M3 (Istanbul Metro)

M3 Bakırköy Sahil – Kayaşehir Merkez
Two M3 trains at Kayaşehir Merkez station, 2023
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerIstanbul Metropolitan Municipality
Line numberM3
LocaleIstanbul, Turkey
Termini
Stations20[1]
WebsiteM3
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemIstanbul Metro
Services1
OperatorMetro Istanbul A.Ş.
DepotOlimpiyatköy
Rolling stock80 Alstom Metropolis[1]
4 carriages per trainset
History
Opened14 June 2013 (2013-06-14)
Last extension8 October 2025 (2025-10-08) (Yıldıztepe Station)
Technical
Line length26.7 km (16.6 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification1,500 V DC Overhead line
Operating speed80 km/h (50 mph)
Route map

 Kayaşehir Merkez M11 (Istanbul Metro)
 Toplu Konutlar
 Şehir Hastanesi
Menekşe River
 Onurkent
 Başakşehir-Metrokent
 Başak Konutları
 Siteler
 Turgut Özal
depot
connection to Line M9
 İkitelli Sanayi Line M9
İSTOÇ
O3-TR sign.svg O-3
 Mahmutbey Line M7
 Yenimahalle
Line M1B
 Kirazlı Line M1
Line M1B
 Molla Gürani
 Yıldıztepe
 İlkyuva
 Haznedar
D100-TR.svg D.100
 İncirli Line M1 Line M2 (planned) İncirli (Metrobus)
Line M1A
to Halkalı
 Özgürlük Meydanı Bakırköy railway station
to Gebze
 Bakırköy Sahil İDO

The M3, officially referred to as the M3 Bakırköy Sahil–Kayaşehir Merkez Metro Line (Turkish: M3 Bakırköy Sahil-Kayaşehir Merkez Metro Hattı), is a 26.7-kilometre (16.6 mi), 20-station[1] rapid transit line of the Istanbul Metro system on the European part of Istanbul, Turkey. It operates between Bakırköy Sahil and Kayaşehir Merkez. The line is colored light blue on station signs, route signs and the official rapid transit network map.[1]

Construction

The construction of the line began in 2006 following the signing of the related contract in May of that year. By March 2009, the tunnels were completed.[1] The first train for the line was delivered on 29 October 2008,[2][3] and in December 2010, the first test run of the trains was accomplished.[1] The line's operation rights were transferred from the İETT bus authority to İstanbul Ulaşım (now Metro İstanbul) in June 2011.[1] After the line's signalization system was completely installed in March 2012, test runs began in June 2012.[1] The line started operating unofficially from Kirazlı to Metrokent on 10 September 2012,[4][5] and officially entered service on 14 June 2013.[6][7] The branch line to Olimpiyat later opened on 22 November 2013.[1] The Ikitelli-Olimpiyat branch was transferred to the M9 in May 29, 2021.[8] The northern extension to Kayaşehir Merkez was opened on 8 April 2023,[9] while the southern section from Kirazlı to Bakırköy Sahil was inaugurated on 10 March 2024.[10] Yıldıztepe station, on the section between Kirazlı and Bakırköy Sahil, opened on 8 October 2025.[11]

Özgürlük Meydanı, Haznedar, İlkyuva, Onurkent, Toplu Konutlar and Kayaşehir Merkez stations are bored in situ without removing the ground above, while all other underground stations on the line are built by cut-and-cover method, constructed in a shallow trench and then covered over. The line's tunnels are twin tubes. The Kirazlı-Metrokent and Kirazlı-Bakırköy Sahil sections was constructed by tunnel boring machine (TBM).

Opening timeline

Stage Segment Opening date Length Station(s)
1 Kirazlı – Başakşehir-Metrokent 14 June 2013 12.1 km (7.52 mi) 9
İkitelli Sanayi – Olimpiyat 22 November 2013 3.8 km (2.36 mi) 3
İkitelli Sanayi – Olimpiyat 29 March 2021 (transferred to M9) −3.8 km (−2.36 mi) -3
2 Başakşehir-Metrokent – Kayaşehir Merkez 8 April 2023 6.2 km (3.85 mi) 4
3 Kirazlı – Bakırköy Sahil 10 March 2024 8.4 km (5.22 mi) 6
Yıldıztepe 8 October 2025 – 1

