Istanbul discontinues car ferry rides across the Bosphorus, replacing them with sea shuttle services.
Istanbul has ended its eight-year Istinye-Cubuklu car ferry service and replaced it with sea shuttles primarily for passenger transport, reflecting rising costs and shifting transport needs in the city [1].
Details about the new sea shuttle service:
- Schedule & Frequency: While the exact timetable for the sea shuttles replacing the car ferry has not been explicitly detailed, Istanbul’s general ferry lines, including sea buses (catamaran-type ferries), usually operate very frequently—every 15-20 minutes—from early morning (7 AM) until late evening (11 PM), with some weekend night service as well [3].
- Capacity: The old car ferry service transported vehicles, but the new sea shuttles appear to focus on passenger transport rather than cars. Sea buses typically carry a few hundred passengers at a time, but specific capacity figures for the new shuttles were not provided in the available sources [1][3].
- Transport Connections: Istanbul’s ferry docks are generally well integrated with other forms of public transport such as metro lines and major bus terminals, allowing easy transfers to and from shuttles [3]. Additionally, Istanbul is expanding bus-only lanes (120 km planned) to improve bus transit times in the city, which may complement connections to the sea shuttles [2].
- Parking Facilities: There is no specific information about parking facilities directly connected to the new sea shuttle terminals replacing the car ferry. Since the car ferry service itself has ended, facilities for parking vehicles to board ferries similarly seem to have been reduced or repurposed.
However, a new feature has been introduced at Cubuklu Pier: a "Park and Continue" system, enabling drivers to leave their cars and switch to public transport [4].
- Park and Continue System: The "Park and Continue" system at Cubuklu Pier is a new feature not mentioned in earlier bullet points. This system allows drivers to park their cars at the pier and continue their journey using public transport, providing an alternative for those who prefer to travel by car.
The passenger boats will maintain regular crossings between Istinye on the European side and Cubuklu on the Asian side. Passenger sea shuttles are expected to operate on the same schedule as the previous ferry service, with 46 round trips on weekdays [4].
The Istinye-Cubuklu ferry line was designed to ease road congestion on Istanbul's heavily used bridges. However, no information has been provided about the potential impact of the closure on road congestion in the city.
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's City Lines announced the closure of the Istinye-Cubuklu ferry line, and smaller passenger boats, known as "deniz dolmus," will replace the retired car ferries [2].
References:
[1] "Istanbul ends car ferry service, replaces it with sea shuttles." Hurriyet Daily News. (2022). https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/istanbul-ends-car-ferry-service-replaces-it-with-sea-shuttles-173677
[2] "Istanbul's Istinye-Çubuklu ferry line to close after eight years." Anadolu Agency. (2022). https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/istanbuls-istinye-%C3%A7ubuklu-ferry-line-to-close-after-eight-years/2492053
[3] "Istanbul's public transport system." Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. (n.d.). https://www.ikmet.istanbul/en/transport
[4] "Istanbul's Istinye-Cubuklu ferry line to close, replaced by sea shuttles." Daily Sabah. (2022). https://www.dailysabah.com/tourism/istanbul/2022/02/11/istanbuls-istinye-cubuklu-ferry-line-to-close-replaced-by-sea-shuttles
- The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, in a recent announcement, revealed that the Istinye-Cubuklu ferry line has been replaced by smaller passenger boats, also known as "deniz dolmus," which are expected to maintain a similar schedule as the previous ferry service.
- While sea shuttles replacing the car ferry service in Istanbul have a stronger focus on passenger transport, the city is expanding bus-only lanes to improve bus transit times, potentially complementing connections to the sea shuttles.
- As part of the changes in the transportation industry, a new feature, the "Park and Continue" system, has been introduced at Cubuklu Pier, enabling drivers to leave their cars and switch to public transport, providing an alternative for those who prefer to travel by car.
