Formerly known as "Şehit Sami Akbulut"
Su ŞH - Küçüksu 700/508 Double-ended 2015 Yalova
ŞH - Gümüşsu 700/508 Double-ended 2015 Yalova
ŞH - Göksu 700/508 Double-ended 2015 Yalova
ŞH - Durusu 700/508 Double-ended 2015 Yalova
Panaromik Sütlüce 600/453 Motor Boat 2009 İstanbul
Kasımpaşa 600/453 Motor Boat 2009 İstanbul
Hasköy 600/453 Motor Boat 2009 İstanbul
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Çelik, Zeynep (1993). The Remaking of Istanbul: Portrait of an Ottoman City in the Nineteenth Century. Berkeley & Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-520-08239-7.
  2. ^ "Şirket-i Hayriye". sehirhatlari.istanbul. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  3. ^ sehirhatlari.istanbul https://sehirhatlari.istanbul/en/corporate/sehir-hatlari-616. Retrieved 2024-04-04. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ "İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri - Online Bilet Al | ido.com.tr". www.ido.com.tr. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  5. ^ Grytsenko, Sergiy (26 September 2011). "EBRD Supports Privatisation of Ferry Operations in Istanbul". The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  6. ^ "Hizmetlerimiz". www.ido.com.tr. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  7. ^ tr:Vapur
  8. ^ "Domestic Trips - Sehir Hatlari ®". sehirhatlari.istanbul. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  9. ^ "Bosphorus Lines- Sehir Hatlari ®". sehirhatlari.istanbul. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  10. ^ "Adalar (Princes' Islands) Lines - Sehir Hatlari ®". sehirhatlari.istanbul. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  11. ^ "Bosphorus Tours - Sehir Hatlari ®". sehirhatlari.istanbul. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  12. ^ "Ferry (Vehicle) - Sehir Hatlari ®". sehirhatlari.istanbul. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  13. ^ "Sehir Hatlari ® Ferries". sehirhatlari.istanbul. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  14. ^ a b "İstanbul - Fenerbahçe Vapuru". www.rmk-museum.org.tr. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  15. ^ "PAŞABAHÇE VAPURU'NUN HİKAYESİ". sehirhatlari.istanbul (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-04-05.

Additional sources

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