Technical features

The M3 line is 26.7 kilometres (16.6 mi) long, serving 20 stations in total. The operation control center of the M3-line is situated in MetroKent. The rolling stock and maintenance depots are located in Olimpiyatköy beyond Olimpiyat Parkı Terminal, stretching over an area of (70,000 m2 (750,000 sq ft)). The rolling stock depot is capable of holding 180 cars. The maintenance workshop occupies a covered area of 10,000 m2 (110,000 sq ft).[1]

The rolling stock was delivered by the French company Alstom. The fully air-conditioned cars, costing each €1.149 million, feature seats covered with antibacterial textile material. It is possible to pass from one car to another in a train to enable a homogeneous distribution of the passenger crowd.[12]

A total of 80 cars, 20 sets of four-car trains, are able to transport up to 70,000 passenger per hour per direction between the operating hours from 6:00 h in the early morning to 0:00 h in the midnight. The ride between the terminals Bakırköy Sahil and Kayaşehir Merkez takes 39 minutes. The trains run every five minutes during rush hours.[1]

Safety

All the stations are equipped with closed-circuit video system for continuous monitoring of the platforms. High-level fire safety systems, which include automatic fire extinguishers and fire exits, are installed in the metro line, where non-flammable and fireproofing materials were used.[1]

Power supply of the line is provided at two different points. In case of power cut at both supply points, an emergency power system that becomes operational within 15 seconds, ensures running of the trains until the next station. If the backup generator system fails, an uninterruptible power source (UPS) supplies energy for emergency lighting and the electronic devices at the operations control center up to three hours. The signalization of the metro line as well as at the depots and railroad switches, also the vehicle drive-control systems are fully automated. However, they can be handled manually when needed.[1]

Stations

All stations are underground.

M3 route diagram
No Station District Transfer Notes
1 Bakırköy Sahil Bakırköy Ferries in Istanbul (Bakırköy Terminal) Rauf Orbay Av・Ataköy Marina・Galleria・Kennedy Av
2 Özgürlük Meydanı Marmaray・High Speed Train (YHT) (Bakırköy railway station)
İETT Bus: 50B, 71T, 72T, 94A 73B, 76, 76B, 76C, 76V, 76Y, 79B, 89YB, 98, 98A, 98AB, 98B, 98D, 98E, 98G, 98H, 98K, 98M, 98MB, 98S, 98T, 98TB, 98Y, 146, E-57		 Bakırköy Özgürlük Square・İncirli Av・Yusuf Köksal Park・Bakırköy Anadolu Imam Hatip High School
3 İncirli Line M1・Line M2 (planned)・Metrobus (Istanbul)
İETT Bus: 31, 31E, 50B, 71T, 72T, 73, 73F, 76D, 78ZB, 79G, 79Ş, 82, 89, 89A, 89B, 89K, 89M, 89S, 92, 94Y, 97, 97A, 97BT, 97E, 97KZ, 97T, H-9, HT13, MK97		 Hatice Küçük Park・Bakırköy District Court・İsmail Erak Boulevard・Botanik Park
4 Haznedar Güngören İETT Bus: 36CY, 92, 97T, 98D, 98G, 98Y, MK97 Güngören Park・Naci Kazım Av・Naci Kazım Park
5 İlkyuva Bahçelievler İETT Bus: 36CY, 92, 98D, 98Y Bağcılar Avenue・Bahçelievler İSKİ Building
6 Yıldıztepe Bağcılar İETT Bus: 36CY, 92, 98D, 98S, 98Y Bağcılar Av・Kıbrıs Av・Bağcılar Anadolu High School・Bağcılar Yıldıztepe Primary School・Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Middle School
7 Molla Gürani İETT Bus: 98K, HT10, HT11 Molla Gürani Park・Mehmet Akif Boulevard・Yıldıztepe Park
8 Kirazlı Line M1・HızRay (planned)
İETT Bus: 92K, 98K, HT10, MK42		 Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Avenue・Mevlana Avenue・Atlas University Hospital
9 Yenimahalle İETT Bus: 92, 92B, 92K, 92Ş, 97G, 98D, 98K, HT13 15 Temmuz Şehit Ramazan Sarıkaya Park・Dökumcüler Avenue
10 Mahmutbey Line M7
İETT Bus: 141K, 141M, 144M, 89C, 89T, 91E, 97E, 97GE, 97M, 98A, 98M, H-1, HT10		 Maslak Avenue・İnönü Avenue・Bosna Avenue
11 İSTOÇ İETT Bus: 143, 146B, 146K, 146M, 31Y, 76O, 78, 89F, 98M İSTOÇ
12 İkitelli Sanayi Başakşehir Line M9
İETT Bus: 31Y, 82S MK31		 Line M9 free transfer
13 Turgut Özal İETT Bus: 31Y, 78B, 78Ş, 82S, 98KM, 146K, 146M, MK31 Industrial Districts・Süleyman Demirel Boulevard
14 Siteler İETT Bus: 143, 146B, 146K, 146M, 78C, 79E, 82S, 98KM Atatürk Boulevard
15 Başak Konutları İETT Bus: 78ZB, 89C, 98, 98KM, 143 Prof.Dr Necmettin Erbakan Street・Başakşehir 1.Etap Yürüyüş Yolu Park
16 Başakşehir-Metrokent Havaist Bus Transfer
İETT Bus: 78, 78BE, 78F, 89C, 98H, 98KM, 146B, MK1, MK22		 Metrokent Residences
17 Onurkent Başakşehir İETT Bus: 78E, 78F, 78ZB, 89C, 98, 146B, 146K Onurkent Park・Mimar Kemalettin Street・Akif İnan Anadolu İmam Hatip High School
18 Şehir Hastanesi İETT Bus: 36F, 78E, 78F, 78Ş, 79B, 79E, 79F, 79FY, 79GE, 79KM, 79KT, 79T, 146BA, 146F, HS1, HS2, MK1, MK2, MK22, MR50 Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital
19 Toplu Konutlar İETT Bus: 36AS, 78E,78G, 78Ş, 79B, 79C, 79E, 79F, 79G, 79K, 79KM, 79KT, 79T, 79Y, MK11 Kayaşehir Boulevard・Kayaşehir City Park
20 Kayaşehir Merkez M11 (Istanbul Metro) (Kayaşehir)
İETT Bus: 36F, 78F, 79F, 79FY, 79GE, 79KM, 79KT, MK22		 Kayaşehir Boulevard・Başakşehir City Park・Kayaşehir Square・Başakşehir Central Mosque

