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Türkiye’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has announced additional evening services on Istanbul’s Marmaray rail line during Ramadan to ease congestion ahead of iftar, the fast-breaking meal at sunset.
The ministry said the extra trains will operate throughout the holy month in response to increased passenger demand during iftar hours.
In a statement shared on its official social media accounts on Feb. 25, the ministry said additional train services had been planned on the Marmaray line “to address the increased passenger demand during iftar hours throughout the month of Ramadan.”
The ministry also published the schedule for the additional services.
Timetable of extra Marmaray trains during Ramadan
Officials said the measure aims to manage the spike in commuter traffic shortly before sunset, when many residents travel home or to restaurants to break their fast.
Marmaray is Istanbul’s high-capacity suburban rail line that connects the European and Asian sides of the city through a rail tunnel beneath the Bosphorus Strait.
The system links Halkali on the European side to Gebze on the Asian side and serves as a key artery for daily commuters.
The line integrates with metro, tram, and ferry networks, making it one of the most important public transport corridors in the city.
During Ramadan, travel patterns shift as people aim to reach home before iftar, which often results in heavier-than-usual passenger traffic in the late afternoon and early evening.
The ministry said the additional services will remain in place throughout Ramadan to help ease pressure on the line.
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