Electric tram to feature on touristic İstiklal Avenue

ISTANBUL

Istanbul has geared up for a modern makeover on Taksim’s İstiklal Avenue with plans to swap out the trams with traditional overhead power lines with battery-powered electric trams, which have already started their test runs.

The new environment-friendly trams will replace the four iconic nostalgic ones that have long been part of Istanbul’s charm but will maintain that timeless look, both internally and externally, of their predecessors and will run solely on batteries, eliminating the need for unsightly overhead cables.

In an official announcement, the Istanbul Municipality explains that The Istanbul Electricity, Tram and Tunnel Establishments (IETT), an organization of the municipality, is currently working on the project aimed at revamping the 1.6 kilometer-long T2 Taksim-Tunnel tramway line, which dates back to 1914.

The tram was decommissioned and replaced by buses in 1961 — a time when buses became a primary mode of urban transportation. When İstiklal Street became a pedestrian zone in 1990, the tram was restored and revived as a nostalgia line.

It has four stops currently, providing local and foreign visitors with a quick tour of the iconic street.

The statement notes that with a range of 150 kilometers per charge and a passenger capacity of 60, the new trams will also feature safety enhancements, including a camera mirror system and a design that discourages unsafe external boarding, a common sight at İstiklal. The new design will prevent individuals from clinging onto moving tram cars and potentially causing a safety hazard for both themselves and their surroundings.

The initial stages of testing are underway for the first battery-powered tram, and once the entire fleet transitions following the completion of preparatory work, the overhead wires will be removed, resulting in a cleaner visual environment, according to the statement.