Turkey embraces one of the most important engineering projects in the world, the Marmara Tunnel, which is a wonderful landmark of technology and infrastructure progress, this tunnel is located under the Bosphorus Strait, linking the Asian and European continents, and is considered the deepest submerged tubular tunnel in the world and this blog, we will explore the Marmara Tunnel project, learn about its history and amazing design, and discover the benefits it provides to the city of Istanbul and its residents, and our trip will be full of interesting information and amazing details about this great engineering feat.
Learn about the Marmara Tunnel in Turkey
The Marmaray Tunnel is one of the most prominent projects, not only on the level of the Republic of Turkey but also on the global level, because it is the deepest submerged tube tunnel in the world and this tunnel is the first railway tunnel that connects the Asian and European continents and the tunnel extends for 13.5 kilometers and is located under the Bosphorus Strait.
The tunnel starts from the Gebze district on the Asian side of Istanbul, then passes under the Bosphorus Strait to finally reach the Sirkeci district on the European side of Istanbul the tunnel is divided into two parts; The first section is for passenger transportation between the two continents, while the other section is for freight and the tunnel greatly facilitated and accelerated transportation and freight operations between the two continents.
The tunnel was opened in October 2013, after nine years of work on its construction, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic it should be noted that the opening was scheduled for 2010, but it was postponed due to the discovery of very valuable artifacts dating back more than 8,000 years ago during excavations.
Comprehensive information about the Marmara Tunnel in Turkey
The history of the idea of building the Marmara Tunnel in Turkey under the Bosphorus Strait to connect the Asian and European continents goes back a long time in 1860, Sultan Abdülmecid I proposed the idea of constructing a tunnel to cross the two continents, but it was not implemented and then the idea of the project was put forward again in 1892 during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II when French engineers presented a plan for the tunnel, but it was not implemented at that time.
In 1997, a new plan to build a modern tunnel across the Bosphorus Strait was presented, and it took ten years to study and develop this plan the implementation of the plan and construction preparations began in 2001 after raising the capital in 1999, and Japan played a role in that and the tunnel was built by a Turkish-Japanese company under the supervision of Taisei Corporation.
The construction process finished on October 20, 2008, but the completion of the project was delayed due to the discovery of archaeological sites during excavations the tunnel's first trial was conducted on August 6, 2013, and it was opened on the day that marks the ninth anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 2013.
Advantages of the Marmara Tunnel in Turkey
- The use of the latest modern technologies in the construction of the tunnel, ensures high quality and improvement in the infrastructure.
- Greatly facilitating the process of moving between the European and Asian continents, providing convenience and ease for travelers.
- Great time and effort saving, as it now takes only about two minutes to travel between the two continents through the tunnel instead of about 20 minutes via the sea.
- Facilitate freight operations thanks to the presence of a section dedicated to this purpose in the tunnel, in addition to the section designated for passenger transportation.
- Providing all means of safety and comfort, as the tunnel is designed according to the highest standards of safety and earthquake resistance, and is fully equipped to deal with emergencies.
The impact of the Marmara Tunnel in Turkey on investment projects
- Ease of movement between the different areas of the city, making it connected and accessible to residents and investors.
- Increasing investment opportunities, as there are many new projects in the region that individuals can invest in.
- High prices in real estate located near the metro lines of the tunnel.
- The success of the real estate investment sector in the area adjacent to the tunnel, as this area has become a focus of attention for buyers and tenants due to the presence of the tunnel and the availability of convenient transportation.
Marmara Tunnel opening hours in Turkey
As for the operating hours of the Marmaray Tunnel passenger trains, they operate around the clock, however, the schedule of flights varies between day and night, and between holidays and working days.
On working days during the day, the flights depart every 5 or 10 minutes, while at night the flights are every 15 or 20 minutes.
On holidays, the flights are every 10 minutes, and they only last until midnight.
As for the ride fare, it varies from one station to another and discounted rates are available for students and people with special needs, as well as special offers for teachers.
There are two types of cards used to ride a prepaid electronic card can be purchased and recharged as needed and this card can be obtained from any train station, what distinguishes it is that it can be refunded if it is not needed through any center that sells cards.
As for the other type, it is a card that is used only once, is loaded with the required amount, and is disposed of after use.
Are there safety services in the Marmara Tunnel?
Yes, the tunnel is designed according to the highest standards of safety and earthquake resistance, and all means of safety and comfort are provided for passengers.
How to use the Marmaray Tunnel to transport passengers?
Passengers can use the subway trains to travel between the Asian side and the European side of Istanbul with the usual passenger tickets.
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