Rolling stock

This line is operated with 20 four-car Alstom trains which are visually similar to the AM5-M2 and AM4-M4 trains also built by Alstom that operate on the Budapest Metro.[2] The main difference is that the Istanbul units are equipped with pantographs for overhead line operation only, while the Budapest units are equipped with shoegear for third rail operation only.[1] Since its opening in 2021, the fleet has also been used on the M9 line.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "M3 Başakşehir Metro Hattı" (in Turkish). İstanbul Ulaşım. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  2. 1 2 "The Municipality of Istanbul exhibits the new metro delivered by Alstom". Alstom. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  3. ↑ "Istanbul metro expands". Railway Gazette International. 1 December 2008. Retrieved 2026-01-12. Gülermak is currently building a second heavy metro line in the city's western suburbs, running for 15·9 km from Bagcilar (Kirazli), to Ikitelli and the Ataturk Olympic Stadium. Istanbul municipality IBB put the first of 20 four-car Metropolis EMUs to work this line on display at Taksim Square on November 4. Ordered from Alstom in June 2007, the first unit arrived in the city on October 29. The second trainset is currently being tested in France, and the remainder will be delivered at 10 cars/month until October 2009.
  4. ↑ "Başakşehir-Kirazlı Metrosu Açıldı". Duble Yol (in Turkish). 2012-09-11. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  5. ↑ "Istanbul opens line M3". Railway Gazette International. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  6. ↑ "İstanbul'a yeni metro". Sabah (in Turkish). 2013-06-14. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  7. ↑ "İstanbullular yeni metro hattına kavuşuyor..." (in Turkish). İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi. 2013-06-13. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  8. ↑ "Istanbul opens metro Line M9". Railway Gazette International. 1 June 2021. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  9. ↑ "President opens Istanbul metro M3 extension". Railway Gazette International. 12 April 2023. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  10. ↑ "Bakırköy-Kayaşehir Metro Hattı". metro.istanbul (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2025-12-16. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  11. ↑ "Yıldıztepe İstasyonu Hizmete Açıldı". metro.istanbul (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2025-11-16. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  12. ↑ "İstanbul'a 68 tane hijyenik metro aracı" (in Turkish). İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi. 2007-10-02. Retrieved 2013-11-15. |
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