Metro under the Bosphorus: Marmaray metro line is the most widely used form of public transport in Istanbul. It is an alternative to crossing from Europe to Asia if you don’t want to take the boat or go by bus – Marmaray Istanbul.
The line goes from Halkalı station in Europe (West side) to Gebze station in Asia (Esat side).
Halkalı…………………………………………………………..….……BOSPHORUS………….…………………………………………………Gebze

Schedule on Weekdays (except friday):
In 2025 the Marmaray metro line in Istanbul operates daily from 6:00 AM to 10:15 PM on weekdays
Schedule on Friday and Weekends :
On friday and weedends in 2025 the marmaray runs from 6:00 AM to 1:20 AM
PRICING AND INFO OF MARMARAY IN 2025
- 1 to 7 stations: 27.00 TL
- 8 to 14 stations: 34.73 TL
- 15 to 21 stations: 40.13 TL
- 22 to 28 stations: 40.96 TL
- 29 to 35 stations: 46.28 TL
- 36 to 43 stations: 59.76 TL
For students and social fare categories (such as teachers and the elderly), the prices are lower. For example, students pay 13.17 TL for 1 to 7 stations and 27.00 TL for 36 to 43 stations.
Passengers use an Istanbulkart, and the full fare is initially deducted. Any excess amount is refunded based on the actual distance traveled when you exit at your destination. Also, there are toilets at all stations (you pay with the Istanbulkart card).
In addition to the regular fare structure, Marmaray provides options for single-use and multi-use tickets. A single-use ticket is priced at 70 TL.
For more details on the Marmaray, including specific fare calculations and travel times, you can visit the official Marmaray website.
The Marmaray metro line is very useful because in a few minutes we cross from Asian side to Europe. In fact the transport boats are way slower compared to the marmaray.
Key Travel Times
- Halkalı to Gebze: 108 minutes
- Bakırköy to Bostancı: 37 minutes
- Gebze to Zeytinburnu: 84 minutes
- Pendik to Ataköy: 63 minutes
- Yenikapı to Söğütlüçeşme: 14 minutes
- Sirkeci to Üsküdar: 4 minutes
- Kazlıçeşme to Ayrılıkçeşmesi: 15 minutes