VI
EN
Istanbul is the largest city and the economic, cultural, and historical center of Türkiye. Notably, it is the only city located on two continents, Asia and Europe. The city is situated on the 31-kilometer-long Bosphorus Strait, separating Asia and Europe, and is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. The Bosphorus Bridge, spanning this strait, is known as the "bridge connecting two continents" and is a famous symbol of Istanbul.
Every day, more than 600,000 people use ferries to cross the Bosphorus Strait. Previously, no ferries crossed the strait at night, leaving travelers stranded on one side of the city and, consequently, on a continent. The last ferry across the Bosphorus was at 1 a.m. Late at night, if travelers wanted to cross to the other side, they had to take a crowded long-distance bus across the Bosphorus Bridge or an expensive taxi through the Eurasian Tunnel.
However, from February 29, 2020, ferries crossing the Bosphorus Strait will operate throughout the night. The city's new mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, decided to allow ferries to operate 24/7, including weekends, between the Kadıköy and Üsküdar terminals on the Asian side and the Karaköy and Beşiktaş terminals on the European side. In addition, one ferry will run a round trip overnight between the three busiest terminals: the Kadıköy - Karaköy - Beşiktaş route, and another will run between Beşiktaş and Üsküdar. Last year, Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu also authorized the 24/7 operation of the subway lines.
This decision marks a new phase in Istanbul's 166-year history. Passengers who chose to take the ferry at night shared: "We are so happy to be able to go home! The boats that run at night are very safe and very cheap. We love the Mayor of this city!"
Passengers further commented: "At night, everything is very different: quiet, romantic, and joyful." Passengers can admire the Topkapı Palace and the dazzling minarets of the Sülemaniye Mosque with a truly mystical beauty at night while sitting on the boat. They can also go out onto the deck to enjoy Turkish coffee and savor the peaceful, dreamy atmosphere.
If the weather is bad, the ferries will be cancelled because the lodos winds from the south are too dangerous to cross the strait at night. On days with good weather, the ferries will operate continuously.
