Istanbul Rail Network Evolution / İstanbul Raylı Sistemlerinin Gelişimi (1989–2028) | Animated Map

Watch Istanbul’s metro, trams and suburban rail expand across Europe and Asia—from M1’s first opening in 1989 to the network recorded in August 2026, followed by selected extension targets through 2028. Follow Marmaray’s Bosphorus crossing, the metro’s airport connections, tram extensions and YHT services along the shared railway corridor. English and Turkish labels accompany the animated map. İstanbul’un metro, tramvay ve banliyö ağının gelişimini animasyonlu haritada izleyin. Video, 1989’daki ilk M1 açılışından Ağustos 2026’ya kadar kaydedilen gelişmeleri ve ardından 2028’e uzanan seçili proje hedeflerini gösterir. Gelecek yıllar kesin açılış tarihleri değildir. ABOUT THE TIMELINE The main map starts just before M1 opens on 11 March 1989. Older suburban railways are already present; this is a history of the modern metro era, not a complete account of Istanbul’s earlier railways. Recorded-history cutoff: 31 August 2026. The 2026–2028 project layer shows target years, not confirmed passenger-opening dates. Planned extensions are excluded from operating totals. Route kilometres include service overlays and are not a count of unique physical track. Historical map note: modern outer Marmaray geometry represents the pre-existing suburban railway. The map is not a reconstruction of every past alignment; some rebuilt tram geometry appears only from its documented renewal. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro and the first M1 opening 00:26 T1 tram begins 00:41 M1 expands westward 01:18 M2 connects Taksim and Levent 01:57 T4 tram opens 02:37 M4 opens on the Asian side 02:59 Marmaray crosses the Bosphorus 03:20 YHT arrives and Yenikapı connections grow 03:46 M5 opens from Üsküdar 04:04 Marmaray through service: Halkalı–Gebze 04:27 M7, T5 and M9 join the network 05:10 Sabiha Gökçen Airport and the 2023 expansion 05:55 Gayrettepe, T6 and the 2024 extensions 06:46 The recorded network reaches August 2026 07:06 Selected extension targets: 2026–2028 08:08 Final network and city-centre finish SOURCES AND MAP Metro İstanbul — line histories and network information: https://www.metro.istanbul/Hatlarimiz... https://www.metro.istanbul/Hatlarimiz... TCDD Taşımacılık — Marmaray and YHT services: https://www.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr/ma... İETT — tram chronology: https://iett.istanbul/icerik/kronoloj... İstanbul rail projects: https://uagmetro.ist/tr Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright Background tiles: Protomaps, 30 August 2026 snapshot. MUSIC Music by Scott Buckley, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Edited for length, sequencing, fades, level and final mix. “Wildflowers” — https://www.scottbuckley.com.au/libra... “Memories of Stone” — https://www.scottbuckley.com.au/libra... https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... #IstanbulMetro #Marmaray #AnimatedMap