Briefing Note on the Historic Peninsula Transportation Action Plan
The Historic Peninsula Transportation Action Plan aims to create a pedestrian-priority, accessible, integrated and cohesive sustainable transportation system while preserving the city's historical, cultural and natural heritage. The plan seeks to transform inner-city mobility through multidimensional areas of intervention and to develop a transportation system that is balanced from environmental, social and cultural perspectives.
In line with this, an integrated planning approach has been adopted within the scope of strengthening public transportation, restructuring the parking system, supporting pedestrian mobility, developing micromobility infrastructure, regulating tourism transportation, planning logistics activities and implementing low-emission zone practices.
Beginning at Eminönü Square, the Sultanahmet, Hagia Sophia and Topkapı areas are planned to be designated as a pedestrian zone. The primary purpose of this arrangement is to ensure the preservation of historical heritage by restricting vehicle traffic, to encourage pedestrian-priority transportation along with active modes of transportation (bicycles, scooters, etc.), and to enhance safe, comfortable and barrier-free access for both tourists and domestic visitors. In addition, the integration of Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) practices into the area is targeted in order to develop sustainable transportation and reduce traffic congestion.
In order to regulate visitor mobility in the Kazlıçeşme, Yenikapı and Kabataş areas and to improve the tourist experience, the creation of a Tourist HUB is planned. Sirkeci, meanwhile, is planned as the second-priority HUB. It is planned to facilitate access to Yenikapı via the Kazlıçeşme-Sirkeci rail system line and to the Sirkeci Tourist HUB designated as Secondary Priority, as well as to the historical areas, thereby supporting tourism potential. In order to provide access for tourists arriving from the Second-Priority Sirkeci Tourist HUB to the hotel district and tourist attractions, the creation of a long shuttle route of 5.5 km consisting of 8 stops (Sirkeci, Cağaloğlu, Gülhane, Çemberlitaş, Dikilitaş, Çatladıkapı, Cankurtaran, Topkapı) is envisaged. In addition, the operation of two separate demand-based shuttle ring services of 4.3 km and 3.3 km on the Sirkeci-Cankurtaran route is also planned. On these ring services, which are planned to be operated on a demand-driven and appointment basis, passengers will make reservations prior to travel by specifying departure and arrival times through a mobile application or web platform; services will be planned dynamically in line with these requests. In this way, only passengers with reservations will be transported, operating costs will be reduced, and traffic congestion in the area will be minimized.
For tour vehicles, free circulation will be permitted along the coastal roads (Kennedy Avenue and Ragıp Gümüşpala Avenue) and Atatürk Boulevard. However, for entries into the Eminönü area, access is planned to be permitted only via the Cankurtaran Route and the Sirkeci Route.
For tourism-oriented transportation, the scheduling of additional services on the Bağcılar–Kabataş (T1) and Sirkeci–Kazlıçeşme rail system lines is planned, along with the creation of a tourism-focused Hop-on Hop-off line on the Golden Horn in order to strengthen maritime transportation. To develop pedestrian and bicycle transportation for tourism purposes, tourist pedestrian and bicycle routes are planned.