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Istanbul authorities rolled out traffic restrictions and expanded public transportation services on Wednesday ahead of the UEFA Europa League final between English side Aston Villa and German club Freiburg at Besiktas Park.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 10 p.m. local time (GMT+3), with large crowds expected to arrive from across Europe, particularly from the United Kingdom and Germany. As part of the measures, several roads around the stadium will stay closed to vehicle traffic from 7 a.m. until the end of the match.
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Authorities said closures will mainly affect the roads surrounding Besiktas Park and the Dolmabahce area on Istanbul’s European side.
Sehit Mehmet Street, located directly next to the stadium, will be closed along with the return road linking the Bomonti-Dolmabahce Tunnel exits to Kadirgalar Street. The Macka return routes, which connect traffic coming from the Nisantasi and Macka side toward Besiktas and Dolmabahce, will also be shut during the restrictions period.
Drivers heading toward Besiktas, Kabatas, or the waterfront area were advised to use Dolmabahce Gazhane Street, Dolmabahce Street and Kadirgalar Street as alternative routes. These roads run around the stadium zone and connect traffic toward central districts, including Sisli, Taksim and Karakoy.
Metro Istanbul also adjusted transportation schedules for the final, rolling out overnight operations on several key lines from the night of May 20 into the early hours of May 21 as thousands of visiting supporters continue to pour into the city.
The move is aimed at easing pressure on roads around Besiktas, Taksim and the waterfront districts, where fan activity is expected to continue long after the match ends at Besiktas Park.
Night services between midnight and 6 a.m. will run on the M1A Yenikapi-Ataturk Airport, M1B Yenikapi-Kirazli, M2 Yenikapi-Haciosman, M4 Kadikoy-Sabiha Gokcen Airport, M6 Levent-Bogazici University/Hisarustu and F1 Taksim-Kabatas lines, linking the stadium area with major transport hubs, airports and crowded city-center districts.
Metro Istanbul also announced that services on the T1 Kabatas-Bagcilar tram line will continue until 4:00 a.m. between the Kabatas and Cevizlibag stations, extending late-night access along one of the city’s busiest transit corridors.
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