Istanbul metro line completes test runs ahead of December 2026 opening

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) has conducted official test runs for the Ümraniye-Ataşehir-Göztepe metro line on the city's Anatolian side. The driverless metro line is scheduled to open for service on December 19, 2026.

Spanning 13 kilometers with 11 stations, the new line is designed to reduce traffic congestion and travel times, connecting Ümraniye and Göztepe in approximately 21 minutes. The system is expected to have a passenger capacity of 44,000 people per hour in a single direction.

İBB Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan participated in the test drive alongside various municipal officials and technical experts. Aslan noted that the project was inherited at only 4 percent completion and that the municipality has since secured vehicles and continued construction to bring the line to its current stage.