Chouraih had some thoughts about the transportation network in Istanbul. He says, “It is known that the most crowded city in Turkey is Istanbul. This is because it is a destination for tourists and the population of Istanbul is about 16 million people. It is also a big city where you should manage your time. Because if you do not, half of your time will be lost in the traffic.”
Different modes of transportation in Istanbul
Additionally, he says, “Despite the traffic in Istanbul, it has many modes of transportation. This includes the metro / metrobüs / tram/bus and also the ferries. There is a metro line called Marmaray that connects you from the end of the European part of Istanbul to the other end of the Asian side. The transportation system runs on a routine so can follow the timing of the buses, metro buses, and trams.
Applications for public transportation
There are applications that you can download on your phone. From these, you can find the bus which can take you to your destination. And at any time he will be in the station from which you will move, an application that will help you from these applications is “Moovit”. I enjoy watching the scenic landscapes while riding any of the modes of transportation. I personally really like to pass over the Bosphorus Bridge and see the strait and the wonderful buildings around it. In my opinion, the best means of transportation for me is the ferry. This is because it takes you from the European part to the Asian part by the sea. You can sit back and watch the waves and the birds.”
Always follow the Istanbulkart app, so you don’t go through this situation. However, the transportation network is organized and there are many things that facilitate traffic in Istanbul. There are also some rules within the transportation such as not to speak out loud, always giving a specific place for the older people and people with disabilities, which I believe is a very human and beautiful thing to do.”
Transportation Card
Chouraih says, “In order to use all these means of transportation, you need a transportation card. Here, Istanbul provides students with a discounted card which is currently about $7, and gives you 200 rides. This means you can use any means of transportation for those 200 trips. There is also an application called “Istanbul kart”, through which you can charge your own card and know the status of the card as well. When there is not enough money on the card, you are informed while you try to swipe the card to ride particular transportation, so you can recharge it.
Finally, he ends the conversation by saying, “I can say that the traffic in Istanbul taught me a lot of patience and that if I had an important date I would leave earlier so that I would not be late. Most of the time here, people spend a large part of their time in the buses, and I use this time to read books or on my way to university, or I do my study assignments.”
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