Locale İzmir Province | ||
Owner İzmir Metro, Turkish State Railways Transit type Commuter Rail, Metro, Inter-city rail Operator(s) İzmir Metro, Turkish State Railways | ||
Rail transport in İzmir is part of the Turkish State Railways network in the İzmir Province and the İzmir Metro (operating in the city of İzmir).
Contents
History
The history of rail transport in İzmir dates back to September 22, 1856; when the construction of the İzmir-Aydın Railway started.
The Oriental Railway Company
The Oriental Railway Company (ORC) was the first railway in Anatolia. It started to build a rail line from İzmir, south to Aydın on September 22, 1856. The line began in Alsancak and was completed to Gaziemir, Seydiköy, Buca in 1858, and Aydın in 1866. This railway was to transport fruits from the plains of Aydın to the port in Alsancak. The ORC also built a tramway from Alsancak station along the Kordon to district of Konak in İzmir. The Turkish State Railways acquired the ORC on June 1, 1935.
The Smyrna Cassaba Railway
The Smyrna Cassaba Railway (SCP) was the second railway in İzmir. The SCP started to build a rail line from İzmir, north to the town of Turgutlu (then Cassaba), on July 4, 1863. The SCP started from the district Basmane and completed the line to Manisa in 1865 and later Cassaba in 1866. The SCP also built a branch line to Bornova completed in 1866. The Turkish State Railways acquired the SCP on June 1, 1934.
Turkish State Railway
The Turkish State Railways (TCDD) owns all rail lines in the İzmir province since 1935. During this time TCDD double tracked the line from Alsancak to Cumaovası and Basmane to Menemen in the 1970s. In 1995 TCDD built a double track line to the port city of Aliağa. In 2001 TCDD electrified the line from Alsancak to Cumaovası and Basmane to Aliağa. In 2010 TCDD opened the Şirinyer Rail Tunnel and the Karşıyaka Rail Tunnel.
Commuter rail
The commuter rail line of İzmir was first put into operation in the 1970s between Çiğli and Menderes. A coal-fired steam locomotive pulled the train, with a consist of between three and seven passenger coaches. In 2001 the line was electrified but the trains never used the catenary. In 2006 the commuter rail service was canceled for the construction of the Şirinyer and Karşıyaka rail tunnels. The commuter service is now being extended north to Aliağa and south to Cumaovası. This new service was scheduled to open in September, 2010.
Inter-city rail
The Turkish State Railways operated trains from İzmir to Bandırma (with ferry connection to İstanbul), Ankara, Eskişehir, Afyon, Uşak, Tire, Ödemiş, Aydın, Söke and Nazilli. İzmir's two major railway stations are Alsancak and Basmane. Alsancak station is also the headquarters for District 3 of the Turkish State Railways.
Freight
Freight rail service in İzmir is mainly to and from the Port of İzmir. The first Freight operations in İzmir started in 1858, when the Alsancak-Gaziemir section of the İzmir-Aydın Railway was opened. This mostly included the transportation of Figs from Gaziemir to the port in Alsancak. Freight transport today is mostly from the Port of İzmir to other Turkish cities serviced by rail. Also the Oil refinery in Aliağa is serviced by freight trains.
Rapid transit
The İzmir Metro was the first modern rapid transit line in Turkey. Operating between the urban districts of Üçyol and Bornova. The line was built in 2000 and is currently expanding.
İZBAN, operated by İZBAN A.Ş., is a system of suburban railways serving the city and its metropolitan area, and was inaugurated in 2007.