• Publish Date
  02.11.2023
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Historic Record from Metro Istanbul: Over 3 Million Passengers in a Day

On the 100th anniversary of Istanbul's liberation, Metro Istanbul transported over 3 million passengers in a single day for the first time in its history.

Becoming the largest operator in all transportation systems in Istanbul due to significant investments made in recent years, Metro Istanbul achieved a historic milestone on Friday, October 6, 2023. For the first time in its history, the company surpassed the threshold of three million journeys by carrying 3,119,637 passengers. On the same day, the metro system set record-breaking passenger numbers on 8 different lines. Dr. Özgür Soy, the General Manager of Metro Istanbul, met with Ayşe Nur Sarıalan, the three millionth passenger of the day, at Üsküdar station to celebrate this remarkable achievement.
Dr. Soy, pointing out that Istanbul is known worldwide as the city where the most metro lines are simultaneously constructed, stated, "With the new lines we have opened in recent years and capacity enhancements, we have successfully turned metros and trams into the backbone of transportation in Istanbul. Significant investments have led to the extension of parallel lines along the coast and the addition of vertical lines, resulting in a substantial increase in the number of passengers using rail systems. The number of passengers using multiple rail lines has risen, and there has been a significant increase in the percentage of Istanbul residents integrating various modes of transportation with rail systems. When we look at the development of the system from 2019 to the present, we see that our number of lines has increased from 13 to 18, the number of stations from 158 to 216, and our track length from 154 km to 216 km. Integration with other public transportation modes has also improved at many points. This growth in the urban rail system networks is reflected in our passenger numbers. In previous periods, the maximum number of passengers reached was 2,366,222 in March 2019. We announced for the first time on April 1, 2022, that the threshold of two and a half million passengers had been exceeded. Today, we are celebrating our three millionth passenger. Our ongoing investments herald the breaking of new records in the future."

Records Broken on 8 Lines, Line-Specific Passenger Milestones Achieved
Since June 2019, Metro Istanbul has put into service the M7 Yıldız-Mahmutbey Metro Line, T5 Eminönü-Alibeyköy Coach Station Tram Line, M9 Bahariye-Olympic Metro Line, F4 Boğaziçi University/Hisarüstü-Aşiyan Funicular Line, and M8 Bostancı-Dudullu Metro Line. On the occasion of Victory Day on August 30, 2023, with the opening of Küçükpazar and Eminönü stations, the number of passengers on the T5 Eminönü-Alibeyköy Coach Station Tram line increased by 105% in just 1.5 months.
On October 6th, line-specific passenger records were broken on the following metro and tram lines in Istanbul: M3 Kirazlı-Kayaşehir Central, M4 Kadıköy-Sabiha Gökçen Airport, M5 Üsküdar-Çekmeköy, M7 Yıldız-Mahmutbey, and M8 Bostancı-Dudullu/Parseller metro lines, as well as T3 Kadıköy-Moda, T4 Topkapı-Mescidi Selam, and T5 Eminönü-Alibeyköy Coach Station tram lines.
Dr. Soy noted that worldwide, there has been a decrease in passenger numbers on metro systems due to hybrid working arrangements post-pandemic. He stated, "After the pandemic, America managed to regain 50% of its previous passenger numbers, while Europe reached 75%. When we look at Istanbul's total electronic ticket usage, we see that it has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels."

The Golden Age of Rail Systems in Istanbul
Dr. Soy pointed out that Istanbul residents, who aim for a minute, comfortable, and economical journey away from vehicle traffic, have started to prefer rail systems as a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation. He stated, "The increasing number of rail system lines in Istanbul and the impact of rising fuel prices have contributed to the rise in our passenger numbers. We have observed changes in passenger behaviors. Furthermore, rail system vehicles are the most environmentally friendly public transportation mode. Passengers who choose metro over rubber-wheeled vehicles reduce carbon dioxide emissions per passenger by approximately 80%."
Our daily 3 million passengers who prefer rail systems contribute to removing 616,408 vehicles from traffic. We are aware that increasing the preference for rail systems is essential for sustainable urban living to leave a more livable world for future generations. That's why we work tirelessly day and night to boost interest in rail systems.
Capturing the speed and rhythm of Istanbul is crucial. In 2022 alone, we provided a total of 10,108 additional trips for events such as sports matches, concerts, rallies, and conferences. We expanded our Night Metro service on 7 lines, operating seamlessly from Friday to Sunday for 66 hours straight to meet the demands of our passengers.
With the goal of providing an excellent journey experience, we bring technological innovations such as internet service, charging ports, QR code ticket payments, and feedback systems to our metro and metro station areas. We conduct station inspections using NFC-based equipment controls, allowing us to monitor actions taken in real-time. In alignment with passengers' changing behaviors and needs in urban mobility, we have accelerated our digital journey. We strengthen our efforts with data, develop technologies, and create agile solutions to enhance our service quality and speed. Metro Musicians, exhibitions, and various performances bring art to our spaces, and we establish points equipped with commercial facilities to meet our passengers' needs.
We closely monitor our passengers' satisfaction. We respond to feedback within 1 day and take swift improvement actions. When shaping our long-term strategies, we rely on passenger feedback to formulate our plans.

We understand that happy employees lead to happy passengers. Our employees are the ambassadors of our promise for an excellent journey experience. Since 2021, we have been conducting an Employee Satisfaction Survey annually with an independent research company. Through this survey, we gather feedback from our employees and work together with them to improve our company.
Metro Istanbul General Manager Dr. Özgür Soy, while presenting gifts to Ayşe Nur Sarıalan, the three millionth passenger in commemoration of the day, stated, "With the metro lines we have opened, the restructured lines, our passenger numbers, and the feedback from our passengers, we can see that we are ushering in the golden age of rail systems in Turkey." He continued, "We will continue to increase our passenger numbers and break records."

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