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Istanbul’s car ferry link between the districts of Sariyer and Beykoz, designed to ease road congestion on the city’s heavily used bridges, has officially ended operations. The closure of the Istinye-Cubuklu ferry line marks the end of an eight-year service that once carried vehicles across the Bosphorus Strait.
The decision, announced by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s City Lines (Sehir Hatlari), was driven by the financial unsustainability of the route. Operating costs had grown to a point where revenue from the service no longer covered expenses.
In place of the retired car ferries, smaller passenger boats—locally referred to as “deniz dolmus,” a type of sea shuttle—will now run on the same schedule as the previous ferry service. While they are not equipped to carry vehicles, these boats are expected to maintain regular crossings between Istinye on the European side and Cubuklu on the Asian side.
To support commuters using the sea shuttles, the municipality is introducing additional public transport options. Istanbul's municipal bus service, IETT, will run extra lines to both ferry terminals. Meanwhile, a “Park and Continue” system will be available at Cubuklu Pier, allowing drivers to leave their cars and switch to public transport.
The original ferry line had offered 46 round trips on weekdays, serving thousands of drivers seeking an alternative to bridge traffic.
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