Public transport will be free all day on Thursday, 29 October, in Istanbul and Antalya for the 103rd anniversary of the Republic, and boardings in İzmir will cost a symbolic 1 kuruş, under decisions announced by the three metropolitan municipalities.
Istanbul: 24 hours free with a personalised İstanbulkart
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) said buses, metrobus, trams, metro lines and ferries run by the municipality and its companies will be free for 24 hours on 29 October, news agency ANKA reported. According to the ANKA report carried by 24 Saat and dokuz8HABER, the free rides apply only to holders of a personalised İstanbulkart, the city’s registered travel card; an anonymous card does not qualify.
Toplumsal, also citing ANKA, listed İETT buses, Şehir Hatları ferries, Metro İstanbul trains and BUSFORUS buses among the services included. Separately, a presidential decision already makes Marmaray, the Sirkeci–Kazlıçeşme line and the Gayrettepe–Istanbul Airport–Halkalı metro free that day, as we reported last week.
İBB is also holding free events. The main celebration is at the Yenikapı event area, where gates open at 18:00 for concerts by Arem & Arman, Simge and Mert Demir with a fireworks show. Emre Aydın plays Bağcılar Square at 20:00 and Hüsnü Arkan plays Şişli’s Habitat Square at 20:00. Miniatürk and the Panorama 1453 History Museum are free on the day, but only for Turkish citizens, according to the reports. Drivers should note the parade-related closures on Vatan Avenue and the D-100.
İzmir: 1 kuruş fares, İZBAN free
In İzmir, a metropolitan council decision sets a 1 kuruş fare on ESHOT and İZULAŞ buses, İZDENİZ ferries, İzmir Metro, the trams and İZTAŞIT on 29 October, Yeni Asır and RayHaber reported. The İZBAN commuter railway is free under the presidential decision. Medya Ege reported that car ferries, airport services, Baykuş night services, Bilet 35, prepaid cards and some special tariffs are excluded from the 1 kuruş fare.
İzmir Metro will run every five minutes between 06:30 and 20:00 and every 10 minutes until 00:20, and İZDENİZ ferries will follow the weekend timetable, Yeni Asır said. Two late ferries will link Karşıyaka and Alsancak overnight, leaving Karşıyaka at 23:45 and 00:45.
Antalya: free buses and tram, torchlight parade
Antalya Metropolitan Municipality said its buses, those of its affiliated companies and the ANTRAY tram will be free throughout 29 October, local outlets Aksiyon and Antalya Kent Haber reported. A torchlight parade will set off from Konyaaltı Varyant at 18:00 and end at Cumhuriyet Meydanı, where singer Semicenk performs at 20:00.
Republic Day is a public holiday, and Wednesday afternoon is a half-day off. Borsa İstanbul is closed on Thursday. City guides: Istanbul and Antalya.
Sources
- Cumhuriyet Bayramı’nda İstanbul’da toplu ulaşım ücretsiz olacak (ANKA via GazeteKalem)
- Cumhuriyet Bayramı’nda İstanbul’da ulaşım ücretsiz (ANKA via Toplumsal)
- İstanbul’da Cumhuriyet Bayramı’nda toplu ulaşım ücretsiz olacak (24 Saat)
- 29 Ekim’de İstanbul’da toplu ulaşım ücretsiz olacak (dokuz8HABER)
- İzmir’de 29 Ekim bayram tarifesi (Yeni Asır)
- İzmir’de 29 Ekim’de toplu ulaşım 1 kuruş, İZBAN ücretsiz olacak (RayHaber)
- Büyükşehir duyurdu: 29 Ekim’de toplu taşıma ücretsiz olacak (Medya Ege)
- Antalya’da 29 Ekim’de coşku sokaklara taşınıyor (Aksiyon)
- Antalya’da 29 Ekim fener alayı ve Semicenk konseri (Antalya Kent Haber)
Photo: Arild Vågen / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
