Consider this: a metro line stretching far beneath Istanbul. The M11 Arnavutköy-Halkalı Metro Hattı is more than just tracks and trains. It is a testament to Istanbul’s ambition and growth.
The M11 Gayrettepe-İstanbul Airport-Halkalı Metro Hattı is its official name. This line is a key part of the Istanbul Metro system. As of March 2024 parts of it are running. You can ride it between Gayrettepe and Arnavutköy Hastane through İstanbul Airport.
This makes the M11 the longest line in the Istanbul Metro at 51.5 km. It is also the second-longest continuous subway tunnel in Europe after Moscow’s Bolshaya Koltsevaya line. Imagine that deep dive.
The goal of the M11 Arnavutköy-Halkalı Metro Hattı is direct transport. It will offer quick access from İstanbul Airport to Levent. Levent is Istanbul’s business center. It also connects to Halkalı one of Istanbul’s major train hubs.
Unlike other metro lines the M11 uses limited stops. Stations are farther apart. This is most obvious toward the south. Here the M11 has only seven stations in Istanbul’s urban zone. These include Halkalı Halkalı Stadı Olimpiyat Kayaşehir and Fenertepe on the west side. Gayrettepe and Kâğıthane are to the east.
The M11 has two sections. One runs from Gayrettepe to İstanbul Airport. The other runs from Halkalı to İstanbul Airport. The first leg covers 37.5 km with nine stations. The second spans 31.5 km with seven stations. The entire line will be 69 km long with sixteen stations.
Once complete the M11 will rank among the world’s longest continuous subway tunnels. Travel time between end stops will be about 60 minutes. Trains will hit speeds of 120 km/h. This line cuts through six Istanbul districts. These are Şişli Kağıthane Eyüpsultan Arnavutköy Başakşehir and Küçükçekmece.
The M11 line expects to carry 94 million riders each year. It links to other transit lines too. These include Marmaray M1 M2 M3 M7 twice and M9. At the airport it connects to the high-speed train line.
Construction of the M11 cost about €999.8 million. Kolin-Şenbay a Turkish group won the building contract in December 2016. Sections opened gradually. The Kağıthane-İstanbul Airport section opened first in January 2023. Gayrettepe-Kağıthane opened in January 2024. The Arnavutköy Hastane-İstanbul Airport section opened in March 2024. Halkalı-Arnavutköy Hastane is set to open in late 2025.
Rolling stock for the M11 was made by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive. These are China’s first automated metro trains hitting 120 km/h. 176 metro cars serve Line 11. The contract was awarded in January 2020 and deliveries finished six months later. Though ten sets were not automated. In January 2024 officials announced 15 automated trainsets were ready.
The M11 has sixteen stations in total. Only eight of these sit within Istanbul’s main area. As you stand here remember the M11 is more than transit. It symbolizes Istanbul’s future.